Assistant Planner

Essential Requirements

An Assistant Planner is currently the entry grade for the four tiers of planning posts within Offaly County Council. These range from Assistant Planner through to Executive, Senior Executive and Senior Planner grades. Assistant Planners work within the planning section, which is itself currently within the Planning, Heritage, Economic Development, Tourism, Housing including Corporate Buildings and Municipal District of Tullamore Directorate. The section works broadly under four headings as follows: Forward Planning, Development Management, Enforcement (including taking charge of housing developments) and Special Projects (such as greenway development & urban /rural renewal schemes). However, an Assistant Planner will be required to input into multi-disciplinary project teams on occasion, under the direction and line management of a Senior Executive Planner. Local Authorities also play a key role in supporting economic development and enterprise promotion at a local level.

The Assistant Planner will from time to time be required to deputise for Executive Planners or more senior personnel and must be willing to take on this challenge. The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated person, with a strong sense of commitment to delivering quality public services and shall demonstrate a clear knowledge and understanding of:

·       Local authority services, its key stakeholders and relationships

·       Local government structures and its democratic role and mandate

·       Current local government issues, future trends and strategic direction of the sector, particularly in relation to planning policy and practice

·       Key policies guiding the local government sector

·       National, Regional and Local planning issues

·       Fostering and maintaining wide ranging productive working relationship both internally and externally to the organisation

·       Implementing change

·       Public Service values

The ideal candidate should also have a good technical knowledge base and experience of planning policy and practices to include the following:

·       Planning legislation & procedures across the areas of forward planning, development management and enforcement in particular

·       Current and future planning issues facing Co. Offaly and its wider region

·       Administration, report writing and putting across a well-researched and reasoned recommendation

·       Awareness of and Management of Health, Safety and Welfare in the workplace

·       Operating ICT systems, in particular word processing, presentation and GIS systems

·       Prioritising of work effectively

·       Acting on own initiative

·       Dealing effectively with conflicting demands

·       Working under pressure to tight deadlines

Key Competencies for the post include the following and candidates will be expected to demonstrate sufficient evidence within their application form of competence under each of the following specific areas:

Planning Policy & Practice:

Experience and detailed knowledge of the practical application of:

·       Irish Planning legislation and key relevant European Directives, including associated procedures

·       Planning issues relevant to Co. Offaly and its wider region

·       Historical, emerging and topical planning trends & issues in Ireland

·       Report writing and communication of a reasoned assessment or recommendation

·       Health and Safety legislation

Delivering Results:

·       Problem solving and decision making, particularly in situations of conflicting demands

·       Organising work programmes and implementing solutions, especially to deadlines

·       Managing resources and achieving efficiencies

·       Delivering Quality Outcomes

Performance Through People:

·       Motivation and positivity as part of a team

·       Managing Performance

·       Communicating Effectively

Personal Effectiveness:

·       Resilience and Personal Well-Being

·       Integrity & Public Service Values

·       Personal Motivation and Initiative

·       Understanding the structures and environment within which the local authority sector operates

·       Personal vision for the future of planning in Co. Offaly

·       Political awareness

QUALIFICATIONS

1.           Character

Candidates shall be of good character.

2. Health

Candidates shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

3. Education, Experience, etc.

Candidates shall:

a)     Hold a qualification in Planning (at least level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications);

b)    have at least two year’s satisfactory relevant experience of planning work;

c)     possess a high standard of technical training and experience.

PARTICULARS OF OFFICE

The Post:

The post is whole-time and pensionable. A panel will be formed for an initial period of one year and this may be extended for a further year at the discretion of the Chief Executive. The panel will be used to fill both permanent and temporary positions that may arise for its duration. Vacancies will be offered in order of merit as per the panel.

Salary:

The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time.  Holders of the post will be paid at the appropriate point on the salary scale in accordance with the relevant Department Circular.   Starting pay for new entrants will be at the minimum of the scale.  Where the appointee has been serving elsewhere in the public service in an analogous grade and pay-scale, and will be moving without break to another part of the public sector at an analogous grade, the appointment may be made at the appointee’s current point of scale.  The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay.

The current salary scale applicable to the post is €43,728 – LSI €68,246.

Duties:

You shall perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to you in relation to your employment and as may be appropriate to any particular function of any local authority for which the Chief Executive is responsible and carry out such instructions as may be given in relation to the performance of your duties. You shall, if required, act for an employee of a higher level. You may be required to work outside your normal job description from time to time.

The duties to be assigned include the following although this list is not exhaustive and may be reviewed from time to time as organisational needs require:

·       Conducting site visits & preparing recommendations on assigned planning applications including applications made directly to An Bord Pleanala where a local authority report is requested.

·       Preparing responses to pre-planning requests & holding pre planning meetings.

·       Preparing responses to planning appeals, attendance and input at oral hearings as necessary.

·       Carrying out site visits and preparing recommendations in relation to planning enforcement and derelict sites, including attendance at court cases and the giving of evidence.

·       Preparation of reports on the taking charge of residential developments.

·       Preparing responses for submissions on compliance with planning conditions.

·       Advising on and preparation of recommendations on ‘Section 5’ exempted development declaration applications and other declarations as directed.

·       Giving planning advice on the preparation and processing of “Part 8” Local Authority development applications.

·       Responding to planning queries, completions of returns etc. from other Council departments and national and regional Government / statutory agencies, external bodies as directed.

·       Carrying out survey work, research, analysis, drafting policies and proposals, preparing written statements and maps and other work as required on the agreed Forward Planning work programme, including but not limited to, plans, other planning strategies and studies, urban and rural renewal strategies / plans, urban design / public realm strategies.

·       Input into the preparation of, management and administration of environmental assessments of planning applications and plans / programmes as required.

·       Assistance in organising and facilitating public consultation and participation including attendance at meetings and other public forums, making presentations and recording and responding to queries.

·       Dealing professionally and courteously with queries from members of the public and their agents.

·       Providing a high level of service to public representatives, including attendance at and presentations to the relevant Strategic Policy Committee and at meetings of the Council, including at Municipal District level.

·       Maintaining and proactively developing a culture of Health and Safety in the workplace

·       Engaging in Continuing Professional Development/Training.

·       Incorporating the use of IT and efficiencies into work practices.

·       Preparation for and attendance at staff meetings.

·       Acting or deputising for senior personnel in their absence when required

·       Undertaking any other duties of a similar level and responsibility, as may be required, or assigned, from time to time.

Work Base:

Offaly County Council reserves the right to assign you to any department or premises in use by the Council, now or in the future. Changes in location of employment will not result in payment of disturbance money or other compensation. The person appointed will be required to provide him/herself at his/her own expense with the necessary mode of travel to and from work.

Working Hours:

The working hours at present provide for a five day, thirty- five hours working week , hours may vary from time to time.

The working hours may be reviewed at any time by the Council. The post may require flexibility in working outside of normal hours, including at weekends, as necessary. No additional remuneration will be paid in respect of such activities.

The provisions of Offaly County Council’s Time and Attendance Policy is applicable to this grade at the current time. A flexible working hours’ system is in operation and may be availed of subject to the terms and conditions of the Time and Attendance Policy.

Annual Leave:

The current annual leave entitlement is 30 days per annum. Granting of annual leave, payment for annual leave and arrangements for public holidays will be governed by the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1977 (as amended).

Sick Leave:

The terms of the Public Service Sick Pay Scheme will prevail.

Probation:

Appointees will be on probation for the first year of employment. The terms of Offaly County Council’s Probation Policy will apply.

Superannuation:

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012:

New members joining the Public Sector on or after 1st January, 2013 will be required to join the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. The Single Scheme applies to all pensionable first-time entrants to the Public Service as well as to former public servants returning to the public service after a break of more than 26 weeks. A rate of PRSI contribution will be required of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 3% of their 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 dependent or qualified children). This includes a contribution to a Spouse’s and Children’s Scheme.

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