Assistant Planner

The Role: The position of Assistant Planner is an important role within the Planning Department. The successful candidate will be responsible for implementing programmes of work including some or all of the key services within the department i.e. Development Management, Planning Enforcement, Economic Development, Forward Planning, Community Planning and Public Realm / Strategic Capital Projects. The Assistant Planner will work under the direction and management of the Senior Executive Planner, Senior Planner or any other officer designated by the Director of Services or the Chief Executive.

The Qualifications: 1. Character Each candidate shall be of good character. 2. Health Each candidate shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service. 3. Citizenship Candidates for any of the above panels must, by the date of any job offer, be: (a) A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; or (b) A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or (c) A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or (d) A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA or UK or Swiss citizen and has a stamp 4 visa; or (e) A person awarded international protection under the International Protection Act 2015 or any family member entitled to remain in the State as a result of family reunification and has a stamp 4 visa; or (f) A non-EEA citizen who is a parent of a dependent child who is a citizen of, and resident in, an EEA member state or the UK or Switzerland and has a stamp 4 visa. 4. Education, Training, Experience etc. Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms: (i) Hold an honours degree (level 8 in the National Framework of Qualifications) in Planning; (ii) Have at least two years satisfactory experience of planning work; (iii) Possess a high standard of technical training and experience; and (iv) Possess a high standard of administrative experience. - Please ensure that confirmation of Level 8 qualification in the relevant discipline from your awarding body and / or Quality & Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is submitted to the HR Department with your application. Foreign language qualification certificates must also be accompanied by a translation document. Applications received without the necessary documentation will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further. - Candidates must also hold a current valid and unendorsed driving licence in respect of category B vehicles or equivalent in the EU Model Driving Licence and must advise if this is not the case. A copy of Licence must be submitted with your application.

The Ideal Candidate Shall: • Have an ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team. • Have a track record of delivery of results. • Have an ability to self-motivate to achieve good performance. • Have an ability to achieve delivery of competing demands within prescribed timelines and deadlines. • Have an understanding of Local Authority services and structures in Ireland, particularly as they relate to the planning function, or have the ability to quickly acquire same. • Have good working knowledge of planning legislation, guidelines and the principals, practices and techniques of planning.

• Have excellent interpersonal, communication, presentation and influencing skills. • Have an ability to work under pressure (both independently and within a team) and to think laterally, maintaining a solution orientated mind-set in dealing with a wide range of issues. • Have good report writing skills and strong ICT skills. • Have good knowledge and awareness of statutory obligations of Health and Safety Legislation the implications for the organization and the employee, and their application in the workplace. The Principal Terms and Conditions: The Office is wholetime, permanent and pensionable. A panel will be formed from which permanent Assistant Planner vacancies arising during the lifetime of the panel (12 months) may be filled. 1. Duties The duties of the office are to give to the local authority and (a) Such other local authorities or bodies for which the Chief Executive, for the purposes of the Local Government Acts, is Chief Executive, and (b) to any other local authority or body with which an agreement has been made by the local authority or by any of the authorities or bodies mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph, Under the general direction and control of the Chief Executive or of such other officers as the Chief Executive may from time to time determine, such appropriate services of a technical, administrative, executive, supervisory, advisory and ancillary nature as are required for the exercise and performance of any of its powers, duties and functions as may be delegated to him or her by the Chief Executive from time to time and shall include the duty of deputising for other officers of the local authority. The Assistant Planner will report to the Senior Planner, Senior Executive Planner or such other officer as may be designated by the Chief Executive.

The key duties and responsibilities of the post of Assistant Planner may include but are not limited to the following: • Assessment of planning applications and pre-application proposals against the Council’s policies and provide recommendations as required in line with all relevant national, regional and local plans and policies and in accordance with appropriate legislation and guidelines; • Conduct pre-application consultations and provide planning advice to members of the public, internal departments and elected members in an efficient and flexible manner; • Investigates breaches of the planning code through the enforcement function to include attendance in court, as required, to give evidence; • Undertake site visits related to planning applications, condition compliance, planning enforcement, derelict sites, vacant sites, etc. as required; • Assisting in the preparation, implementation and monitoring of Development Plan/Local Area Plan/ Public Realm Projects and Schemes and in the preparation of reports on these matters for the Chief Executive and the Council; • Assisting in monitoring and reporting on implementation progress, including gathering/analysis of development, population, housing and market activity; • Develop and implement measures to promote regeneration; • Input to inter disciplinary projects dealing with land use, transport, regeneration, dereliction, environment, community planning, etc. • Assisting and providing advice to the Chief Executive, appropriate Committees of the Council, individuals, groups etc., on planning related issues; • Represent the Council at meetings with staff, elected members, community/general interest groups, businesses and residents, as required; • Liaising and working with relevant statutory bodies on various aspects of planning; • Build and maintain cooperative working relationships; • Assisting in the procurement and management of consultants; • Participating and contributing to the duties as required as part of the organisational response to Climate Action to promote and ensure capacity building, empowering change and delivering action; • Any other duties as may be assigned to the officer from time to time by the local authority and may include the duty of deputising for other officers of the local authority, when required, and such duties as may be assigned to them in relation to the area of any other local authority. 2. Salary The salary scale for the post of Assistant Planner (Assistant Engineer Analogous), applicable from 1st March 2025, is within the range: €46,802, €49,444, €51,392. €53,414, €55,485, €57,590, €59,715, €61,840 €63,964, €66,092, €68,232, €70,419 (LSI1), €72,609 (LSI2) Entry point to this scale will be determined in accordance with relevant Departmental Circulars. Offers of appointment to persons who are not serving local authority employees will be based on the minimum of this scale. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government Policy. The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time. Holders of the office shall pay to the local authority any fees or other monies (other than their inclusive salary) payable to or received by them by virtue of their office or in respect of services which they are required by or under any enactment to perform. 3. Residence The holder of the post shall reside in the district in which his or her duties are to be performed or within a reasonable distance thereof and will be required to serve in the Local Authority’s Offices, or wherever assigned by the Local Authority. Leitrim County Council reserves the right to, at any time, re-assign an employee to any Department now or in the future. Leitrim County Council reserves the right to, at any time, assign an employee to any premises in use by the Council now or in the future. 4. Probation Where a person is permanently appointed to Leitrim County Council the following provisions shall apply – (a) There shall be a period after appointment takes effect, during which such a person shall hold the position on probation; (b) Such period shall be one year but the Chief Executive may, at his/her discretion, extend such period; (c) Such a person shall cease to hold the position at the end of the period of probation, unless during this period the Chief Executive has certified that the service is satisfactory; (d) There will be ongoing assessments during the probationary period. Employment may be terminated by either party during probation or at the end of the probationary period on one week’s notice. 5. Annual Leave The annual leave entitlement for this post will be 30 days per annum. Annual leave year is aligned to the calendar year. 6. Health For the purpose of satisfying the requirement as to health it will be necessary for each successful candidate, before he/she is appointed, to undergo a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the local authority. 7. Working Hours The standard working week will be 35 hours, Monday to Friday. The role may require flexibility around working hours and evening and weekend work may arise. The Council reserves the right to alter hours of work from time to time. All hours worked will be subject to and recorded in accordance with the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 and the Organisation of Working Time Act (Regulations) 2001. Leitrim County Council requires employees to record their hours worked using a clocking system. 8. Superannuation All new entrants to pensionable public service employment on or after 1 January 2013 will be members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. All members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme will be required to contribute 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration plus 3% of pensionable remuneration. Pension and retirement lump sums for member of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme will be based on career-average pay; pensions will be co-ordinated with the State Pension Contribution Scheme. Persons who are pensionable under the Local Government (Superannuation) (Consolidation) Scheme 1998, and are liable to pay the Class A rate of PRSI contribution, will be required in respect of superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of pensionable remuneration plus 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration (i.e. pensionable remuneration less twice the annual rate of social insurance old age contributory pension payable at the maximum rate to a person with no adult dependant or qualified children). You will also be required in respect of the Local Government (Spouses and Childrens’ Contributory Pension) Scheme to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of pensionable remuneration in accordance with the terms of the Scheme. Persons who become pensionable officers of a local authority who are liable to pay the Class D rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of his/her superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 5% of pensionable remuneration. You may also be required to pay Spouses and Children/Widows and Orphans contributions at the rate of 1.5% of pensionable remuneration. 9. Retirement Age The Single Public Service Pension Scheme (“Single Scheme”) as provided by the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 commenced with effect from 1st January 2013. The act introduced new retirement provisions for new entrants to the public service appointed on or after 1st January 2013, as well as to former public servants returning to the public service after a break of more than 26 weeks. Retirement age will be in line with the age of eligibility for the State Pension Contributory (SPC). Compulsory

Retirement Age will be 70. There is no mandatory retirement age for “new entrants” to the public service as defined in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004. Anyone who is “not a new entrant” to the public service, as defined in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004, had been subject to a compulsory retirement age of 65 years – the Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018 provides for an increase in the compulsory retirement age of most pre-2004 public servants from age 65 to age 70. 10.Pension Abatement If an appointee has previously been employed in the Civil or Public Service and that appointee is entitled to, or in receipt of, a pension from the Civil or Public Service, or where a Civil/Public Service pension comes into payment during the appointee’s re-employment, that pension will be subject to abatement in accordance with Section 52 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and other Provisions) Act 2012.

Please note: In applying for this position, you are acknowledging that you understand that the abatement provisions, where relevant, will apply. It is not envisaged that the employing Department/Office/Body will support an application for an abatement waiver in respect of appointments to this position. 11.Driving Licence/Travel Holders of the post will be required to travel in the course of their duties and for this purpose they shall possess a current unendorsed full driving licence (Category B) and shall drive a motor car and maintain a car to the satisfaction of the local authority. The post holder’s Insurance policy must cover such use and must indemnify Leitrim County Council. Travel and subsistence expenses will be paid in accordance with nationally agreed rates applicable in the sector. 12.Garda Vetting The successful candidate may be subject to the Garda Vetting Procedures in line with the provisions of the National Vetting Bureau (Children & Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 to 2016 as appropriate in advance of appointment and on a periodic basis thereafter for the duration of their employment. 13.Outside Employment The position is whole-time and the employee may not engage in private practice or be connected with any outside business which would interfere with the performance of official duties. 14.Data Protection Please note that the information received is used solely for the purpose of considering your application. Such information held is subject to the rights and obligations set out in the Data Protection Acts, 1988, 2003 & 2018 and EU Regulation 2016/679.

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