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Community Enterprise Centre (CEC) Business Development Programme – Enterprise Ireland

Community Enterprise Centre (CEC) Business Development Programme – Enterprise Ireland

Community Enterprise Initiative (2015 – 2017)

Overview of Community Enterprise Initiative

Enterpriseireland

The overarching goal of the €5m Community Enterprise Initiative Fund is to stimulate and support enterprise and job creation at a local, community and regional level.
This fund is part of the Government’s €250m Regional Enterprise Development Initiative aimed at accelerating economic recovery in every part of the country.
The competitive call for applications is open to new and existing organisations, groups and alliances, who collaboratively seek to promote entrepreneurship, create jobs, foster innovation and enhance export opportunities for small business. A prerequisite for proposals is the need to demonstrate innovative solutions to fostering and creating employment. Priority will be given to new approaches that build on, and strengthen, the entrepreneurial ecosystem throughout the country.
Through the utilisation of existing infrastructure and the leveraging of nationally available enterprise supports, the specific objectives of the scheme include:
  • Fostering an increased collaborative, networked and linked approach to regional and local enterprise development and job creation
  • Establishment of hubs, accelerators, networks and clusters or other partnerships based on regional strengths, opportunities and uniqueness. Within this is the establishment of partnership activities where innovative start-ups can be established in a supportive network before graduating to other support mechanisms or self-sufficiency
  • Proactively seeking out, encouraging and supporting applications from economically disadvantaged areas and areas facing potential economic shock to foster potential opportunities for job creation and supporting enterprise
  • Promotion of a progression pathway for companies as they start, develop and scale.
Phase 1 of the programme opened for applications on Friday 15th May 2015. The closing date for applications is 6pm, Friday, 10th July 2015.

Am I eligible? Who can apply?

The Community Enterprise Initiative Scheme is open to new and existing organisations and groups, who collaboratively seek to create jobs, promote entrepreneurship, boost innovation and enhance exports.
Examples of the expected type of collaboration would be:
  • A chain of Community Enterprise Centres could collaborate that would have the capacity to offer better support services
  • The recruitment of Enterprise Partners could give access to a greater level of practical problem solving expertise (financial, taxation, internationalisation etc.)
  • The forming of alliances with the local Higher Education Institute (HEI) or Education & Training Board (ETB) could give access to domain expertise (marketing, exporting, prototyping, design etc.) that could strengthen the capability of clients etc.
Essential Requirements
A prerequisite for proposals for funding under the Community Enterprise Initiative Scheme is a business plan which clearly communicates the potential to create jobs, promote start-ups and to support an increased level of exporting including through the development of enterprise hubs and partnerships.
Priority will be given to new initiatives that can yield economic additionality at the community and regional level and tothose working across multiple locations with a regional focus. The focus of the proposal should be one or more of the following:
  • Pre and new start-ups
  • Expanding existing businesses
  • New Job creation
  • Added value to existing jobs
  • Creation of new networks, hubs and clusters
  • Creation of a platform for the provision of expertise, upskilling, management development, mentoring etc.
  • Innovation
  • Filling gaps identified in regional enterprise strategies
  • Leveraging of other enterprise supports e.g. mentoring, funding, etc.
  • Enterprise supported and ‘championed’ by the private sector networks, entrepreneurs etc.

What is the maximum funding available?

The fund size will be €5m and is cash limited. This is a competitive fund and due to limited funding available under the fund, it may not be possible to award aid to all eligible projects.
While there will be flexibility in the funding model to allow applications to be innovative, under the Community Enterprise Initiative Scheme the following financial support is available:
  • 50% of costs for a feasibility study/local business plan up to a maximum of €25,000
  • 50% of cost* of suitably skilled personnel who can deliver and develop the project and leverage the support of other agencies and private sector supports
  • 50% of building modification costs up to a maximum of €200,000 per facility to upgrade and enhance the infrastructure to meet current and emerging business needs where justified by the criteria set out
  • 50% of costs for delivery of new services as a result of wider collaborations up to a maximum of €200,000 such as the establishment of hubs, incubators, clusters, networks, mentoring or other partnerships to promote job creation through new start-ups, business expansion, innovation and exports. Other innovative solutions stimulating the start-up culture, enterprise capability and job creation potential of the region is also encouraged.
*maximum €50,000 over a period of 2 years

How do I apply? How are applications assessed?

Application forms will be available on the website from Tuesday 26th May 2015
Note: only applications submitted on the official application form will be considered.
Eligible applications will be evaluated and approved by the Enterprise Ireland Board or a decision making committee appointed by the Enterprise Ireland Board. Where the number of suitable applications exceeds the available funding, those ranked highest will be supported.
An Evaluation Group will be set up comprised of nominees from Enterprise Ireland, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and relevant public and private bodies will be set up to evaluate eligible projects.
Full details on how applications are assessed are available by downloading the CEI Scheme Reference Document.
Completed application forms must be sent to the following email address: cei.csu@enterprise-ireland.com

What are the call close dates?

The Closing Date for Applications is no later than 6pm, Friday, 10th July 2015.
Application forms are not available on the website until Tuesday 26th May 2015.

Key contact/more information

Fore more information contact Gillian Slattery
Envelop icon Gillian Slattery
Programme Manager – Micro Enterprise and Small Business Unit, Enterprise Ireland
Tel: +353 61 429927

Like my Facebook page – your chance to win a 2015 Irish Calendar!

Dear Readers,
I know it’s a bit late at this stage, but wanted to wish you all a belated Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2015 – may all your dreams /wishes come through!
I haven’t been so active on this blog, as I have been busy working on a fundraiser for my favourite charity called #Bumbleance. I started a blog for that project here.  The fundraiser consists out of growing 240 Hyacinths( I planted them in October) and sell them when they are almost blooming. All proceeds to go to Bumbleance. So far I have raised 560 Euros! If you’d like to adopt/sponsor my project, please click here. Thank you very much for your support!!
The idea behind this blog is really about how to go about to find a job in Ireland. When I arrived in Ireland in 1992/1993  there were very little jobs, I didn’t know anyone, had little experience( and money), so finding a job was very challenging. Over the years I have had many jobs, some short term, other long term( I promise to fill up the “About Me” section soon), and have learnt many things along the way. I’d like to share those insights with those who might be in the same boat as I was many year ago, to make their journey a little easier. Alternatively, do connect with  me via my Facebook page or via  Linkedin.
I believe in a very connected world, and have learnt over the years that finding a job is a full time job with in many cases no rewards,  but having a few “human” connections with people can/will make the difference between you getting that job ( or not). It’s a bit like buying, you buy from a person( not necessarily a company), and if you recommend/refer someone for a job, there is a significantly bigger chance you’ll (at least) land an interview, which is often the biggest hurdle in the process. Okay, you also need to be a good candidate for the job,  have the right paperwork, have a great attitude, do a good interview, On that note:) if you are interested to work for Ebay, Paypal, Stubhub or any other business in that segment, check out the vacancies here. If you are looking to apply for a job, and would like me to have a quick look at your CV, send me an email, and I’ll try to help you along.
I started a Facebook page called Workinglivingtravelinginireland and until recently I had about 100 fans. Towards the end of last year, I  saw a steady increase in  fans, and I can see they are all over the world. I am very excited to see that I have just reached 145 fans! I would like increase the fans on my Facebook page, and thought I’d organize a small incentive for new fans to join my Workinglivingtravelinginireland Facebook page.
Ireland is a beautiful country, and maybe you have  never really seen the beautiful scenery, so I have bought two calendars, one with images from Ireland in general, the other from images of Connemara( that’s in Co. Galway. All you’ll have to do is join my Workinglivingtravelinginireland Facebook page and comment if you’d like the Ireland calendar or the Connemara Calender. I’ll do a draw at the end of January and will send the two lucky winners a beautiful calendar!
To wet your appetite, the calendars look like this :
Once my fundraiser is completed( end of January) I’ll be starting to publish articles around finding a job in Ireland, papers required( if any), good things to know about Ireland or the area you wish to work/live. I have also noticed a trend of people who took a break from work due to a variety of reasons, and are now returning to the workforce, and are finding it very hard to re enter the workforce due to their inactivity, or in some cases (they claim) age. If you are in this boat, and would like to share me your thoughts or insights, please let me know via email! I’d love to hear from you!
Hope to see you on my Workinglivingtravelinginireland Facebook page!
Have a great weekend!
Katleen

Check out these vacancies at Ebay, Magento, Paypal, Stubhub in Dublin and Dundalk

Hello all,
If you are looking for a job at Ebay, Paypal, Magento , Ebay Enterprise or Stubhub, check out the jobs portal. There are quite  few vacancies in Ireland! If you click on this link, it will bring you to all the vacancies worldwide. As this blog is about finding a job in Ireland, there are two locations, one in Dublin (Stubhub, Paypal, Ebay and Ebay Enterprise )  and one in Dundalk (Paypal), which is in Co. Louth. Check out my previous article to find out more about the locations in Ireland.

Just to get a flavour of the jobs available, there are 33 open vacancies!

Spanish Trust and Safety Teammate : click here to apply
Primary Job Responsibilities:
As part of the Trust & Safety Team you will be responsible for supporting the needs of our members and ensuring we provide a clean and safe site on which to trade.
As a frontline representative, you will be the primary point of contact for our customers – it is critical that you help provide them with predictable, compassionate, and timely resolution to their questions and enquiries while maintaining a positive and friendly attitude. You will need to exhibit strong communication skills, excel at customer interaction, exhibit creativity and skill in delivering practical solutions, and thrives in a collaborative team environment.
Your daily tasks will draw upon your technical and analytical ability as you review reports and address the members concerns. Your proactive nature will be key to ensuring your success. As a direct contact for our members you will represent eBay to a high standard of professionalism to the eBay community. Provide Best Customer Service, understanding our customer needs & acting with the customer in mind
Responsibilities:

  • Provide Best Customer Service, understanding our customer needs & acting with the customer in mind
  • Support the daily needs of our members on a wide variety of queries, ensuring their resolution and satisfaction
  • Work with members in overcoming challenges they may face in their onsite activity
  • Have a thorough understanding of customer priorities, and identify key improvement areas
  • Provide feedback on emerging issues on the site
    Ensure that we are providing the safest and cleanest site possible for the community
  • Independently use all channels to stay informed with regards to department specific knowledge
  • Develop effective working relationships with peers and superiors and maintain open communication with Team Leader and Manager

Job Requirements
Fluency in Spanish and English both spoken and written is essential (other European languages advantageous, either Italian, French, Polish or Dutch)
Availability to work one day at the weekend on dayshift and/or evenings
Flexible and adaptable with a positive attitude to work
Previous customer service experience is an advantage; Phone experience advantageous but not essential
Basic Computer Knowledge – experience with all Microsoft Office programs and Internet
Strong written (email) communication utilizing proper grammar and punctuation, good typing skills
Log information accurately
Knowledge of eBay either through your own activity on the site
A keen customer focus and desire to resolve customer concerns in a timely manner
Ability to learn and adapt to new policies at a very fast pace Proactive and driven by targets
Continually display initiative to take on additional responsibilities towards professional growth
Works as a team to ensure the eBay site is safe and clean
What we offer

Be a part of a team that helps to shape the shopping experience of the future
Future career opportunities with international exposure via eBay Inc.’s network of global locations
A supportive environment that allows our employees to thrive and learn
European Headquarters based in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, only 15 minutes from the thriving Dublin City – a subsidised bus service is provided
Our benefits ensure you are well taken care of with quality health and wellness programs including free site gym!
An opportunity to be a part of a community that has just been voted one of the Best Workplaces in Ireland and Europe 2014

Subsidiary:
eBay
Shift:
Varies
Education:
Bachelors Degree or Equivalent

Dir, Workforce Optimization & Analytics  :Apply for this job here 

Primary Job Responsibilities:
The Workforce Optimization team partners with senior leaders to drive scale and efficiency across Global Operations that spans across multiple in-house and partner locations. We do this by developing fact-based, data-driven insights that inform strategic management decisions. Our methodologies and analytics enable our business leaders to better understand their organizations’ capabilities, and establish a credible point-of-view for global staff planning and budgeting.
As a member of the Workforce Optimization team, you will have the opportunity to liaison with many parts of Global Operations. You will work closely with business unit managers to evaluate ongoing production needs and long-range planning. You will analyze strategic decisions, including how strategic initiatives impact volume and staffing, identification and prioritization of improvement opportunities, partner management (sourcing, contracts and billing & invoicing), and site strategy.

Primary Responsibilities

  • Work with senior operations leadership and regional Workforce Planning & Management leaders to develop staffing strategies that align with forecasted workload and financial objectives
  • Lead a global group of leaders, placing a high priority on career development and accountability.
  • Identify and surface opportunities from analytics to improve scale, such as process inefficiencies, operational gaps, service model challenges, product issues, etc.
  • Incorporate senior leadership’s transformational initiatives into long range staffing strategies
  • Contribute to evolving tools, analytics, and routines
  • Recognize and recommend operational and support insights & improvements
  • Monitor and explore workforce planning trends
  • Proactively identify & communicate trends/events that drive contact rate
  • Liaison with global partner management and partners on sourcing, contract execution and billing/invoicing

Job Requirements Skills and Knowledge

  • Strong working knowledge of operations management concepts
  • Strong and demonstrated strategic orientation and leadership skills
  • Strong understanding of change management, organizational strategy and design concepts, specifically through linkages to process, systems and operational improvements
  • Knowledge of offshoring contracts and processes including operational considerations, pitfalls and watch points for transitions, frameworks and approaches to evaluating Offshoring options
  • Strong analytical skills with a practical common sense approach
  • Strong working knowledge in process and organizational improvement tools like process flow mapping, pareto analysis, root cause analysis, etc.

Basic Qualifications
Education and Experience

  • MBA or equivalent experience
  • 12+ years related work experience in an operations environment
  • 8+ years supervisory experience
  • 3-5 years of management strategy or process consulting experience
  • Experience leading and working with teams on improvement projects
  • Demonstrated experience working and influencing with executive leaders
  • Financial services experience desired
  • Self-motivated and must excel in high profile position

Subsidiary:
PayPal
Shift:
Day
Education:
MBA or Equivalent

Web Developer UK: Click here to apply 
Primary Job Responsibilities:
Primary Job Responsibilities Web Developer Support
1. About the candidate
Working in PayPal Merchant Operations, the successful candidate will be part of the Merchant Integration team, as first point of contact for web developers who are integrating any of the PayPal website payments solutions into e-commerce websites and other applications.
The successful candidate will have excellent web development experience, with a strong understanding of associated trends and technologies. A passion for internet-based business concepts, and an inquisitive and analytical nature will help drive the candidate to be best-in-class at supporting the PayPal merchant customers by acquiring an in-depth understanding of the PayPal product and e- and m-commerce in general.
Candidates should be able to demonstrate their web development skill through a portfolio of work, utilizing third-party platforms (eg. osCommerce, Magento, Joomla!, WordPress etc.) as well as strong custom programming using common web technologies (eg. PHP/MySQL, ASP/.NET, Java etc.). Experience in designing solutions for customers utilizing connections against third-party APIs would be a distinct advantage (eg. PayPal, Google, Facebook, Twitter etc.).
Candidates should have excellent customer services skills, coupled with great communications (both written and verbal).

2. About the team
The Merchant Integration team maintains a specific focus on the last mile of sales process and provides technical integration services including code-level support to Merchants or their developers which have been acquired through the Sales Team pipeline, and to existing Merchants in the Account Management portfolio.
They are responsible for initial integration of the right PayPal product for the website, app or software, and will work with newly-acquired merchants to ensure that they are fully aware of product and service features to ensure optimal integration of PayPal into their web sites.
The position is designed to provide a smooth transition from the sales acquisition process and for converting the integration to an active, live-to-site phase. Additionally, the position is an integral key in assisting the assessment of new merchants so that they are placed in the correct segment tier for service based upon processing volume or rate of growth over this period. This role also serves as a contact for key messaging and actions associated with Risk policy and operations, including communication of the implications of allowing the merchant to turn-off fraud models and other requirements as needed for the business.
The Integration Specialist role will require tight coordination with a wide range of PayPal teams, including: Merchant Telesales, Business Customer Support, Account Management, Merchant Technical Support, Tech Services, Risk Operations and the Senior Managers for Sole Proprietor, SMB and LMS Merchant Support.

Job Requirements
Education
High School Diploma or Equivalent, may have an Associate or Undergraduate Degree in IT, Web Development, or related fields.
Experience
3+ years related experience including:
– Software development background is ideal.
– can work to a tight schedule, at all times conscious of deadlines, workload and targets.
– Ability to learn quickly and take ownership of tasks, process, and end product.
– Ability to work independently and as a team member in a dynamic work environment
– The ideal candidate will be aware of the latest technologies, and have a genuine interest in computing in general.

Subsidiary:
PayPal

Shift:
Day

Education:
Diploma or Educational Equivalent

There are always a number of jobs for people with languages, so if you have French, German, Italian, German, Dutch, Turkish, keep this site in mind!

Happy job hunting!
Katleen

Sunshine , rain and a rainbow!

Hello Readers,

So I went for a quick lunch break walk, and all looked sunny.. As I walked, the skies got very dark, and by the time I reached the end of our road, it had started to rain! Whilst I was getting drenched I saw a rainbow! Actually, when I look at the picture, it’s a double rainbow!

 
 
 

 

As I mentioned previously, I am doing a fundraiser for www.bumbleance.com, where I am growing 240 hyacinths. They’ll be for sale around Christmas, and all proceeds are going to www.bumbleance.com. If you live further afield, and would like to sponsor me, please click on the following link – thank you for your support! Checkout my other blog on progress with the hyacinths, they are all planted now!

 
Have a great weekend!
Katleen
 
 
 




Galway Science & Technology Festival 2014 – tickets available as from the 14th of November

Hi all,

This is one of the events we go to each year, but usually I am too late to book any of the workshops as they’ll all be booked out.. This year somehow I saw a post on Facebook to remind when it is taking place. 

The event is taking place Sunday 23rd November 2014 at NUI Galway 10am – 6pm. Tickets will be available as from the 14th of November via http://www.galwayscience.eventbrite.ie 

Launch of the 16th Galway Science & Technology Festival 18

2014 Galway Science & Technology Festival Exhibition

2014 Galway Science & Technology Festival Exhibition on Sunday 23rd November, 2014
10am – 6pm Bailey Allen Hall, Orbsen Building, IT Building and the Arts & Science Concourse
80 Interactive Stands and 25 shows and workshop
Tickets for Shows and workshops  – available Friday 14th November on www.galwayscience.eventbrite.ie
In case you’d like to read about our previous visits, check out the articles I wrote in 2013, 2012. 2010!
Become a fan of their Facebook page for further updates.
See you there!
Katleen