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Director of Competition Adjudication Unit (PO)
About the CCPC
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (“CCPC”) is the statutory body responsible for enforcing competition and consumer protection law in Ireland. The CCPC plays a vital role in ensuring that markets work better for Irish consumers.
We are currently governed by an Executive Chairperson and three Commission Members (“the Commission”). The Commission is responsible for the strategic and operational management of the organisation to deliver on our mission and meet our regulatory objectives.
Each Division of the CCPC is overseen by a Member of the Commission, led by a Divisional Director and managed by a senior management team from within the Division. We are staffed with people from a wide range of technical backgrounds, including economists, lawyers, digital forensic specialists, investigators, communications professionals and more.
You can read our strategy statement which outlines the vision, mission, values and goals of the CCPC. Further information on the work of the CCPC to be found at www.ccpc.ie.
Division Overview
The Competition (Amendment) Act 2022 (the “2022 Act”), which transposes Directive (EU) 2019/1 (the ECN+ Directive), establishes a landmark new administrative enforcement regime in Ireland for breaches of EU and Irish competition law. Part 2D of the Competition Act 2002 (as inserted by the 2022 Act) (the “2002 Act”) creates a new administrative adjudication regime under which the CCPC will have the power, subject to court approval, to make decisions concerning alleged infringements of competition law and to impose administrative financial sanctions of up to €10 million or 10% of total worldwide turnover. Cases will be referred for adjudication following investigation by CCPC investigation teams.
Part 2D of the 2002 Act creates the role of Adjudication Officers (AO) that are nominated by the CCPC and appointed by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Part 2D also provides for the role of Chief Adjudication Officer (CAO). Over the coming months, the CCPC intends to nominate one CAO and a panel of AOs for appointment by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Section 15R of the 2002 Act also provides for the appointment by the CCPC of assistants to support the adjudication function. The legislation contains stringent requirements to ensure that the CAO, AOs and their assistants are independent in the performance of their functions.
The CCPC is establishing a Competition Adjudication Unit that will be responsible for supporting the set-up and operation of the new adjudication function under Part 2D of the 2002 Act. The Competition Adjudication Unit’s main role will be to provide support to the CAO and AOs in the exercise of their functions. Robust arrangements will be put in place to ensure clear separation between the CCPC’s investigative and adjudication functions in relation to breaches of competition law and to safeguard the independence of the adjudication regime. However, the Competition Adjudication Unit will nonetheless play a central role within the CCPC. Subject to the to the independence requirements set out in Part 2D of the 2002 Act, the Director of the Competition Adjudication Unit will be accountable to the Commission on corporate governance and budgetary matters relating to the Unit.
Role Summary
The CCPC is seeking to recruit a Director of the new Competition Adjudication Unit. This is an opportunity for an experienced lawyer, with excellent strategic leadership skills, to take on a senior management role in a dynamic and fast-paced public sector organisation. The Director will be responsible for overseeing the establishment and operation of the Competition Adjudication Unit at a time of very significant change in the enforcement of competition law in Ireland. The post holder will be self-driven and results-oriented with experience of providing advice on complex legal matters and the ability to work on their own initiative and manage relationships with different stakeholders.
Reporting to a Member of the Commission, the Director of the Competition Adjudication Unit will be responsible for establishing the new Competition Adjudication Unit and ensuring that robust and efficient businesses practices and procedures are put in place from the outset. This is a core requirement of the role, requiring strong management and leadership skills. It is anticipated that the Competition Adjudication Unit will rely initially on support from external advisors (e.g. lawyers, economists etc.) but will also over the next 1-2 years build its own in-house team. A key part of the Director’s role will be to procure and manage panels of external legal and economic advisors to support the adjudication function. The Director will also be responsible in due course for recruiting, managing, and mentoring the Competition Adjudication Unit’s own in-house staff.
For further information on this role and how to apply, please visit CCPC careers page
