CHIEF CORPORATE OFFICER
CHIEF CORPORATE OFFICER
BACKGROUND & ORGANISATION
Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail (IÉ) is the public railway company of Ireland. As an integrated railway its’ role is to manage all associated infrastructure while providing passenger and freight transport across Intercity, Interregional, Commuter and DART services. IÉ also owns and operates Rosslare Europort and is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann.
The Company is on an ambitious developmental journey, in service of a growing Ireland, and is organised to include an Operating function with Rail Undertaking (RU) and Infrastructure Management (IM), a growing Capital Investment unit, Commercial Businesses and corporate shared services.
IÉ is realising its ambition to be the backbone of Ireland’s sustainable transport network, delivering growth through a €10bn+ nationwide programme of capital investment projects in Ireland’s heavy rail network. Funded by the Department of Transport, the National Transport Authority and the European Union, this Investment programme will grow the current carrying capacity from 55 million to 80 million passengers by the end of the decade, significantly expanding rail freight operations and developing the Rosslare Europort infrastructure.
An investment programme of this scale is crucial to the implementation of national and regional transport and environmental policies and represents the most positive era for growth and transformation of rail transport services in the history of the State.
Reinforced by the All-Island Strategic Rail Review (AISRR), jointly commissioned by the Department of Transport and the Department of Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, our extensive capital investment programme sets out the vision for continued improvements for passengers and wider society on the island of Ireland up to 2050. With an estimated capital cost of €37bn, the AISRR, recommends further actions for additional electrification of services, increased speeds, higher service frequency and new routes and is aligned with the net carbon zero commitments in both jurisdictions.
THE ROLE
Reporting to the CEO, the Chief Corporate Officer (CCO) provides strategic direction and leadership to IÉ’s administrative operations, optimising performance, ensuring high standards of corporate governance and managing risk to the organisation’s corporate services through change and transformation.
The CCO will be responsible for leading and integrating the organisations corporate functions, ensuring alignment with overall strategic objectives and supporting sustainable growth. By consolidating core enabling functions (IT, Transformation, HR and Procurement) the CCO drives reliability, efficiency, value-for-money, scalability and compliance. By strengthening organisation-wide alignment and shared services governance, the CCO supports a safe operating railway in the context of large-scale transformational infrastructure investment.
As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the CCO adds value to a high-performing, collaborative team culture that enables the delivery of the transformation of Ireland’s rail network and the provision of a safe and high-quality customer service experience.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate will have:
• A strong track record of driving transformational change, delivering measurable improvements in efficiency, capability and performance
• The ability to integrate people, processes and technology, ensuring corporate functions operate cohesively and support strategic objectives
• The strategic and collaborative leadership capability and experience to manage a complex range of multi-functional corporate teams and integrate these teams into a cohesive support system for IÉ
• Senior level experience leading comparable change and transformation across people, process, systems and governance
• Experience of leading multi-functional teams during periods of accelerated growth and transformation
• A demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a complex operating environment at executive and board level
• Excellent internal stakeholder management, engagement and influencing skills
• Emotional intelligence and collaboration skills - building trust, positivity, loyalty and a shared purpose as a member of a senior management team in a large-scale, complex organisational structure
• Experience of engagement with the policy making process, senior public and civil servants and with elected representatives.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced senior professional to make a significant impact at IÉ; ensuring the organisation’s core values and transformational strategic direction are enabled through effective people, processes, systems and governance at a time of unprecedented investment in rail infrastructure in Ireland.
To discuss your interest and for further information on this role, please contact PwC Executive Search:
ELLEN ROCHE +353 87 637 0812
ADRIENNE HARTEN +353 87 247 2896
To make an application for this role, please send a comprehensive curriculum vitae and a personal statement outlining your fit for the role to ie_recruitment_ie_cco@pwc.com
The closing date for receipt of applications is Monday, 1st June 2026.
IÉ is a subsidiary of the commercial semi-state group of transport companies, Córas Iompair Éireann, and its activities are regulated by the National Transport Authority and by the Commission for Railway Regulations. Irish Rail is an equal opportunities employer.
