Chairperson

Purpose:

The Grangegorman Build to Last Forum is a successor to the multi-agency Grangegorman Labour & Learning Forum (2010-2024). The purpose will be to maintain a focus on identifying benefits to local communities from the Grangegorman Development.  The main responsibilities of the Forum will be: 

• to inform and support the development and delivery of the Build to Last Community Strategy;  

• to assist in identifying unmet needs and underserved communities in the Grangegorman area in line with the remit and focus of the Strategy, and in developing and delivering appropriate responses;  

• to seek to have pilot projects and initiatives mainstreamed where appropriate; 

• to bring together local and sectoral knowledge, relationships and resources to maximise impact for local communities from the Grangegorman Development; 

• to model effective interagency and intersectoral working at area level for the benefit of local communities. 

Membership: 

The Forum will have a maximum of sixteen members (excluding the Chairperson) and include representation from statutory/public, community/voluntary, and business/ enterprise sectors.  Statutory/public members will include representatives from the key Grangegorman Development stakeholder organisations (ie the Grangegorman Development Agency, TU Dublin, the HSE and Dublin City Council).  Every effort will be made to strike a level of balance in representation between the sectors.  With the exception of the role of the Chairperson, organisations rather than individuals will be invited to join the Forum and member organisations will then appoint their own representative(s).  In the interests of continuity, organisations will be requested where possible to send the same representative to Forum meetings and events. 

Forum Officers 

• Chairperson: The Chairperson of the Forum will be an external appointee.

• Vice Chairperson:  The GDA representative on the Forum will be the Vice Chairperson.

• Secretary:  The GDA’s Community Development and Culture Manager will act as Secretary to the Forum. 

Role Overview

The Chairperson of the Grangegorman Build to Last Community Forum (BTLF) provides independent leadership to the Forum, supporting its purpose of promoting collaboration, community engagement and shared action in support of the Build to Last Community Strategy.

The role is a voluntary position. The Chairperson is appointed by the Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) for a single term of up to four years.  

The Chairperson must bring strong experience of the community and voluntary sector, a clear understanding of the Forum’s purpose and remit within the broader Grangegorman Development, and the leadership and facilitation skills required to chair a diverse, multi‑agency forum.

Key Responsibilities

The Chairperson will:

• Provide effective leadership to the Grangegorman Build to Last Community Forum, supporting constructive engagement and collaboration among members.
• Chair Forum meetings and events, ensuring they are well‑run, inclusive, and focused on agreed priorities and outcomes.
• Act as the primary spokesperson for the Forum, representing its work and perspectives as appropriate.
• Support the development and delivery of the Forum’s programme of work, in line with its remit and agreed priorities.
• Serve as the principal point of contact for the BTLF Secretary / GDA Community Development and Culture Manager.
• Ensure that the Forum operates in accordance with its agreed procedures, governance arrangements and ways of working.
• Liaise with designated GDA staff to support the implementation of agreed Forum actions and initiatives.
• Be accountable, through reporting, to the GDA Board’s Community and Culture Committee (CCC) for the work of the Forum.

 Skills and Experience

The Chairperson will demonstrate:

• Relevant experience within the community, voluntary, social or public sectors.
• Strong chairing, facilitation and consensus‑building skills.
• The ability to engage constructively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Sound judgement, independence, and an inclusive leadership style.
• A clear understanding of governance, accountability and partnership working.

 Board Meetings and Time Commitment:

There will be a minimum of four meetings per annum of the forum.  The 2027 forum calendar is currently being finalised. Meetings will typically take place in March, June, October and December 2027, with specific dates to be confirmed. 

Given the community focus of the forum, meetings are ideally held in person at the GDA offices in Park House, North Circular Road, Dublin. Online or hybrid attendance can be accommodated if needed. Members are asked to attend at least one meeting in person each year, and in-person attendance is encouraged throughout. Meetings generally take place in the morning, from 10.30am to 12pm, and last about 90 minutes.

Working groups:   

The Build to Last Forum is a forum rather than a board.  Instead, members contribute through working groups. There are currently three working groups:

• Employment

• Education & Training

• Business & Enterprise

These groups may evolve or new ones may be added. Working Groups are expected to meet approximately every one to two months with additional engagement as required to progress agreed actions and projects. Members may also be asked to contribute between meetings through email correspondence, project activity or stakeholder engagement.

Working group meetings typically last 1.5 to 2 hours to allow time for focused, detailed work.

Reporting relationship and mechanisms:  The Grangegorman Build to Last Forum and its Chairperson will be accountable to the GDA’s Community and Culture Committee, a committee of the GDA Board, and the GDA executive. The GDA Community Development and Culture Manager will act as Secretary to the Forum and will provide the CCC with periodic reports and updates on the work of the Forum.