Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Staffing Organisational Units Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organisation.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Serve as a link between management and employees by handling questions, interpreting and administering contracts and helping resolve work-related problems.
• Advise managers on organisational policy matters, such as equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment, and recommend needed changes.
• Analyse and modify compensation and benefits policies to establish competitive programs and ensure compliance with legal requirements.
• Perform difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures.
• Represent organisation at personnel-related hearings and investigations.
• Negotiate bargaining agreements and help interpret labor contracts.
• Identify staff vacancies and recruit, interview, and select applicants.
• Plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of subordinates and staff relating to employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations.
• Prepare personnel forecast to project employment needs.
• Provide current and prospective employees with information about policies, job duties, working conditions, wages, opportunities for promotion, and employee benefits.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

As this is a senior role, you typically need both a relevant qualification and experience.

Relevant degree subjects include HR/Personnel Management, Business Studies, Public Administration, Psychology, Law, Social Studies and Economics.

Many employers will look for a HR director with a proven track record of directing and managing HR teams, and someone who has senior management experience.

An entry level position would be as a HR officer/assistant, who can progress to a supervisor or manager role, and eventually to a HR Director role.

Training & Development pathways

There are many pathways to develop your skills & learning towards a career in Financial services. 

Traineeships and Post leaving cert courses  Financial services, Business Management HR & admin, and Accounts NFQ Levels 5-6 search FET Coursefinder

Apprenticeship Route

Apprenticeship routes: Recruitment, Financial Services, Insurance and Sales NFQ levels 6-8 Search Apprenticeships 

Higher Education CAO pathways Courses of any financial subject may be of relevance, but holders of Economics, Accountancy, Mathematics or Statistics, Business Managment-HR degrees may have an advantage. Courses are available at many Universities Countrywide, ranging from NFQ levels 6-8 Search Higher Education CAO pathways

Postgraduate study options Diploma/Masters Degree Business, finance, accounting, and advice (Level 9)  

Qualified financial Advisers 

On-the-job training continuous professional development is complemented by study for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) qualification. Three levels of examination measure a candidate's ability to apply the fundamental knowledge of investment principles at a professional level.

As a HR Director you need to keep up-to-date with legislation, regulations and other industry relevant information. Membership in professional bodies, such as the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in Ireland, can give you access to news, events and training opportunities.

A HR Director can progress to another senior management position in a company, or move to a bigger business for example.

Professional Organisations Training or networking events:

International Financial Services Skillnet Network 

Irish Banking & Payments federation 

Financial Services Union

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in Ireland

The 30% club: Growth Through Diversity 

Last Updated: April, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €80k - €180k

Salaries vary by employer, location, duties, role, and experience.

Data Source(s):
CPL / Sigmar/ Morgan McKinley/ Azon/ Lincoln

Last Updated: August, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

The annual average employment growth rate for this occupation was almost on a par with the national average, with employment growing by 3,600 persons between 2021 and 2022. Of the total employment permits issued in 2022, over half were for the ICT sector. The number of online job adverts (OVATE) declined by 5% in 2022, following strong growth the preceding year.

Although there was little evidence from employers that these roles were proving difficult-to-fill, the skills required for this occupation have shifted somewhat, with data from Spotlight on Skills indicating a strong demand for talent management/employee engagement skills, as companies increasingly focus on staff retention rather than recruitment in a tight labour market.

Demand for this occupation depends very much on hiring activity in the economy overall; slower growth and a reduced number of job-changers, particularly in sectors such as ICT, will likely dampen the demand for HR staff, and a return to the 2021 increase in employment (driven by post-pandemic re-hiring) is unlikely in the short-term.

• Bank of Ireland

  • Head Office, C2, Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2
  • 01 661 5933
  • Click Here

• New Ireland Assurance Company plc

  • 5-9 South Frederick Street, Dublin 2, D02 DF29
  • (0)1 617 2000
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in Ireland

  • CIPD, A3 The Locks, Charlotte Quay Dock, Dublin 4
  • (01) 678 0090
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here