Digital Communications Officer

Role The successful candidate as Digital Communications Officer will be required to: • Assist in the continual improvement of digital communications, engagement and customer service through the planning, delivery & maintenance of high quality, accurate and up-to-date content for Longford County Council online. • Promote Longford County Council’s internal and external digital communications to a wide range of audiences. • Assist in developing procedures in relation to the online presence via the available digital channels to ensure Longford County Council maximises opportunities of digital innovation and complies with statutory obligations. • Participate & take part in the duties as required as part of the Organisational response to Climate Action and Just Transition to promote & ensure capacity building, empowering change and delivering action. • Develop and implement a Digital Marketing Strategy for Longford County Council in conjunction with sectoral best practice.

Responsibilities Management of Longford County Councils online presence including: • Production of website content, including written content, image and design elements. • Reporting on, evaluating and measuring the continual performance of Longford County Council’s website/online presence. • Managing and responding to feedback on the website. • Ensuring Longford County Council’s website maintains accessibility standards such as “EU Web Accessibility Directive” etc. • Supporting Longford County Council’s intranet and extranet. • Promoting Longford County Council and the County online. • Develop marketing campaigns in conjunction with local and national media • Develop digital corporate branding for Longford County Council • Supporting staff to provide and manage relevant and accessible website content for customers and to promote and enhance Longford County Council’s corporate image: • Work with staff to continually improve Longford County Council’s online and digital communication and customer service channels. • Communicate regularly with internal and external stakeholders to ensure website content is of a high standard. • Innovation and business improvement. Duties of the Position • Manage websites including publishing, analytics, user engagement. • Support, create and monitor social media content and digital communications channels. • Create analytics reports on website visitors, bounce rates and user experience feedback. • Utilise advanced search engine optimisation techniques and analytics to improve the customers experience and identify opportunities to promote the website as the access channel of choice for our customers. • Develop marketing campaigns to promote services of Longford County Council and the County to targeted audiences. • Improve digital corporate branding for Longford County Council that is consistent and builds customer trust and loyalty. • Create online video content, graphics. • Effective use of information technology with experience in Microsoft applications, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator & InDesign, web publishing technologies including Content Management Systems • Liaise confidently and effectively with various stakeholders. • Investigate and assess emerging digital tools to enhance customer experience. • Research and analyse complex information and make sound recommendations. • Provide excellent customer service and deliver quality service outcomes. • Coordinate, manage and prioritise own workload in a busy complex environment. • Work independently and contribute positively to a team environment. • Be flexible in your approach to work and adapt well to workplace change. • Plan and prioritise multiple projects while consistently meeting agreed timeframes. • Work to timelines within budget. • Participate and take part in the duties as required as part of the Organisational response to Climate Action and Just Transition to promote & ensure capacity building, empowering change and delivering action. QUALIFICATIONS 1. Character Candidates shall be of good character. 2. Health Each candidate must be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service. 3. Citizenship 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 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 and Experience, etc. On the latest date of receipt of completed application forms, each candidate must:

Essential Qualifications & Experience (i) (a) have obtained at least a grade D (or a pass), in Higher or Ordinary Level, in five subjects (or 4 subjects if Irish is included) from the approved list of subjects in the Departments of Educations established Leaving Cert Examination or Leaving Cert Vocational Programme including Irish and/or English and one of the following: Mathematics, Accounting, Business Organisation or Economics, and (b) have obtained at least Grade C (or Honours) in Higher Level (or Honours) papers in three subjects in that examination (or two subjects if Irish and/or one of the following is included: Mathematics, Accounting, Business Organisation or Economics) or (ii) have obtained a comparable standard in an equivalent examination, or (iii) hold a third level qualification of at least degree standard (iv) be a serving employee in a local authority or a regional assembly and have at least two years satisfactory experience in a post of Clerical Officer or analogous post.

Desirable Qualifications & Experience (i) have a third-level qualification in IT, Communications or Marketing at a minimum Level 6 or higher on the National Qualifications Framework. (ii) have at least two year’s work experience in managing websites and social media. (iii) experience in website, intranet and social media content writing, quality assurance, management and publishing. (iv) experience in the development of digital media campaigns and innovative use of emerging technologies. (v) experience of working with a range of digital content publishing systems such as pTools, Silverstripe, etc. (vi) experience of delivering digital solutions and services (vii) experience of analysing and interpreting data (including customer insight and user research) and translating into effective business solutions PARTICULARS OF EMPLOYMENT 1. The Post The post is wholetime (i.e. 35 hours per week) and appointment may be permanent or temporary. 2. Location Longford County Council reserves the right to assign the successful candidate to any premises in use by the Council, now or in the future. The person appointed will be required to report to their place of work by their own means of transport and at their own expense. 3. Commencement Longford County Council shall require a person to whom an appointment is offered to take up such appointment within a period of not more than one month and if they fail to take up the appointment within such period or such other longer period as the Council in its absolute discretion may determine, Longford County Council shall not appoint them. 4. Working Hours The current working hours are 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday. A flexible working system is in operation. Longford County Council reserves the right to alter the hours of work from time to time. The nature of the role will involve flexible working hours and may require successful candidates to work evenings and/or weekends. All hours worked are subject to and recorded in accordance with the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997, and the Organisation of Working Time Regulations, 2001. Longford County Council requires employees to record their hours using a Clocking system. 5. Reporting Arrangements Digital Communications Officers report directly to the appropriate Senior Officer of the Section or to any other employee of Longford County Council as the Director of Services or other appropriate employee may designate for this purpose. A system of regular appraisal will be operated during employment, which will involve discussions between the employee and the line manager regarding performance and conduct. 6. Probationary Period of Employment There shall be a period after appointment during which the appointee will hold the position on probation. The period of probation will be prescribed by the Chief Executive. Employment may be terminated during the probationary period should service be deemed by the Chief Executive to be unsatisfactory. Employment may be terminated at the end of the probationary period unless the Chief Executive has certified that the employee had satisfactory service. Tenure of employment following probation will be subject to satisfactory service. 7. Remuneration The current salary scale for the post of Digital Communications Officer is € 34,260 - €53,301 LSI 2 gross per annum (Circular EL 03/2024), the rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government Circulars. On appointment successful candidates will be placed on the first point of the point of the salary scale. Appointment to a higher point of the salary scale may apply to candidates employed elsewhere in the public service, subject to verification of service history. Remuneration is paid fortnightly by PayPath directly to the employees nominated bank account. The current wage pay cycle may be revised during the period of employment. Remuneration is subject to all statutory deductions, e.g. P.A.Y.E. and P.R.S.I. Increments are paid annually subject to satisfactory attendance, conduct and performance and national agreements. Increments may be withheld if performance, attendance and/or conduct are not satisfactory. 8. Superannuation & Retirement A person who becomes a pensionable employee of a local authority who is 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). A person who becomes a pensionable employee of a local authority who is 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. A person paying Class D rate of PRSI who becomes a pensionable employee of a local authority will be required in respect of the Local Government (Spouses and Children's 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. A person paying Class A rate of PRSI who becomes a pensionable employee of a local authority will be required in respect of the Local Government (Spouses and Children's Contributory Pension) Scheme to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% 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). Employees are admitted to the Superannuation Scheme in accordance with the terms of the Local Government Superannuation (Consolidation) Act, 1998 and the Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004, with effect from date of appointment. This scheme is contributory and provides pension, retirement and death gratuities. In order for a new entrant to the scheme to qualify for a pension, he/she must have served a minimum of two years employment in a local authority. For new entrants under the Single Public Service Pension Scheme, effective from 1st January 2013, superannuation contributions are as follows: 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration and 3% of pensionable remuneration. Pension and retirement lump sum will be based on career-average pay; pensions will be co-ordinated with the State Pension Contributory The retirement age applicable to an employee is determined in accordance with the rules governing the relevant Superannuation Scheme to which they belong. 9. Annual Leave The current annual leave entitlement for Digital Communications Officer is 30 days per annum, in accordance with the Council’s Annual Leave Policy. The Chief Executive of Longford County Council retains autonomy with regard to office closures, (e.g. Christmas Office Closure), any days arising from such closure will be reserved from the employee’s annual leave entitlement. Proposed office closure days will be reviewed and advised to all employees each year. 10. Driver’s Licence & Insurance Longford County Council employees may on occasion be required to use their car on official business. In such situations the employee must hold a current clean driver’s licence and have available adequate means of transport. It is the responsibility of the employee to arrange the appropriate car insurance cover for business use and to indemnify Longford County Council with the indemnity specified on your insurance certificate under the heading “Persons or classes of person who are covered”. Documentation to confirm the appropriate insurance cover will be required to be supplied to the Council on an annual basis. 11. Code of Conduct/Organisation Policies Employees are be required to adhere to all current and future Longford County Council codes of practice including Code of Conduct of Employees and all current and future organisational policies including, but not limited to Health and Safety, Communications, Data Protection, Equality, Staff Mobility, Attendance Management and Use of Electronic Equipment. 12. Training Employees are required to attend and participate fully in training programmes as may be decided by the Council from time to time and to apply their learning in the course of their daily working activities. 13. Health and Safety Regulations Longford County Council as an Employer is obliged to ensure, so far as it is reasonably practicable the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work of all of its employees. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, the County Council has a legal duty to exercise all due care and take all protective and preventative measures to protect the Safety, Health and Welfare of its employees. All employees also have a legal obligation under Safety and Health legislation to co-operate with management and not engage in any improper conduct or behaviour or do anything, which would place themselves or others at risk. Employees must not be under the influence of an intoxicant at the place of work.