Assistant Staff Officer

An Assistant Staff Officer is the second grade in a five tier administrative structure within Offaly County Council ranging from the most common entry grade of Clerical Officer, the tier below the Assistant Staff Officer post, through to Staff Officer, Senior Staff Officer and Administrative Officer which are generally line management roles. The Assistant Staff Officer can therefore be an entry grade for candidates meeting the qualification requirements as well as providing a promotional opportunity for serving Clerical Officers who meet the specified competencies and requirements of the post.

An Assistant Staff Officer works as part of a multi-disciplinary team within one of the previously outlined Local Authority Directorates, to provide administrative support and customer service across the broad range of local authority front line and internal services which includes for example corporate, finance, IT and human resource functions. Front line services include social housing; transportation infrastructure; environmental protection; water, wastewater, recreation, amenity and cultural services such as the arts and public library service.  Local Authorities also play a key role in supporting economic development and enterprise promotion at local level.

An Assistant Staff Officer will generally work under the direction and management of a Staff Officer, Senior Staff Officer or Administrative Officer and may from time to time, be required to deputise for a Staff Officer, the first level of line management within the administrative grades. The successful candidate will therefore require excellent administrative, communications and people management skills as the role may entail assuming supervisory and budgetary responsibility for a particular division or function of the local authority. The ideal candidate will therefore be a highly motivated person, with a strong sense of commitment to delivering quality public services willing to take on a challenge.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POST

Candidates are required to demonstrate a clear knowledge and understanding of:

• Local authority services, its key stakeholders and relationships
• Local government structures and its democratic role and mandate
• Current local government issues
• Key policies guiding the local government sector
• Public service values

The ideal candidate must be able to demonstrate that they have sufficient competence in the following key skills which are essential for the role:

• Communications and interpersonal
• People management
• Organisational and time management
• Problem solving
• Administration and report writing
• Operation of ICT systems and standard office software packages

Candidates must also demonstrate a proven track record in the following:

• Customer service
• Working effectively as part of a team
• Planning and prioritisation of workloads
• Dealing effectively with conflicting demands
• Working under pressure to tight deadlines
• Adapting to change
• Project management
• Budget management
• Acting on own initiative
• Ability to communicate effectively across different levels within an organisation
• Maintaining confidentiality

COMPETENCIES FOR THE POST

Key Competencies for the post include the following and candidates will be expected to demonstrate sufficient evidence within their application form of competence under each of these. Please take particular note of these when completing the application form as any short-listing or interview processes will be based on the information provided by candidates:

Candidates Thinking Style and approach to:

·       Problem solving

·       Decision making

·       Analytical skills

Candidates approach to Delivering Results:

·       Organising and planning workloads

·       Business planning & reporting

·       Goal setting

·       Budget management

·       Achieving efficiencies

·       Quality customer service

Candidates Interpersonal & People Orientation Skills:

·       Written and oral communications

·       Persuading and influencing others

·       Team-working

·       Establishing and maintaining key internal and stakeholder relationships

·       Dealing with conflict

Candidates Personal Effectiveness:

·       Resilience and Personal Well-Being

·       Commitment to integrity & Public Service Values

·       Personal Motivation

·       Initiative and creativity

·       Understanding the structures and environment within which the local authority sector operates

·       Political awareness

PANEL FORMATION

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

The Council will form three separate panels of suitably qualified candidates to meet the requirements agreed nationally of the ratio of posts to be confined to the local government sector, open and those confined to Offaly County Council staff. The order of candidates placed on each of the three panels is determined by where they were placed on the overall Order of Merit List.

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

For the purposes of the above, the sector Panel A is comprehended to include all Local Authorities and the three Regional Assemblies only. Staff who are not existing employees of local authorities or regional assemblies are not eligible to apply for competitions confined to the sector (Panel A) or to the local authority (Panel C).

QUALIFICATIONS

1.               CHARACTER

Candidates shall be of good character.

2.               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.

3.               Citizenship

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

(a)        A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; or

(b)        A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or

(c)        A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or

(d)        A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA or UK or Swiss citizen and has a stamp 4 visa; or

(e)        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 or the UK or Switzerland and has a stamp 4 visa.

4. EDUCATION, TRAINING, EXPERIENCE, ETC.

APPLICANTS TO PANEL B (OPEN)

(i) (a) have obtained at least Grade D (or a Pass), in Higher or Ordinary Level, in five subjects (or four 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: Mathematics, Accounting, Business Organisation or Economics,

and

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

or

(ii) have obtained a comparable standard in an equivalent examination,

or

(iii) hold a third level qualification of at least degree standard.

Confined Competition (Panels A and C as appropriate)

(iv) (a) 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.

PARTICULARS OF OFFICE

1. The Post:

The post is whole time and pensionable. A panel will be formed for an initial period of one year and this may be extended for a further year at the discretion of the Chief Executive. The panel will be used to fill both permanent and temporary positions that may arise for its duration. Vacancies will be offered in order of merit as per the panel.

2. Salary:

The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time.  Holders of the post will be paid at the appropriate point on the salary scale in accordance with the relevant Department Circular.   Starting pay for new entrants will be at the minimum of the scale.  Where the appointee has been serving elsewhere in the public service in an analogous grade and pay-scale, and will be moving without break to another part of the public sector at an analogous grade, the appointment may be made at the appointee’s current point of scale.  The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay.

The current salary scale applicable to the post is €35,260 - €54,367 (LSI 2)

3. Duties:

You shall perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to you in relation to your employment and as may be appropriate to any particular function of any local authority for which the Chief Executive is responsible and carry out such instructions as may be given in relation to the performance of your duties. You shall, if required, act for an employee of a higher level. You may be required to work outside your normal job description from time to time.

The duties to be assigned include the following although this list is not exhaustive and may be reviewed from time to time as organisational needs require:

·       Provide administrative support to Council and Municipal District operations to implement and deliver on corporate objectives and service delivery plans

·       Compiling reports, returns and financial claims

·       Ensuring compliance with organisational policies and procedures

·       Assume responsibility for the management of small divisional/departmental projects when required

·       Dealing efficiently and communicating effectively and professionally at all times with stakeholders including local authority staff, elected members, community groups, businesses and residents

·       Liaising with and responding to other local authorities, government departments and statutory agencies where required

·       Organise and facilitate internal and external meetings and events

·       Create and maintain any records or databases required

·       Use all technology including IT and financial systems and any equipment assigned

·       Participate in the Performance Management Development System

·       Complete all essential training successfully

·       Carrying out duties in a politically neutral and impartial manner that enhances public trust and confidence in the local authority decision making process

·       To act or deputise for more senior personnel when required

·       Undertaking any other duties of a similar level and responsibility, as may be required, or assigned, from time to time

4. Work Base:

Offaly County Council reserves the right to assign you to any department or premises in use by the Council, now or in the future. Changes in location of employment will not result in payment of disturbance money or other compensation. The person appointed will be required to provide him/herself at his/her own expense with the necessary mode of travel to and from work.

5. Working Hours:

The working hours at present provide for a five day, thirty-five hours working week, hours may vary from time to time.

The working hours may be reviewed at any time by the Council. The post may require flexibility in working outside of normal hours, including at weekends, as necessary. No additional remunertation will be paid in respect of such activities.

The provisions of Offaly County Council’s Time and Attendance Policy is applicable to this grade at the current time. A flexible working hours system is in operation subject to the terms and conditions of the Time and Attendance Policy.

6. Annual Leave:

The current annual leave entitlement is 30 days. Granting of annual leave, payment for annual leave and arrangement for public holidays will be governed by the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 (as amended)

7. Sick Leave:

The terms of the Public Service Sick Pay Scheme will prevail.

8. Probation:

Appointees will be on probation for the first year of employment. The terms of the Offaly County Council Probation Policy will apply.

9. Superannuation:

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012: New members joining the Public Sector on or after 1st January, 2013 will be required to join the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. The Single Scheme applies to all pensionable first-time entrants to the Public Service as well as to former public servants returning to the public service after a break of more than 26 weeks. A rate of PRSI contribution will be required of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 3% of their pensionable remuneration plus 3.5%, of net pensionable remuneration (i.e. pensionable remuneration less twice the annual rate of social insurance old age contributory pension payable at the maximum rate to a person with no adult dependant or qualified children). This includes a contribution to a Spouse’s and Children’s Scheme. Pension and retirement lump sum based on career-average pay, pensions will be co-ordinated with the State Pension Contributory (SPC).

For persons who commenced public sector employment prior to 1st January 2013: Persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority who are liable to pay the Class A rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of their pensionable remuneration plus 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration (ie. pensionable remuneration less twice the annual rate of social insurance old age contributory pension payable at the maximum rate to a person with no adult dependent or qualified children).

Persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority who are liable to pay the Class D rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 5% of their pensionable remuneration.

All persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority will be required in respect of the Local Government (Spouses and Childrens Contributory Pension) Scheme to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of their pensionable remuneration in accordance with the terms of the scheme.

10. Retirement:

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012: The compulsory retirement age for new entrants as defined by the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 is 70 years. Minimum pension age of 66 years, rising to 67 years and 68 years in line with State Pension age changes, is applicable.

Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004:

There is no mandatory retirement age for ‘New Entrants’ from 1st April, 2004 to the public service as defined in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004. 65 years is the minimum age at which a person may be paid. As a new entrant to the public service, under the terms of this legislation, new entrants will not be required to retire on grounds of age.

Anyone who is not a ‘New Entrant’ to the public service, defined in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 is subject to compulsory retirement age of 65 years.