Clerical Officer

About the Clerical Officer Role Clerical Officers may be assigned to any individual team within the FSPO, or across a number of such teams. The role of the Clerical Officer involves a wide range of activities, including general clerical work, working as part of a team in delivering important public services, supporting line-managers and colleagues, and communicating with and providing a quality service to the public. Working as part of a team, Clerical Officers perform a wide range of important administrative duties. Information provision, and registration of complaints represent a large part of the role, and Clerical Officers are required to process large volumes of documentation, phone calls, email and post, at all times respecting the rights of data subjects to the protection and privacy of their personal details.

Key Activities: • Providing information to the public about the FSPO’s services over the phone, in writing and face-to-face, meeting the highest quality standards; • Registering and processing new complaints received; • Logging, collating, scanning, and processing inbound/outbound post; • General clerical work e.g. filing, photocopying, scanning; • Acting as administrative supports to business areas; • Working as part of a team in delivering support services to the wider staff; • Maintaining high quality records in a thorough and organised manner; • Supporting line-managers and colleagues; • Using Information Technology on a daily basis e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, database, email and internet; • Checking all work thoroughly to ensure that it is processed in accordance with operating procedures, the FSPO’s data protection policy and completed to a high standard; • Approaching work in a careful and methodical manner, displaying accuracy at all times, including when conducting routine/repetitive work; • Any other duties deemed appropriate for clerical support, which may include providing wider team cover for holidays or absences.

The responsibilities outlined in this job description should not be regarded as comprehensive in scope and may be added to or altered as required, in line with the business requirements of the FSPO. Experience, Qualifications & Personal Qualities Required Personal Qualities Required To be effective in the role of Clerical Officer in the FSPO, the successful candidate should have: • An ability to prioritise and effectively manage workload as well as being organised and flexible; • Excellent communication skills, including written communication skills, with an ability to present written material in a clear, concise manner; • An ability to provide excellent customer service to both internal and external customers; • Excellent interpersonal skills, including an ability to deal sensitively with others and to maintain confidentiality and protect personal data; • An adherence to high standards, including demonstrating excellent attention to detail; • An ability to adhere to, comply with and ensure adherence to processes and procedures; • A commitment to the FSPO’s values and demonstrated high standards of personal integrity; • ICT literacy including Microsoft suite familiarity; • Willing to share ideas and information with people, with the purpose of achieving a particular result; • An ability to work on their own initiative and as part of a team; • A commitment to the delivery of quality public service.

Essential Requirements Eligible applicants, on the closing date for the competition, must have the following:  Essential Qualifications Candidates must, on or before 07 October 2024: • Hold at least Grade D3 in 5 subjects in the Leaving Certificate Examination or equivalent or have passed an examination at the appropriate level within the QQI qualifications framework. Or • Be serving as a Civil/Public Servant with at least two years’ service.

Required experience, knowledge and skills Candidates must, on or before 07 October 2024, meet the below criteria: • Have a minimum of one year’s relevant administrative experience • Experience in dealing with the public over the phone and face-to-face • Demonstrate strong written communication skills, as evidenced by their application • Demonstrate strong attention to detail, as evidenced by their application • Fulfil eligibility requirements (see below) • Demonstrate the competencies required (see below)

Competencies required Candidates must demonstrate, by reference to specific achievements in their career to date, that they possess the qualities, skills and knowledge required for the role of Clerical Officer as identified by the Public Appointments Service Clerical Officer level competency framework set out in Appendix 1, and as listed below: • Teamwork • Information Management and Processing • Delivery of Results • Customer Service & Communication Skills • Specialist Knowledge, Expertise and Self Development • Drive and Commitment to Public Service Values

Desirable Requirements: In addition to the above essential requirements, it is desirable that candidates for the post of Clerical Officer would have some or all of the following: • Some knowledge or experience of consumer protection or complaints handling in a statutory body or financial services and/or pensions; • Relevant third level qualification; • Proficiency in the Irish language.

Shortlisting will be based on the information provided in the application form, and thereafter an assessment in advance of invitations to interviews. An invitation to tests, interview or any element of the selection process is not acceptance of eligibility. Eligibility may not be confirmed until the final stage of the process, therefore, candidates who do not possess the essential requirements, on the closing date of 07 October 2024 and who nevertheless proceed with their application, are putting themselves to unnecessary effort/expense and will not be offered a position from this campaign. Candidates who are unable to show that they hold the qualifications outlined in their application may be eliminated from the campaign at any stage.

Other Eligibility Criteria Eligibility to compete and certain restrictions on eligibility:

Candidates 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 has a stamp 4 visa: or (e) A person awarded international protection under the International Protection Act 2015, or a 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.

Collective Agreement: Redundancy Payments to Public Servants The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform letter dated 28 June 2012 to Personnel Officers introduced, with effect from 1 June 2012, a Collective Agreement which had been reached between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Public Services Committee of the ICTU in relation to ex-gratia Redundancy Payments to Public Servants. It is a condition of the Collective Agreement that persons availing of the agreement will not be eligible for re-employment in the Public Service by any Public Service body (as defined by the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2009 – 2011) for a period of 2 years from termination of the employment. People who availed of this scheme and who may be successful in this competition will have to prove their eligibility (expiry of period of non-eligibility).

Incentivised Scheme for Early Retirement (ISER) It is a condition of the Incentivised Scheme for Early Retirement (ISER) as set out in Department of Finance Circular 12/09 that retirees, under that Scheme, are not eligible to apply for another position in the same employment or the same sector. Therefore, such retirees may not apply for this position.

Department of Health and Children Circular (7/2010) The Department of Health Circular 7/2010 dated 1 November 2010 introduced a Targeted Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) Scheme and Voluntary Redundancy Schemes (VRS). It is a condition of the VER scheme that persons availing of the scheme will not be eligible for re-employment in the public health sector or in the wider Public Service or in a body wholly or mainly funded from public monies. The same prohibition on re-employment applies under the VRS, except that the prohibition is for a period of 7 years. People who availed of the VER scheme are not eligible to compete in this competition. People who availed of the VRS scheme and who may be successful in this competition will have to prove their eligibility (expiry of period of non-eligibility).

Department of Environment, Community & Local Government (Circular Letter LG(P) 06/2013) The Department of Environment, Community & Local Government Circular Letter LG(P) 06/2013 introduced a Voluntary Redundancy Scheme for Local Authorities. In accordance with the terms of the Collective Agreement: Redundancy Payments to Public Servants dated 28 June 2012 as detailed above, it is a specific condition of that VER Scheme that persons will not be eligible for re-employment in any Public Service body [as defined by the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2009 – 2011 and the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012] for a period of 2 years from their date of departure under this Scheme. These conditions also apply in the case of engagement/employment on a contract for service basis (either as a contractor or as an employee of a contractor). Principal Conditions of Service General While it is envisaged that appointments arising from this competition will be to a full-time permanent position in the public service (following an appropriate initial probationary period), the FSPO reserves the right to use the panel formed from this competition to fill other vacancies which may arise which may not be permanent in tenure.

Pay The salary and terms and conditions for a Clerical Officer are those, as set out below, that currently apply to Clerical Officer (Standard Scale PPC) in the public service. Clerical Officer (PPC) €29,297 €31,020 €31,458 €32,312 €33,573 €34,831 €36,088 €37,004 €38,043 €39,249 €40,097 €41,291 €42,477 €44,328 €45,782 €46,450 Long service increments may be payable after 3 (LSI1) and a 6 (LSI2) years’ satisfactory service at the maximum of the scale. Candidates should note that entry will be at the minimum of the salary scale and will not be subject to negotiation and the rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy. Increments may be awarded subject to satisfactory performance, in line with Government pay policy.

Important Note Different terms and conditions may apply if, immediately prior to appointment, the appointee is already a serving Civil Servant or Public Servant.

Tenure The appointment will be for a permanent post in the public service. The appointee will be required to serve a 10-month probationary period. Hours of Attendance Hours of attendance will be fixed from time to time but will amount to not less than 43 hours and 15 minutes gross per week. The successful candidate will be required to work such additional hours from time to time as may be reasonable and necessary for the proper performance of his/her duties subject to the limits set down in the working time legislation and regulations. The FSPO operates a Flexible Working Arrangements System (flexi-time) for certain grades, including Higher Executive Officer.

Annual Leave The annual leave allowance for the position of Clerical Officer is 22 days rising to 23 days after 5 years’ service, 24 days after 10 years’ service, 25 days after 12 years’ service and 26 days after 14 years’ service. This allowance is subject to the usual conditions regarding the granting of annual leave in the Civil Service, is based on a five-day week and is exclusive of the usual public holidays.

Health A candidate for, and any person holding the office, must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Sick Leave Pay during properly certified sick absence, provided there is no evidence of permanent disability for service, will apply on a pro-rata basis, in accordance with the provisions of the sick leave circulars. Appointees who will be paying the Class A rate of PRSI, will be required to sign a mandate authorising the Department of Social Protection to pay any benefits due under the Social Welfare Acts direct to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman. Payment of salary during illness will be subject to the appointee making the necessary claims for social insurance benefit to the Department of Social Protection within the required time limits.