Assistant Staff Officer

Starting salary: €38,599*

The salary scale for the post is currently:

€38,599, €40,759, €42,739, €44,475, €46,152, €48,417, €50,055, €51,723, €53,295; 1st Long Service Increment, €54,911; 2nd Long Service Increment

Hours per week: 35 – Monday to Friday

Annual Leave: 23 days per annum

Duration: Fixed Purpose (Career Break Cover) to August 2026

Requirements and Eligibility for the post:

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

Desirable

• Staff supervisory skills

• Excellent administrative and IT skills

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

• Ability to process work with a high level of attention to detail

• A self-motivated approach to work;

• Excellent judgement, problem-solving, analytical and decision-making skills;

Role/Responsibilities:

The Grade IV Assistant Staff Officer is a support/supervisory position with Kildare and Wicklow ETB and is assigned responsibility for the day to day operation of a work area, section or team in Departments or Schools. The post holder will be responsible for the implementation of work programmes to achieve goals and targets. The post holder will be required to be flexible, and undertake duties to support the work of the School as a whole. The post holder will promote and maintain best practices throughout the School to ensure a quality service is delivered at all times.

The post may include the supervision of small groups of staff, usually of one level, on routine clearly defined tasks where the jobholder’s duties include the organisation of work and staff to achieve specific, usually cyclical targets.

• Provide confidential and efficient secretarial and administrative support to the Principal.

• Assist in the development of the school’s administrative/secretarial systems to ensure effective operation.

• Maintain an effective administrative/secretarial system to process all paperwork and electronic communications within the school.

• Deal with information requests and queries made via telephone, email, or face-to-face.

• Process and distribute daily post and email.

• Maintaining up-to-date computerised and manual accounts.

• Maintaining Student Database and making returns to Department of Education.

• Completion of weekly time-sheets or online claims, as required.

• Organise provision of hospitality for school events, visitors to school etc.

• To carry out the lawful orders of the Board and of its Chief Executive.

• To carry out any other duties appropriate to the grade which may be assigned from time to time by the Principal.

FINANCE

• Monitoring, controlling and reconciling all financial allocations to the school (e.g. Main School Budget, Home/School Liaison, Free Book Scheme, Exam Fee Scheme, Special Technology Grants, Junior Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied (the list is not exhaustive))

• Checking and ensuring accuracy of traders’ accounts, part-time teachers, teachers claim forms, travel claims, petty cash returns and postal franking machines.

• Processing of invoices and payments

• Use of WaY2Pay and collection of cash for use of premises, enrolment fees, book rental fees, telephone charges (including payphones) and occasional items such as school trips etc.

• Ensuring all payments to the school are recorded, receipted, reconciled and lodged to the appropriate bank accounts.

PERSONNEL

• Maintaining of school personnel files.

• Supports the use of VSWare, PPOD and any other necessary IT systems in use.

• Maintaining teacher attendance records and the consequential work that arises when part-time teachers undertake substitution work.

• Knowledge, awareness and upholding of Child Protection procedures

• Knowledge, awareness and upholding of GDPR

RECEPTION DUTIES

• Meeting all visitors

• Processing incoming and outgoing communications – mail, fax, telephone, ensuring that all information is conveyed to the appropriate persons.

SECRETARIAL DUTIES

• All school secretarial work typing, word processing, filing, copying etc.

• Maintaining all items of office equipment.

SECRETARY TO PRINCIPAL

• Secretarial and administrative functions on behalf of the Principal in his/her role as School Principal.

• Maintaining, on behalf of the Principal, all confidential items relating to the Administration of the school

The above list is not exhaustive.

All jobs demand a good knowledge and skill in the use of Information and Communication Technologies and appointees will be expected to use new techniques and technologies as they arise. Appointees are also expected to up-date their knowledge and skills and develop and use new skills or amended systems.

Confidentiality: The appointee is expected to maintain and treat all matters relating to office/school/centre business, and their work in the office/school/centre as a Clerical Officer, as strictly confidential. Any breach of this requirement will be treated as a serious matter of misconduct.

Probation: The appointee will be on probation for a period of 6 months. At the expiration of the probationary period, the appointment may be confirmed, continued on probation for a further period or terminated, as KWETB may determine.

Competences:

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, ensuring 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 and 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 and 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