Senior Staff Officer

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Senior Staff Officer is a middle management supervisory position within the local authority and the fourth in a five tier administrative structure which ranges from the entry grade of Clerical Officer, through to Assistant Staff Officer, Staff Officer, Senior Staff Officer and Administrative Officer. A Senior Staff Officer will generally work under the direction and management of an Administrative Officer, Senior Executive Officer or analogous grade and may from time to time be required deputise for more senior staff.

The Senior Staff Officer is a frontline management position in the Council which has assigned responsibility for managing the performance of a department, section within a department or a business unit, of the local authority. He / she is responsible for ensuring that goals set out in Corporate, Departmental and Team plans become operational actions within their department or unit and will generally work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

A Senior Staff Officer also works closely with senior management, elected representatives, external agencies and relevant stakeholders to deliver services to the highest standard. The Senior Staff Officer is expected to carry out their duties with an understanding of the political context of local government and in such a manner that enhances public trust and confidence and ensures impartial decision making. The ideal candidate must therefore be a highly motivated person, with a strong sense of commitment to delivering quality public services willing to take on a challenge and work on their own initiative.

A Senior Staff Officer’s operational duties include:

·         day to day running of their section or unit

·         supervision and management of staff performance

·         planning, allocation, prioritisation of work and deployment of resources

·         reporting on activities within the section

·         contributing to the business planning process

·         representing their department or the local authority on committees and working groups

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POST

The ideal candidate must clearly demonstrate:

·         a satisfactory understanding of the local authority’s role, functions, priorities

·         knowledge of the wider public sector in Ireland and how the local government sector interacts within this;

·         an understanding of the dynamically changing environment within which the local authority operates and an ability to implement change to respond to this;

·         an appreciation of the representational role of the elected members and be capable of working closely with them to implement policy decisions and deliver quality service;

·         a career record demonstrating an ability to lead and manage individual and team performance to achieve organisational targets and objectives;

·         experience of preparing and managing budgets;

·         excellent interpersonal and communications skills and be capable of representing the Council in a professional manner;

·         strong judgement and capacity to innovate and work autonomously;

·         strong governance standards, ethics and public sector values and customer service focus;

·         have an awareness of Health and Safety Legislation and Regulations, the implications for the organisation and the employee, and their application in the workplace;

Competencies:

Key Competencies for post include the following. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate sufficient evidence within their application form of competence under each:

Management and Change:

·                 Be effective in translating corporate mission and objectives into operational plans and outputs

·                 Develop and maintain positive, productive and beneficial working relationships

·                 Effectively manage the introduction of change and demonstrate flexibility and openness to chang

Delivering Results:

·                 Contribute to the development and delivery of operational and team plans

·                 Plan and prioritise work and resources effectively

·                 Establish high quality service and customer care standards

·                 Make timely, informed and effective decisions & recommendations that show good judgement and balance

Managing Performance:

·                 Lead, motivate and engage employees to achieve quality results and to deliver on operational plans

·                 Effectively manage individual and team performance

·                 Communicating Effectively

·                 Verbal, written and communication skills

·                 Portray a positive, constructive and enthusiastic attitude to role

Personal Effectiveness:

·                 Knowledge and understanding of role being applied for & ability to effectively apply relevant experience.

·                 Resilience and Personal Well-Being

·                 Integrity, Ethics & Public Service Values

·                 Personal Motivation, Initiative and Achievement

Panel Formation

Recruitment arrangements to this grade will now be on the following basis:

A.   50% confined to employees of the sector

B.     30% open

C.    20% confined to employees of Offaly County Council

The Council will form three separate panels of suitably qualified candidates to meet the requirements agreed nationally of the ratio of posts to be confined to the local government sector, open and those confined to Offaly County Council staff. The order of candidates placed on each of the three panels is determined by where they were placed on the overall Order of Merit List.

Panel A (Confined to Local Authority Sector) will comprise of successful applicants in order of merit from within the Local Authority Sector only i.e. candidates serving in a local authority or Regional Assembly (where applicable).

Panel B (Open) will comprise of all successful applicants in order of merit and may include candidates serving in a local authority, regional assembly and external applicants.

Panel C (Confined to Offaly County Council) will comprise of all successful applicants in order of merit from within the recruiting Local Authority i.e. candidates serving in Offaly County Council

For the purposes of the above, the sector Panel A is comprehended to include all Local Authorities and the three Regional Assemblies only. Staff who are not existing employees of local authorities or regional assemblies are not eligible to apply for competitions confined to the sector (Panel A) or to the local authority (Panel C).

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.               EDUCATION, TRAINING, EXPERIENCE, ETC.

APPLICANTS TO PANEL B (OPEN)

 (a) have obtained at least Grade D (or a Pass), in Higher or Ordinary Level, in five subjects (or four if Irish is included) from the approved list of subjects in the Department of Education Established Leaving Certificate Examination or Leaving Certificate 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.

and

(iv) have satisfactory experience in administrative procedures, including adequate practical experience in work of an executive nature, office organisation and control of staff.

Confined Competition (Panels A and C as appropriate)

(v) (a) be a serving employee of a local authority or a regional assembly and have not less than two years’ satisfactory experience in a post of Clerical Officer or analogous post

and

(b) have satisfactory experience in administrative procedures, including adequate practical experience in work of an executive nature, office organisation and control of staff.

Particulars of Office

1.     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 appropriate position that may arise for its duration. Positions will be offered in order of merit as per the panel

2.     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.  

The current salary scale applicable to the post is €55,641- €67,977 LSI 2.

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.

Specific duties and areas of responsibility attached to this post include the following although the list is not exhaustive and may be reviewed from time to time:

•        Responsibility for the management and administration of a section or business unit with the local authority to include the management and supervision of staff;

•        Ensure work programmes implemented to deliver on corporate objectives and service delivery plans, to include allocation of resources and prioritising of tasks;

•        Develop and maintain productive working relationships both internally and externally to the organisation to include the provision of information and assistance where required;

•        Act as key point of contact and liaison in relation to all operational matters for the section or unit for which responsible;

•        Research, analyse and communicate information on specific issues and policies as appropriate including compiling and presenting reports and findings;

•        Represent the local authority on committees and inter-agency working groups and provide updates and progress reports as appropriate;

•        Provide support and administration assistance to deliver projects and work programmes;

•        Responsibility for financial management of capital and revenue expenditure and ensure prompt collection or recoupment of monies due to the local authority;

•        Identify opportunities for improvements in service delivery within the relevant section or business unit;

•        Implement and manage change within relevant area of responsibility;

•        Support and mentor staff to carry out their duties to include identification of training needs;

•        Ensure compliance with organisational policies and procedures and legislation and regulation governing the services for which responsibility has been assigned;

•        Implement and comply with safe systems of work and Health, Safety and Welfare at work legislation;

•        To undertake any other duties as may be required 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 remunertation 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 subject to the terms and conditions of the Time and Attendance Policy.

Annual Leave:

The current annual leave entitlement is 30 days. Granting of annual leave, payment for annual leave and arrangement for public holidays will be governed by the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 (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 the Offaly County Council 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 dependant or qualified children). This includes a contribution to a Spouse’s and Children’s Scheme. Pension and retirement lump sum based on career-average pay, pensions will be co-ordinated with the State Pension Contributory (SPC).

For persons who commenced public sector employment prior to 1st January 2013: Persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority who are liable to pay the Class A rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of their pensionable remuneration plus 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration (ie. 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).

Persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority who are liable to pay the Class D rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 5% of their pensionable remuneration.

All persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority will 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 their pensionable remuneration in accordance with the terms of the scheme.

Retirement:

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012: The compulsory retirement age for new entrants as defined by the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 is 70 years. Minimum pension age of 66 years, rising to 67 years and 68 years in line with State Pension age changes, is applicable.

Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004:

There is no mandatory retirement age for ‘New Entrants’ from 1st April, 2004 to the public service as defined in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004. 65 years is the minimum age at which a person may be paid. As a new entrant to the public service, under the terms of this legislation, new entrants will not be required to retire on grounds of age.

Anyone who is not a ‘New Entrant’ to the public service, defined in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 is subject to compulsory retirement age of 65 years.

Travel:

Holders of the post shall hold a full driving licence for class B vehicles and shall 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.

Offaly 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.

Taking Up Appointment:

Offaly County Council shall require a person to whom an appointment is offered to take up such appointment within a period of four weeks and if he/she fails 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 him/her.

Recruitment & Selection Processes:

Shortlisting:

Normally the number of applications received for a position exceeds that required to fill existing and future vacancies to the position. While a candidate may meet the eligibility requirements of the competition, if the numbers applying for the position are such that it would not be practical to interview everyone, Offaly County Council may decide that a number only will be invited to same. In this respect, Offaly County Council provide for the employment of a short listing process to select a group for interview who, based on an examination of the application forms, appear to be the most suitable for the position based on the specific competencies identified in the job description. An expert board will examine the application forms against a pre-determined criteria based on the requirements of the position. This is not to suggest that other candidates are necessarily unsuitable or incapable of undertaking the job, rather that there are some candidates, who based on their application, appear to be better qualified and/or have more relevant experience. It is therefore in your own interest to provide a detailed and accurate account of your relevant qualifications/ experience on the application form. On occasions a short listing interview may take place.

Competitive Interview:

Selection will be by means of a competition based on an interview conducted by or on behalf of the local authority. The number of persons to be invited shall be determined by the Local Authority having regard to the likely number of vacancies to be filled. In light of COVID-19, interviews may be held via MS Teams rather than a traditional face-to-face interview. Candidates will be notified of the means through which the interview will be conducted prior to their interview date.

Candidates will be required to pay any expenses incurred by them in attending the interview. A panel may be formed on the basis of such interview. Candidates whose names are on a panel and who satisfy the local authority that they possess the qualifications declared for the post and that they are otherwise suitable for appointment may within the life of the panel be appointed as appropriate vacancies arise.

Right to Review

Offaly County Council’s Recruitment & Selection Policy document is available from the Human Resources Department on the HR page of iPortal or on our website at www.offaly.ie/careers . This document includes details of the review procedure available to applicants for each stage of the recruitment process.