Administrative Officer

THE COMPETITION

Galway County Council is inviting applications from suitably qualified candidates with relevant experience for the position of Administrative Officer (Grade VII).

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

Galway County Council will form three (3) separate panels of suitably qualified candidates to meet the requirements for posts confined to the local authority sector, open, and those confined to Galway County Council staff, from which future relevant vacancies may be filled.

Suitably qualified persons are invited to apply for the following panel(s):

• Panel A (Confined to the Local Authority Sector) will comprise 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 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 the Recruiting Local Authority) will comprise all successful applicants in order of merit from within the recruiting local authority, i.e. candidates serving in Galway County Council.

Eligibility criteria for all three panels are set out under Qualifications below.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE POSTCharacter

Candidates shall be of good character and references shall be sought.

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.

For the purpose of satisfying the requirements as to health, it will be necessary for successful candidates, before they are appointed, to undergo at their own expense a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner nominated by the Local Authority.

On taking up appointment, the expense of the medical examination will be refunded to candidates.

Citizenship

Candidates must, by the date of any job offer, be:

• A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; or
• A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or
• A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or
• A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA, UK or Swiss citizen and has a Stamp 4 visa; or
• 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
• A non-EEA citizen who is a parent of a dependent child who is a citizen of, and resident in, an EEA member state, the UK or Switzerland and has a Stamp 4 visa.

Education, Training & Experience

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

Applicants for Panel A – Confined to the Local Authority Sector

• 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

• Have satisfactory experience in administrative procedures, including adequate practical experience in work of an executive nature, office organisation and control of staff.

Applicants for Panel B – Open Panel

• Have obtained at least Grade D (or a Pass), in Higher or Ordinary Level, in five (5) subjects (or four (4) 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:

AND

• Have obtained at least Grade C (or Honours) in Higher Level (or Honours) papers in three (3) subjects in that examination (or two (2) subjects if Irish and/or one of the following is included: Mathematics, Accounting, Business Organisation or Economics).

OR

• Have obtained a comparable standard in an equivalent examination.

OR

• Hold a third-level qualification of at least degree standard.

AND

• Have satisfactory experience in administrative procedures, including adequate practical experience in work of an executive nature, office organisation and control of staff.

Applicants for Panel C – Confined to the Recruiting Local Authority

• Be a serving employee of Galway County Council and have not less than two years' satisfactory experience in a post of Clerical Officer or 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.

It is desirable that candidates hold a full, unendorsed valid Irish/EU licence for Class B vehicles, or a licence acceptable to the NDLS for transfer to a full Irish licence.

https://www.ndls.ie/help/faq.html#exchange-of-foreign-driving-licences

Please Note:

Non-Irish qualifications must be accompanied by a determination from Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) to establish their comparability against the Irish National Framework of Qualifications. Overseas qualifications must also be accompanied by a translation document.

THE POST

The Administrative Officer is a middle management position within the local authority and is assigned responsibility for the day-to-day administration and management of one or more sections or departments handling specific areas of the Council's activities, including the management of employees.

The Administrative Officer is an operational team lead and a crucial level between frontline staff and senior management, with responsibility for resource management and service delivery.

Administrative Officers are expected to contribute to the development of strategic policies to guide the work of the Council.

The successful candidate will be expected to carry out duties including:

• Determine the nature, level and pattern of demand for the service in the function and recommend both service level and strategic policy priorities to senior management.
• Implement agreed strategies to meet and expand or improve the range, quantity or quality of existing services and recommend changes in strategies as required.
• Develop and maintain relationships with external agencies in accordance with policy and ensure agreements to co-ordinate work programmes are implemented.
• Achieve and maintain the productive association between elected representatives and the executive delivery of the service.
• Achieve and maintain similar co-operation with local development agencies in accordance with evolving policy on the integration of local government and local and community development.
• Identify and agree work programmes, targets and deadlines and ensure their implementation.
• Manage performance and supervise multidisciplinary staff up to the position/grade of Senior Staff Officer and analogous grades, and ensure the training and development of such staff.
• Build effective teams, develop motivation and commitment, and maintain sound employee relations and morale in accordance with good employment practice and relevant legislation.
• Deputise as required.
• Implement the systems necessary and co-ordinate the resources to support service delivery. This includes systems to manage finance and budgets, ensure value for money, provide information on patterns of demand and activity, and schedule work programmes.
• Undertake any other duties of a similar level and responsibility as may be required from time to time.

THE PERSON

Preferably, the successful candidate will demonstrate:

• A clear understanding of local government services in order to achieve effective service delivery.
• Ability to work within, and lead, multidisciplinary teams and motivate, empower and encourage employees to achieve maximum performance.
• Capability of working closely with elected Councillors to deliver the full range of quality services and implement policy decisions through the Strategic Policy Committees, Municipal District Councils and other County Council departments, while seeking co-operation and consensus from a wide range of bodies and representative groups.
• A satisfactory knowledge of public service organisation in Ireland.
• A career record demonstrating a high level of competence in the management of staff.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent influencing and negotiating skills.
• Ability to manage financial resources within a budgetary control framework.
• Ability to deputise at a senior level.

REMUNERATION

Entry to the scale shall be determined having regard to Departmental Circulars.

Starting pay for new entrants will be at the minimum of the scale.

The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.

PointSalary (01/06/2026)1€61,2172€62,7163€64,4644€66,2195€67,9736€69,5417€71,1468€72,7029€74,253LSI 1€76,910LSI 2€79,583

WORKING HOURS

35 hours per week.

ANNUAL LEAVE

30 days per annum.

RESIDENCE

The person holding the office must reside in, or at an address convenient to the Local Authority, as approved by the Chief Executive.

GARDA VETTING

Garda Vetting may be sought in respect of individuals who come under consideration for appointment.

PROBATION

Where a person who is not already a permanent officer of a Local Authority is appointed to the office, the following provisions shall apply:

• There shall be a period after appointment takes effect during which such a person shall hold the position on probation.
• Such period shall be one year, but the Chief Executive may, at his/her discretion, extend such period.
• The person shall cease to hold the position at the end of the probationary period unless, during this period, the Chief Executive has certified that the service is satisfactory.
• The probationary period may be terminated by giving one week's notice in accordance with the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts.
• Assessments will be carried out during the probationary period.

OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT

The position is whole-time and the officer may not engage in private practice or be connected with any outside business which would interfere with the performance of official duties.

SUPERANNUATION CONTRIBUTION

If you join the public service for the first time on or after 1 January 2013, the Single Public Service Pension Scheme will apply.

Superannuation contributions are:

• 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration.
• 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 Single Pension Scheme is a Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.

A person who becomes a pensionable employee of a local authority and is liable to pay the Class A PRSI rate and was in the public service prior to 1 January 2013 will be required to contribute:

• 1.5% of pensionable remuneration.
• 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration (pensionable remuneration less twice the annual rate of the maximum State Pension Contributory for a person with no adult dependant or qualified children).

Contributions will also apply to the Spouse and Children's Pension Scheme.

A person who becomes a pensionable employee of a local authority and is liable to pay the Class D PRSI rate will contribute:

• 5% of pensionable remuneration.

Where applicable, employees may also contribute:

• 1.5% of pensionable remuneration under the Local Government (Spouse and Children's Contributory Pension) Scheme.

Employees are admitted to the Local Government Superannuation Scheme in accordance with the Local Government Superannuation (Consolidation) Act, 1998 and the Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 from the date of appointment.

This is a Defined Benefit Scheme and provides for payment of a pension, retirement lump sum and death gratuity.

Retirement benefits are payable only if the employee has completed the two-year vesting period.

COMMUNICATIONS

Galway County Council will contact applicants, when necessary, at each stage of the competition by post, email or SMS.

It is strongly recommended that applicants do not change their email address or mobile phone number during the recruitment competition, as communications will be sent to the contact details originally supplied on the application form.

The email address provided when applying must be one that can be accessed at all times.

The onus is on the applicant to inform the Human Resources Department of any change in postal address throughout the recruitment and selection campaign.

Changes can be notified by emailing .

The onus is also on each applicant to ensure they receive all communications from Galway County Council.

Galway County Council does not accept responsibility for communications not accessed or received by an applicant.