Principal Emergency Control Operator

Limerick City and County Council invites applications from suitably qualified persons, who wish to be considered for inclusion on a panel from which temporary and permanent vacancies for Principal Emergency Control Operator may be filled throughout the lifetime of the panel.

Limerick City and County Council operates the Munster Regional Communications Centre (MRCC) on behalf of local authorities in Munster. This centreis responsible for the receipt of Emergency Fire Service calls and the despatch of Fire Appliances and other resources within the Munster Region. Additionally, the centre liaises with other regional communication centres and national agencies and may take other communication centre’s emergency calls during busy periods. The MRCC also takes non-emergency calls for the Munster Region.

Job DescriptionThe Principal Emergency Control Operator is a frontline management position within Munster Regional Communications Centre. This position is assigned duties in the specific areas of Operational Management, HR Management, Management Information Systems, Finance, Training and ISO. The Principal Emergency Control Operator’s duties include support of the day to day running of Munster Regional Communication Centre, the supervision and management of staff assigned to them, the planning, allocation and prioritisation of work and the reporting of progress of work at staff management meetings. Other duties may include representing Munster Regional Communications Centre on various committees and working groups at local, regional and national level.The Principal Emergency Control Operator will be expected to use their initiative and work to a high standard and will be required to operate and support technical systems within Munster Regional Communications Centre and the Councils existing and future ICT Systems as part of their work.

The Principal Emergency Control Operator is a key member of the Munster Regional Control Centre Management Team. Limerick City and County Council will be creating a panel that may be used to fill permanent and temporary vacancies at Principal Emergency Control Operator level during the lifetime of this panel.

The Person:

The ideal candidate will also possess:

·       Knowledge and understanding of the emergency call taking environment and the purpose and function of technical systems within this area.

·       Understanding of the role of Principal Emergency Control Operator.

·       Relevant administrative experience at a sufficiently high level.

·       An ability to manage staff to ensure delivery of service within the emergency call taking environment.

·       An ability to manage teams effectively to achieve a common goal, ensuring strong governance and ethical standards are adhered to and maintained.

·       The ability to motivate, empower and encourage staff under their management to achieve maximum performance by supporting the current Performance Management and Development System (PMDS).

·       Understanding of the changing and operating environment within Munster Regional Communications Centre and the wider Council and be capable of leading change in order to deliver a quality service to stakeholders.

·       An ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines in the delivery of key operational objectives.

·       Effective financial and resource management skills.

·       Be self-motivated with ability to work on their own initiative.

·       Possess strong interpersonal and communications skills.

·       Be capable of representing Munster Regional Communications Centre in a professional and credible manner.

Duties within Specific Areas:

Management Information System:

• Database management and maintenance
• Design, development and implementation of statistical Management information queries for use at local, regional and national levels.
• Provision of periodic statistical analysis to relevant stakeholders as requested.
• Provision of Service Indicators to local authorities and NDFEM.
• Involvement with the design, development and implementation of any new hardware or software relating to the Munster Regional Communications Centre.
• Maintenance of Master Directory for contacts.
• Manage and implementation of Major Emergency Plans and Operational procedures.

Finance:

• Preparing annual estimates and administering day to day expenditure including the processing of invoices, liaison with Limerick City and County Council Finance Department and reporting on same as required.
• Liaising with suppliers.
• Monitoring of annual budget, capital budgets and reporting on status to Senior Management.
• The administration of Payment to Suppliers on a National Basis.
• The administration of Purchasing – Ordering of goods / services and reporting on same to the Head of NMACS/Centre Manager.
• The administration and monitoring of Capital Expenditure and reporting on same to the Head of NMACS/Centre Manager.
• Liaison with National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management in relation to Capital Expenditure.

Training Duties:

• Designing, developing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all training programs in the Munster Regional Communications Centre and reporting on same to the Centre Manager/E.E.C.O.
• Administration of assigned Budgets relating to the implementation of training in the Munster Regional Communications Centre and reporting on same to the Centre Manager/E.E.C.O.
• Instructing on internal and external training programs as required.
• The design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all training programs provided by the Munster Regional Communications Centre to the member Fire Authorities and reporting on same to the Centre Manager/E.E.C.O.
• The training, instruction and evaluation of all new staff members.
• The training, instruction and evaluation of existing staff.

Quality Control:

• The Management and administration of quality control policies in the Munster Regional Communications Centre and reporting to Senior Management in relation to same.
• The design, development and implementation of Quality Control procedures and processes within the Munster Regional Communications Centre and reporting to the Senior Management staff in relation to same.
• Ensure that ISO9001:2015 Quality Management Standard accreditation is retained in MRCC.

·       Implement Internal Audit Programme as per internal Audit Schedule procedure.

• Facilitate annual Management Review as per Management Review Schedule.
• Facilitate External Audit as per NSAI schedule.

General Duties of Role:

• Ensure full implementation of PMDS.
• Completion of Core for Pay Purposes
• Training of Senior Emergency Control Operators / Emergency Control Operators as required.
• Liaison with software suppliers with reference to reported faults, maintenance contract, meetings with suppliers, participation in User group meetings etc.
• Responding to queries from participating local authorities with reference to incidents, finance, address data etc. and reporting to the Senior Management Staff in relation to same.
• Liaison with Limerick City and County Council personnel from:
• Finance Department
• Human Resources Department
• Environment Department
• Corporate Services Department
• ICT Department

• Attending training courses both in-house and external.
• The monitoring of and evaluation of operational performance on the assigned operational shifts and reporting on same to the Centre Manager/E.E.C.O. Involvement in the design, management and implementation of any evaluation processes implemented in the Munster Regional Communications Centre.
• General Administrative Duties for the Centre Manager/E.E.C.O.
• Maintaining own operational abilities to the standard required of the Munster Regional Communications Centre. Substitution Role – ongoing Emergency Control Operator training and operational duty in emergency situations
• Provide Operational cover for the MRCC Control Room including during nights and weekends when requested by Senior Management.
• Liaising with other Fire Service agencies or outside agencies in relation to the development of the Munster Regional Communications Centre and Fire Service as required.
• Liaison with NMACS on the implementation and ongoing development of national technical platforms and operational process.

Any other Duties as assigned from time to time by the Centre Manager/E.E.C.O.

Rostered Senior Fire Officer Duties

• RSFO duties as part of the MRCC’s senior on call roster for Operational and Technical issues
• Substitution Role – ongoing emergency control operator training and operational duty in emergency situations.
• Call out and attendance at Munster Regional Communications Centre as required.
• Training on technical equipment in the event of being paged by the control centre for equipment faults.

The Person

The Principal Emergency Control Operator will require:

·         Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

·         Management skills in Finance, Quality Control, Information Systems and Staff Development.

Education, Experience etc.,

Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms:

(i)     Have obtained at least Grade D (or a pass), in Higher or Ordinary Level, in five subjects, (including, Mathematics and English), from the approved list of subjects in the Department of Education Leaving Certificate Examination, or have passed an examination of equivalent standard.

(ii)   Each Candidate must have at least two years satisfactory experience in an emergency call handling environment.

(iii)  Each candidate must possess typing skills.

(iv)  Knowledge of Information and telecommunications Technology would be an advantage.

Terms and Conditions

1.     The Post:

Subject to the availability of suitably qualified candidates 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 Director General. The panel may be used by Limerick City and County Council to fill permanent and temporary positions that may arise for its duration. Vacancies will be offered in order of merit as per the panel.

2.      Annual Leave

The successful candidate will have 30 days annual leave.

3.     Salary:

The salary scale for the position of Principal Emergency Control Operator is €50,206 to €60,051 per year.

Entry point of this scale will be determined in accordance with Circulars issued by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

In accordance with Departmental Circular letter EL 02/2011, a person who is not a serving local authority employee will enter the scale for the position at the first point.

Shift allowance is not applicable to this post

4.     Location:

Limerick City and County Council reserves the right to assign the successful candidate 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 travel to and from work at their own expense.

5.     Hours of Work

The Principal Emergency Control Operator will work a 39 hour week, Monday to Friday and will also operate the on call roster.

The provisions of Limerick City and County Council’s Time and Attendance Policy is applicable to this grade at the current time.

6.     Sick Leave:

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

7.     Superannuation:

The Local Government Superannuation Scheme applies.

8.     Travel:

Holders of the post should hold a full driving licence for Class B vehicles and shall be required to drive a motor car in the course of their duties and for this purpose, provide and maintain a car to the satisfaction of the local authority. Travelling expenses and subsistence expenses necessarily incurred in the course of official duties will be refunded in accordance with appropriate rates in line with the relevant Department Circulars and Local Authority Travel and Subsistence Policy.

Limerick City and County Council, as employer, must be indemnified on your insurance policy. If during your employment, your licence is revoked, even temporarily, or if you receive endorsements on your licence, which may affect your duties, you are obliged to notify the Council immediately.

9.     Residence:

The holder of the post shall reside in the district in which their duties are to be performed or within a reasonable distance thereof.

10.  Safety and Welfare:

The holder of the post shall co-operate with the terms of Limerick City and County Council’s Safety Statement and Major Emergency Plan. The successful candidate shall make themselves aware of the safety rules and procedures and make proper use of all safety, clothing and equipment.

11.  Training:

It is a condition of employment that successful candidates will be required to participate in training programmes relevant to the skills necessary for the performance of the duties attaching to the post.

12.  Taking Up Appointment:

The local authority shall require a person to whom an appointment is offered to take up such appointment within a period of four weeks and if they fail to take up the appointment within such period or such longer period as the local authority in its absolute discretion may determine, the local authority shall not appoint them.

13.  Garda Vetting :

The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 to 2016 came into effect on 29th April 2016. The Act places a statutory obligation on Limerick City and County Council to ensure that ‘any work or activity which is carried out by a person, a necessary and regular part of which consists mainly of a person having access to or contact with children or vulnerable persons will be subject of Garda Vetting’.

14.  Probation:

Where a person who is not already a permanent employee of a local authority is appointed, the following provisions shall apply:

(a)   There shall be a period after such appointments take effect, during which such person shall hold such post on probation.

(b)   Such period shall be set by the Director General and this period may be extended at their discretion.

(c)   Such person shall cease to hold the post at the end of the period of probation, unless during such period, the Manager has certified that the service of such person is satisfactory.

15.  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

16.  References:

Applicants are required to advise the names of two responsible persons to whom they are well known but not related (at least one of the referees should be an existing or former employer).

In advance of any offer of employment, Limerick City and County Council reserves the right to seek references from current and previous employers, educational institutions or any other organisations with which the candidate has been associated. The Council reserves the right to determine the merit, appropriateness and relevance of such references and referees.

17.  General Data Protection Regulation:

Basis for Processing your Personal Information

The basis for processing your personal data is to progress your application for the position you have applied for with Limerick City and County Council under the Terms of the Employment (Information) Act 1994 and Human Resources Department policies and procedures.

If you do not furnish the personal data requested, Limerick City and County Council will not be able to progress your application form for the competition for which you are applying.

18.  Pre-Employment Medical:

Prior to appointment the candidate will be required to complete a Health Declaration and may be required to undergo a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner nominated by the Council. Where for any reason the cost of the medical examination is borne by the applicant it shall be refunded on appointment subject to statutory tax and statutory deductions.

19.  Canvassing:

Any attempt by a candidate or by any person(s) acting at their instigation, directly or indirectly by means of written communication or otherwise, to canvas or otherwise influence in the candidate’s favour, any member of the staff­ of the Council, or person nominated by the Council to interview or examine applicants will automatically disqualify the candidate for the position they are seeking.

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