Assistant Staff Officer (Grade IV)

Nature of Post

Permanent full-time position 35 hours per week

Salary Scale:

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

Location

Appointment is to the Scheme – Kerry ETB reserves the right to assign a staff member to any other location, as the service exigencies require. Your centre of first assignment will be Kerry College, Clash Campus, Tralee

Reporting/Accountability Relationship

The Assistant Staff Officer reports to the Principal.

Post Summary/Purpose:

The Assistant Staff Officer is a support/supervisory position within Kerry ETB and is assigned responsibility for the day to day operation of a work area, section or team.

The Assistant Staff Officer works as part of a team, supporting managers and colleagues to meet work goals and objectives and to deliver quality services to internal and external customers. The post holder will be responsible for the implementation of work programmes to achieve goals and targets.

The post holder will promote and maintain best practices throughout the school to ensure a quality service is delivered at all times

Key Responsibilities

1.     To provide clerical and administrative support to the Principal, and to support the Deputy Principal(s) and teaching staff as policy directs.

2.     To ensure that the school and office operates in a consistently organised manner.

3.     To maintain records with a high degree of accuracy.

4.     To plan and prioritise work in terms of importance, timescales and other resource constraints, re-prioritising in light of changing circumstances for self and relevant staff teams.

5.     To act as liaison between the community, the school and other internal and external stakeholders.

6.     To act as first point-of-contact to callers, relay messages, and transfer calls as appropriate.

7.     To co-ordinate appropriate documents for communication between schools and stakeholders, internal and external.

8.     To adhere to rigorous student and staff confidentiality protocols in all circumstances.

9.     To complete forms in accordance with school and DES procedures, following education legislation.

10.  Ensure the filing system in the schools is up to date.

11.  Co-operation with existing and new ICT systems.

12.  Maintain a strong focus on self-development, seeking feedback and opportunities for growth.

13.  Research issues thoroughly, consult appropriately to gather all information needed on an issue.

14.  Contribute to the setting of organisational tone through policies and the development and promotion of good internal controls in relevant areas of responsibility.

15.  Carry out lawful orders of the Chief Executive.

16.  Carry out any other duties appropriate to the grade which may be assigned from time to time.

17.  The above list of accountabilities may be varied having regard to the changing needs of the Scheme and the terms of the post can include delivery of responses to unpredictable work demands as they arise

The above list of accountabilities may be varied having regard to the changing needs of the Scheme and the terms of the post can include delivery of responses to unpredictable work demands as they arise.

Person Specification

As per CL 0008/2017 and CL 46/2017, candidates for a Grade IV post must:

• 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 comparable to Leaving Certificate standard or equivalent or higher or have appropriate relevant experience which encompasses equivalent skills and expertise;

Desirable Criteria

• Achieved or be at an advanced stage of working towards a Level 6 qualification or higher on the National Framework of Qualifications
• Excellent administrative and IT Skills
• Strong Communication Skills, both written and oral.
• Demonstrable initiative
• Strong attention to detail

Competences required

Kerry ETB Core Values of Respect, Quality, Equality, Inclusion and Excellence in Learning are the guiding principles of the organisation and underpin the competencies required to fulfil this role.

The person appointed to the above post will be required to show evidence of the following competences:

People Management

• Leads others, monitoring performance and trying to get the best out of people
• Allocates work fairly and appropriately and ensures that everybody does their fair share
• Addresses any performance issues in a timely, appropriate and constructive manner
• Involves others in decisions that affect them, allocating work fairly and appropriately
• Demonstrates trust in others to deal with important tasks and acknowledges a job well done
• Helps team members to identify their own and their team’s learning and development needs in line with objectives
• Helps build effective relationships and resolve disagreements between team members
• Acts as an effective link between staff and other managers

Information Management and Decision Making

• Follows procedures and ensures they are implemented in own area, understanding the rationale behind them
• Reviews completed work regularly and acts on learning points
• Evaluates current work practices to identify changes that could be made to improve efficiencies
• Can work effectively on a number of tasks at the same time
• Is comfortable working with and manipulating a range of data, e.g. numerical, written etc.
• Makes sound appropriate decisions in a confident manner and can justify and stand by them

Delivery of Results

• Delivers results on time and to a high standard
• Takes responsibility for own work and the work of the team
• Plans and prioritises the work schedule, ensuing the efficient use of all of the resources available and delivering on objectives even with multiple or conflicting demands
• Evaluates the current work practices to identify changes that could be made to help them run more effectively
• Maintains accurate records and monitors work, ensuring any errors are identified and rectified
• Appreciates the need to delegate work appropriately rather than doing everything oneself

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

• Shows respect, tact and maintains composure when dealing with customers or staff members
• Demonstrates the ability to be assertive and negotiate when necessary, communicating in a clear and confident manner whilst remaining approachable and polite
• Listens to others and invites feedback, dealing with information in a constructive way
• Influences others by actively listening and clearly expressing their position
• Produces written letters /reports in a clear and concise manner

Specialist Knowledge, Expertise and Self Development

• Develops and maintains the skills and expertise required to perform in the role effectively, e.g. relevant technologies, IT systems, relevant policies etc
• Has a clear understanding of the role, objectives and targets and how they fit into the work of the unit and Department/ Organisation and communicates this to the team
• Leads by example, being committed to self-development and enhancing the knowledge and skills required to improve performance

Drive & Commitment to Public Service Values

• Consistently strives to perform at a high level, demonstrating flexibility and finding solutions to overcome obstacles
• Serves the Government and people of Ireland
• Can work independently without excessive guidance or support
• Demonstrates resilience in the face of significant demands and challenges
• Ensures that the customer is at the heart of all services provided
• Is personally honest and trustworthy
• Acts with integrity and supports this in others