Staff Officer

Summary of Position

The purpose of this post is to provide high-level administrative support to Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB). The successful candidate(s) will support the delivery of quality services, as per the organisation’s remit, working with colleagues across WWETB and the broader community, including Schools and Further Education and Training Centres. WWETB constantly strives to improve the quality and effectiveness of its services and systems, across a number of functions, including in its Schools, Further Education and Training Centres, Finance, Human Resources and Corporate Services. The work of WWETB will be supported through a number of duties and responsibilities, as outlined below.

Essential Requirements

·        Have the requisite knowledge, skills and competencies to carry out the role. Competencies will be informed by best practice Public Appointment Service competency frameworks for the Irish Public Service;

·        be capable and competent of fulfilling the role to a high standard;

·        have obtained at least Grade D3 in five subjects in the Leaving Certificate Examination (higher, ordinary, applied or vocational programmes) or equivalent or have passed an examination at the appropriate level within the QQI qualifications framework which can be assessed as being of a comparable to Leaving Certificate standard or equivalent or higher or have appropriate relevant experience which encompasses equivalent skills and expertise;

Desirable Criteria –

• Previous experience in an office environment with a focus on reception and customer service.
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal) and a capability to produce and edit minutes and records.
• MS Office skills (Word, excel, PowerPoint)
• Previous experience in staff and project management
• Ability to work under pressure and to strict deadlines
• Self-motivating, flexible and results focussed
• Ability to prioritise organise and schedule and co-ordinate workload of a team in a dynamic and fast paced environment
• An ability to conduct business in the irish language (written and oral)
• Goal oriented and accountable in a manner that ensures work is comprehensively completed.
• Ability to work on own initiative within a flexible, co-operative, team structure

Main Duties

·        PA to the CE – Performing administration and support functions as required to the CE, including scheduling of and arrangements for meetings.

·        Co-ordinate and provide the administration support for the meetings and functions of the board of WWETB and its subcommittees

·        Co-ordinate and support the administrative work of the WWETB Senior Management Team

·        Support the work of the governance and compliance team, with regard to policy development and review, co-ordination and circulation of circular letters

·        Engage in and support the work of corporate services committees, as determined from time to time by the Director of Organisation Support and Development

·        Co-ordinate the front of house (reception) cover and maintain customer service levels accordingly.

·        Provide support to directors as required and supervise and co-ordinate the administration team to ensure appropriate support and cover is available as required.

·        Any other duties appropriate to the position as assigned by the CE or nominee

Salary

Salary will be paid in accordance with such rates as may be authorised by the Minister for Education from time to time for Grade V positions.

Entry point to this scale will be determined in accordance with Circulars issued by the Department of Education. Rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government Policy. Please refer to the https://www.wwetb.ie/about/organisation/human-resources/pay/ for current salary scale. Successful candidates will be paid at point 01 of the salary scale unless they have previous relevant public sector service in experience.

Application Form

Applications must be made on the official Staff Officer Application Form and all sections must be completed in full. When completing the application form accuracy is essential as the information supplied in the form will play a central part in the selection process. Applications can be accessed via: https://www.wwetb.ie/about/organisation/human-resources/vacancies/

Shortlisting

WWETB is an Equal Opportunities Employer. WWETB reserves its right to shortlist candidates, in the manner it deems most appropriate, to proceed to the interview stage of the competition. Shortlisting will be on the basis of information supplied on the Application Form and the likely number of vacancies to be filled. It is therefore in your own interest to provide a detailed and accurate account of your qualifications/experience on the application form. The shortlisting process will provide for the assessment of each applicant’s application form against predetermined criteria that reflect the skills and depth of experience considered to be essential for a position at this level. Canvassing will automatically disqualify.

Interview

Selection, from shortlisted candidates, shall be by means of a competition based on an interview conducted by WWETB. WWETB Core Values of Respect, Accountability, Learner Focus, Quality and Sustainability are the guiding principles of the organisation and underpin the competencies required to fulfil this role. The interview will be competency based and marks will be awarded under the following Core Competencies identified for the position of Staff Officer Grade V:

·        People Management

·        Analysis and Decision Making

·        Delivery of Results

·        Interpersonal and Communication Skills

·        Specialist Knowledge, Expertise and Self Development

·        Drive and Commitment to Public Service Values

These core competencies are assessed and awarded marks by demonstrating the following key skills sets:

People Management

·        Consults and encourages the full engagement of the team, encouraging open and constructive discussions around work issues

·        Gets the best out of individuals and the team, encouraging good performance and addressing any performance issues that may arise

·        Values and supports the development of others and the team

·        Encourages and supports new and more effective ways of working

·        Deals with tensions within the team in a constructive fashion

·        Encourages, listens to and acts on feedback from the team to make improvements

·        Actively shares information, knowledge and expertise to help the team to meet its objectives

Analysis and Decision Making

·        Effectively deals with a wide range of information sources, investigating all relevant issues

·        Understands the practical implication of information in relation to the broader context in which s/he works – procedures, divisional objectives etc.

·        Identifies and understands key issues and trends

·        Correctly extracts and interprets numerical information, conducting accurate numerical calculations

·        Draws accurate conclusions and makes balanced and fair recommendations backed up with evidence

Delivery of Results

·        Takes ownership of tasks and is determined to see them through to a satisfactory conclusion

·        Is logical and pragmatic in approach, setting objectives and delivering the best possible results with the resources available through effective prioritisation

·        Constructively challenges existing approaches to improve efficient customer service delivery

·        Accurately estimates time parameters for project, making contingencies to overcome obstacles

·        Minimises errors, reviewing learning and ensuring remedies are in place

·        Maximises the input of own team in ensuring effective delivery of results

·        Ensures proper service delivery procedures/protocols/reviews are in place and implemented

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

·        Modifies communication approach to suit the needs of a situation/audience

·        Actively listens to the views of others

·        Liaises with other groups to gain co-operation

·        Negotiates, where necessary, in order to reach a satisfactory outcome

·        Maintains a focus on dealing with customers in an effective, efficient and respectful manner

·        Is assertive and professional when dealing with challenging issues

·        Expresses self in a clear and articulate manner when speaking and in writing

Specialist Knowledge, Expertise and Self Development

·        Displays high levels of skills/expertise in own area and provides guidance to colleagues

·        Has a clear understanding of the role, objectives and targets and how they support the service delivered by the unit and Department/Organisation and can communicate this to the team

·        Leads by example, demonstrating the importance of development by setting time aside for development initiatives for self and the team

Drive and Commitment to Public Service Values

·        Is committed to the role, consistently striving to perform at a high level

·        Demonstrates flexibility and openness to change

·        Is resilient and perseveres to obtain objectives despite obstacles or setbacks

·        Ensures that customer service is at the heart of own/team work

·        Is personally honest and trustworthy

·        Acts with integrity and encourages this in others

Additional Information

Citizenship

·        Candidates should note that eligibility to compete for posts is open to citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) or to non-EEA nationals with a valid work permit. The EEA consists of Member States of the European Union along with Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

·        Swiss citizens under EU agreements may also apply.

Health & Character

·        Those under consideration for a position may at the discretion of the employer be required to complete a health and character declaration and a Garda Vetting form.

·        References will be sought.

·        Canvassing will disqualify.

·        Some posts require special security clearance.

·        In the event of potential conflicts of interest, candidates may not be considered for certain posts.