Administrative Officer

Role and Responsibilities

The Administrative Officer is a middle management position within the Local Authority and is responsible for the administration and management of one or more sections or departments handling specific areas of the Council’s activities, including the management of staff.

The post holder will be expected to work closely with senior managers and elected representatives in delivering services to the highest standard and to contribute to the development and implementation of strategies and policies.

The Administrative Officer is the primary point of contact and liaison with other departments or directorates in relation to all operational matters for the service delivery section or sections for which they are responsible.

The Administrative 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 person appointed will work under the direction and control of the Senior Executive Officer or other officer designated by the Chief Executive.

Staff at this level work in a range of roles across public-facing and internal service areas of the Council such as Housing, Finance, Operations, Planning, Economic Development, Corporate, Active Travel etc.

Duties

The duties may include but are not limited to:

• Responsibility for the management of one or more sections/departments within Fingal County Council;

• Responsibility for the day-to-day operations of these sections/departments;

• To identify and agree work programmes, targets and deadlines and ensure their subsequent implementation;

• To manage and supervise staff up to the position/grade of Senior Staff Officer or analogous grades and to ensure the training and development of such staff;

• To build effective teams, develop motivation and commitment and maintain sound employee relations and morale as relevant, in accordance with good employment practice and relevant legislation;

• To determine the nature, level and pattern of demand for the service in the service/department/function and to recommend both service level and strategic policy priorities to senior management;

• To contribute to the strategic and policy making decisions of Fingal County Council;

• To achieve and maintain the productive association between elected representatives and the executive delivery of the service;

• To develop and maintain relationships with external agencies in accordance with policy and to ensure the agreements to co-ordinate work programmes are implemented;

• To implement the systems necessary and co-ordinate the resources to support services;

• To prepare budgets and ensure that work programmes are implemented within allocated budgets;

• Representing the Council at a variety of meetings;

• Preparation of reports for Council and other stakeholders;

• Attending Court as a witness for the Council as required;

• To undertake any other duties of a similar level and responsibilities as may be required from time to time

Qualifications and requirements of the post

Character

Each candidate must be of good character.

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. 

Education, training, experience, etc.

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

(i)               (a) have obtained at least Grade D (or a Pass), in Higher or Ordinary

Level in five subjects (or four subjects 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

Or

(v)             be a serving employee in a Local Authority, or a Regional Assembly and have at least 2 years satisfactory experience in a post of Clerical Officer or an analogous post and have satisfactory experience in administrative procedures, including adequate practical experience in work of an executive nature, office organisation and control of staff.

In the context of the duties and responsibilities for the post of Administrative Officer listed above, the ideal candidate will demonstrate the following knowledge, experience, skills:

• Have a satisfactory understanding of the Council’s purpose and priorities and knowledge of public service organisation in Ireland;

• Demonstrate relevant administrative experience at a sufficiently high level;

• Be self-motivated with ability to work on own initiative;

• Have a career record that demonstrates an ability to manage and supervise staff;

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

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

• Understand the changing environment and be capable of implementing change in order to deliver quality services to citizens;

• Understand the representational role of the elected members and be capable of working closely with them to deliver quality services and implement policy decisions;

• Have experience of budget preparation and management;

• Have satisfactory IT skills.

The Selection Process:

Fingal County Council reserves the right to shortlist applications, if required. This is not to suggest that any candidate may be unsuitable or incapable of undertaking the duties of the post advertised, but rather that there may be candidates who have demonstrated that they are better qualified and/or have more relevant experience.

The number of persons to be invited, in these circumstances, to interview shall be determined by the local authority from time to time, having regard to the likely number of vacancies to be filled.

Step 1: Initial Screening

In the first instance, all applications received by the latest date/time for receipt of completed applications are screened for eligibility in accordance with the qualifications for the post as set out in this booklet and declared by the Minister for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under Section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001.

Step 2: Shortlisting

Each candidate’s application may be assessed against pre-determined criteria based on the requirements of the position as outlined in this booklet. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to provide a detailed and accurate account of their qualifications and/or experience in their application form and to outline the relevance of their experience in the examples provided.

Step 3: Interview

Candidates who are successful in the shortlisting process will be invited to attend for interview(s). Fingal County Council will endeavor to give sufficient notice of the interview to shortlisted candidates. Thereafter, it is the responsibility of the candidate to make themselves available on the date/time selected. Candidates who do not attend for interview will be deemed to have withdrawn their application from the competition. Expenses incurred by candidates in attending for interview, will be at the candidates own expense.

An independent interview board will be established by the Senior Executive Officer, People Services, or other designated officer, to assess the candidates shortlisted for interview. The interview board will generally comprise of a Chairperson and two other members, who will have expert knowledge in the relevant field. The objective of the interview board is to identify candidates who best meet the objective criteria and competencies required for the position and to place them in order of merit.

Candidates who are successful in the interview will be qualified in order of merit for appointment to the post of Staff Officer and placed on a panel. It should be noted that placement on a panel may not necessarily lead to a job offer. The selection process is not concluded until such time as references have been sought and clearance checks, i.e. Garda vetting, occupational health, verification of education qualifications, etc, have been carried out to the satisfaction of the Council

Benefits

At Fingal County Council, we value our employees and want to support them to develop their careers. We offer flexible working arrangements, competitive salaries and pension benefits, a positive work environment, training and development opportunities, a defined career path in a supportive and inclusive culture and the opportunity to make a difference, along with the following benefits:

• Standard working day is 9-5
• Excellent Work/Life balance with Family Friendly Schemes such as Shorter Working Year and Work-sharing
• Opportunities for promotion and career development
• Employee Assistance and Wellbeing Programme
• Pension Scheme
• Blended Working available - up to 2 days per week
• Ongoing training and higher educational support
• Cycle to Work Scheme

Particulars of Employment

The employment is wholetime, permanent and pensionable. 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 (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). 

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 Children’s 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. 

Probation

Where persons who are not already employees of a Local Authority are employed, the following provisions shall apply: 

(a)             there shall be a period after such employment take effect during which such persons shall hold such employment on probation,

(b)             such period shall be one year, but the Chief Executive may at his or her discretion extend such period,

(c)             such persons shall cease to hold employment at the end of the period of probation unless during such period the Chief Executive has certified that the service of such persons is satisfactory.

Salary

€60,011, €61,480, €63,194, €64,914, €66,634, €68,170, €69,745, €71,269, €72,790, €75,395, (LSI 1), €78,015 (LSI 2).

Persons who are not serving local authority employees will be based on the minimum of the scale.

Holders of the post shall pay to the local authority any fees or other monies (other than their inclusive salary) payable to or received by them by virtue of their post or in respect of any services which they are required by or under any enactment to perform

Health

For the purpose of satisfying the requirement as to health it will be necessary for successful candidates, before they are employed, to undergo a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the Local Authority.

Retirement Age

The retirement age is 70 years.

Recruitment

The local authority shall require a person to whom employment is offered to take up such employment within a period of not more than 6 weeks and if he or she fails to take up the employment within such period or such longer period as the local authority in its absolute discretion may determine, the local authority shall not employ the person.