Assistant Staff Officer

Job Description

The role of an Assistant Staff Officer is multifunctional and will vary to cover such areas as:

• General administration duties.
• Secretarial duties.
• Reception assistance.
• Customer service.
• Any other duties within the scope, spirit, and purpose of the job as requested.

Essential Requirements

The following are essential requirements for appointments to this post:

• Have the requisite knowledge, skills, and competencies to carry out the role. Competencies will be informed by best practice Public Appointments 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 comparable to Leaving Certificate standard or equivalent or higher, or have appropriate relevant experience which encompasses equivalent skills and expertise.
• Oral Irish – It may be a requirement of the post that the candidate possesses competency in Oral Irish, to the satisfaction of the Chief Executive of the ETB or the satisfaction of the IOT. Where there is a requirement for competency in Oral Irish in respect of a post, it will be specified in the advertisement for that post.

Health

A candidate for, and any person holding, the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Candidates must:

• Have the knowledge and ability to discharge the duties of the post concerned.
• Be suitable on the grounds of character.
• Be suitable in all other relevant respects for appointment to the post concerned.

If successful, candidates will not be appointed to the post unless they:

• Agree to undertake the duties attached to the post and accept the conditions under which the duties are, or may be required to be, performed.
• Are fully competent and available to undertake, and fully capable of undertaking, the duties attached to the position.

Citizenship Requirement

Candidates should note that eligibility to compete is open to citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) or to non-EEA nationals with a valid work permit.

The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Swiss citizens under EU agreements may also apply.

Professional Relationships

The Assistant Staff Officer will maintain professional relationships and will work in cooperation with all relevant stakeholders as required.

Duties and Responsibilities

Conditions of Service of a Grade IV Assistant Staff Officer are as determined by the regulations of the Department of Education.

As per Department of Education Circular Letter 0058/2026, the salary scale is €39,490 - €56,015 LSI per annum (pro rata).

Key Responsibilities

• Provide the organisation's customers with an efficient and effective service through face-to-face, telephone, and written communication.
• Preparation of reports, as required.
• Provide high-level assistance to senior management in the school.
• Maximise the contribution of the team, encouraging ownership, providing support, and working effectively with others.
• Manage and progress multiple projects and work activities successfully.
• Ensure all outputs are delivered to a high standard and in an efficient manner.

The above list is not exhaustive.

Policy and Legal Framework

The Assistant Staff Officer will work within the framework of national legislation, procedures, and Codes of Practice, in addition to Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board's strategy, policies, and procedures.

A summary of the above is outlined in Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board's Recruitment Policy, and a full list of education legislation is available on the website of the Department of Education.

Competencies

The person appointed to the above post will be required to show evidence of the following competencies.

Specialist Knowledge, Expertise and Self-Development

• Clearly understands the role, objectives, and targets and how they fit into the work of the school/organisation.
• Develops the expertise necessary to carry out the role to a high standard and shares this with others.
• Is proactive in keeping up to date on issues and key developments that might impact on their own area, the school, or organisation.
• Consistently reviews own performance and sets self-challenging goals and targets.
• Has significant expertise in their field that is recognised and utilised by colleagues.
• Leads by example, being committed to self-development and enhancing the knowledge and skills required to improve performance.

Leadership Potential

• Is flexible and willing to adapt, positively contributing to the implementation of change.
• Demonstrates a positive working attitude and leads by example.
• Seeks to understand the implications of taking a particular position on issues and how interdependencies need to be addressed in a logical and consistent way.
• Maximises the contribution of the team, encouraging ownership, providing support, and working effectively with others.
• Formulates a perspective on issues considered important and actively contributes across a range of settings.

Analysis and Decision Making

• Is skilled in policy analysis and development, challenging established thinking and adopting an open-minded approach.
• Quickly gets up to speed in a complex situation, rapidly absorbing all relevant information and data (written and oral).
• Uses numerical data skilfully to understand and evaluate business issues.
• Identifies key themes and patterns across different sources of information, drawing sound and balanced conclusions.
• Sees the logical implications of taking a particular position on an issue.
• Is resourceful and creative, generating original approaches when solving problems and making decisions.

Delivery of Results

• Assumes personal responsibility for and delivers on agreed objectives and goals.
• Manages and progresses multiple projects and work initiatives successfully.
• Accurately estimates time parameters for projects and manages time efficiently, anticipating obstacles and making contingencies to overcome them.
• Maintains a strong focus on meeting the needs of customers and stakeholders at all times.
• Ensures all outputs are delivered to a high standard and in an efficient manner.
• Uses resources effectively, continually challenging processes to improve efficiencies.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

• Communicates in a fluent, logical, clear, and convincing manner verbally and in writing.
• Is able to listen effectively and develop two-way dialogue quickly.
• Maintains a strong focus on meeting the needs of internal and external customers.
• Effectively influences others to take action.
• Works to establish mutual understanding to allow for collaborative working.
• Works effectively.
• Has excellent knowledge and skill in the use of Information and Communication Technologies.

Drive and Commitment to Public Service Values

• Consistently strives to perform at a high level.
• Maintains consistent effort under pressure and is resilient to criticism or setbacks at work.
• Demonstrates high levels of initiative, taking ownership of projects and demonstrating self-sufficiency.
• Is personally trustworthy and can be relied upon.
• Places the citizen at the heart of all processes and systems.
• Upholds the highest standards of honesty, ethics, and integrity.

People Management

• Consults and encourages the full engagement of the team, encouraging open and constructive discussions around work issues.
• Gets the best out of individuals and the team, encouraging good performance and addressing any performance issues that may arise.
• Values and supports the development of others and the team.
• Encourages and supports new and effective ways of working.
• Deals with tensions within the team in a constructive way.
• Encourages, listens to, and acts on feedback from the team to make improvements.
• Actively shares information, knowledge, and expertise to help the team meet its objectives.