Administrative Officer

About the Role

This is a great opportunity to join the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) at a time of significant transformation and innovation, both within the Agency and across the wider local government sector.

The Administrative Officer (Grade 7) is a middle management position and will play an important role in supporting the delivery of the LGMA's strategic objectives. The post holder will contribute to the development and implementation of policies, programmes and initiatives and may represent the LGMA on internal and external committees, sub-committees, working groups and sectoral forums.

Reporting directly to a Senior Executive Officer / Senior Manager (Grade 8), or another officer designated by the Chief Executive Officer, the Administrative Officer will work closely with senior management, local authorities, government departments, external agencies and other stakeholders to deliver a broad programme of work.

The Administrative Officer (Grade 7) will be responsible for the efficient management, direction and deployment of resources within their assigned work area. They will oversee the day-to-day operations of the function, contribute to service planning and delivery, and may have responsibility for managing and developing staff across a number of grades.

The ideal candidate will be highly motivated, demonstrate strong leadership and organisational skills, and possess a commitment to delivering high-quality services and achieving positive outcomes for the local government sector.

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate:

• Proven ability to manage and co-ordinate a busy and diverse workload, delivering high-quality outcomes within agreed timeframes, strong organisational and administrative skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and competing demands effectively, and ability to facilitate and contribute effectively to committees, working groups, forums and stakeholder engagements.

• Experience of leading, managing and developing teams, including supervising staff, managing performance and supporting learning and development.

• Experience in developing and maintaining effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and excellent interpersonal, communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage confidently with colleagues, senior management, local authorities, government departments and external agencies.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify issues, assess options and recommend appropriate solutions, experience in preparing high-quality reports, briefing papers, presentations and other business documentation, and ability to contribute to strategic planning, policy development and organisational decision-making.

• Experience in budget administration and resource planning, ensuring value for money, in managing contracts and / or overseeing relationships with external service providers and suppliers, where relevant.

• A collaborative approach, with a commitment to knowledge sharing, continuous improvement and innovation, strong commitment to customer service, quality standards and achieving positive outcomes for stakeholders, and a high level of professionalism, integrity, initiative and personal accountability.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The key duties and responsibilities of the role include the following:

• Responsibility for the management and delivery of one or more work areas within the LGMA, and for the day-to-day operation, planning and performance of assigned functions and services.

• Identify, develop and implement work programmes, objectives, targets and deadlines, ensuring delivery within agreed timeframes, and manage multiple priorities and competing demands while maintaining a high standard of service delivery.

• Provide leadership, direction and support to staff and supervise employees (up to the grade of Grade 6 or equivalent), ensuring appropriate training, development and performance management, build and maintain effective teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability and continuous improvement, and promote positive employee relations, staff engagement and wellbeing in accordance with good employment practice and relevant legislation.

• Assess service demands, emerging issues and organisational priorities and make recommendations to senior management regarding service delivery and resource allocation and contribute to the development and implementation of LGMA strategies, policies, programmes and organisational initiatives.

• Organise, facilitate and engage with sectoral working groups, committees and stakeholder forums to support the achievement of programme objectives, develop and maintain productive relationships with local authorities, government departments, sectoral bodies, external agencies and other stakeholders, and represent the LGMA at meetings, conferences, project groups and other forums as required.

• Prepare, analyse and present high-quality reports, briefing papers, business cases and presentations for senior management, Project and Programme Boards and other governance structures as required, and ensure that policies, procedures and governance arrangements are documented, communicated and aligned with best practice.

• Support procurement activities and assist with the contract and vendor management of thirdparty service providers where required.

• Promote the sharing of knowledge, expertise and best practice both within the LGMA and across the wider local government sector, and identify opportunities for innovation, service improvement and organisational efficiency.

Undertake any other duties of a similar level and responsibility which may be assigned.

Essential Requirements

1. Character

Candidates shall be of good character.

2. Health

Candidates shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

3. Education, Training and Experience

Candidates must, by the closing date for receipt of completed applications, be able to demonstrate the competencies set out in the LGMA Competency Framework.

(A) 5 passes in the Leaving Certificate Examination / Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (Higher or Ordinary Level), including Grade D/Pass or higher in 5 subjects (or in 4 subjects if Irish is included)

Or

(B) A comparable standard in an equivalent examination or an NFQ Level 6 qualification

Or

(C) A recognised third-level qualification at NFQ Level 7 or higher

Desirable Requirements

The following requirements are desirable but not essential:

• Experience of leading and managing staff and delivering results through teams.

• Organisational and planning skills.

• Communication, report-writing and stakeholder management skills.

• Analytical, problem-solving and decision-making abilities.

• Knowledge of the public sector, local government sector or a similar regulatory environment.

• Experience of budget administration and resource planning.

• Experience of policy development, governance, procurement or contract management.