The company is also seeking in its ideal chief executive a "results driven and decisive senior manager with the ability to manage a rapidly changing business enterprise with an inclusive culture". And the lucky candidate should have "an effective team working style and a track record of delivering superior performance".

An Post is facing challenges from the declining use of the post, and consequently falling revenues to regular internal human resources dif"culties. So it is no surprise that other qualities it wants include "strong interpersonal, negotiating and liaison skills".

Those skills will also come in quite handy on the bigger strategic picture. Last month, government approved exclusive joint venture discussions between An Post and Belgo/Dutch "nancial services conglomerate Fortis.

The development of a "nancial services business was one of the main planks of the strategic recovery plan put in place by An Post's current chief executive Donal Curtin, who will retire in July this year and leave the whole complicated lot to his successor.