Assistant Staff Officer

The Position The Council is seeking applications from suitably qualified candidates with relevant experience for the position of Assistant Staff Officer. The Assistant Staff Officer is a supervisory position in the Council with responsibility for staff supervision within a section of a department. They will work as part of a multidisciplinary team, assisting with the implementation of work programmes to achieve goals, targets and standards set out in departmental/team plans. The Assistant Staff Officer role requires excellent administrative, interpersonal, communication and other particular skills and expertise depending on assignment and may also be required to deputise for a Staff Officer from time to time. The Assistant Staff Officer will be expected to use initiative and work to a high standard and will be required to operate the Council’s existing and future IT systems as part of their work. It is proposed to form a panel of qualified candidates from which vacancies will be filled during the lifetime of the panel.

Qualifications 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, Experience, etc. Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms – (i)(a) have obtained at least Grade D (or a Pass), in Higher or Ordinary Level, in five subjects (or four subjects 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 (iv) be a serving employee of a local authority or a regional assembly and have at least two years’ satisfactory experience in a post of Clerical Officer or analogous post.

Duties: The following is a non-exhaustive list of key duties and responsibilities which may be assigned to an Assistant Staff Officer.

• Support the line manager to ensure the section or department work programmes are implemented to deliver on the Council’s Corporate Plan and operational matters.
• Communicate and liaise effectively with customers, employees, supervisors and line managers in other sections, in relation to operational matters for their section or area of work.
• Prepare reports, correspondence and other documents as required.
• Organise and facilitate internal and external meetings and participate and engage in discussions as appropriate.
• Provide assistance and support in the delivery of projects as required.
• Ensure high levels of customer service, responding to queries and requests for information in a professional, courteous and timely manner.
• Support the line manager to communicate, implement and manage all change management initiatives within the relevant area of responsibility.
• Supervise employees within their team or programmes of work within their area of responsibility, providing support to team members or colleagues as required and through participation in the Performance Management Development System.
• Comply with Health and Safety legislative requirements, policies and procedures and safe systems of work
• Participate in corporate activities and responsibilities appropriate to the grade.
• Deputise for the line manager or equivalent as required.
• To undertake any other duties of a similar level and responsibility, as may be required or assigned, from time to time.

Principal Conditions of Employment A panel may be formed from which future positions may be filled. The successful candidate(s) may be assigned as required to any of the Municipal Districts/Directorates under the Chief Executive’s control or to any premises/location in use by the Council now or in the future. Recruitment to the post of Assistant Staff Officer will be on the following basis: Panel A 50% confined to employees of the sector Panel B 30% open, and Panel C 20% confined to employees of Wicklow County Council

Probation Where persons who are not already permanent officers of a Local Authority are appointed, the following provisions shall apply; (a) there shall be a period after such appointments take effect, during which such persons shall hold office on probation; (b) such period shall be six months, this period may be extended at the Chief Executive’s discretion; (c) such persons shall cease to hold such office at the end of the period of probation, unless during such period, the Chief Executive has certified that the service of such persons in satisfactory.

Salary: € 35,260 – € 54,367 per annum includes 2nd LSI E.L. 03/2025 The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time in line with national policy. The holder of the office shall pay to the local authority any fees or other monies (other than his/her inclusive salary) payable to and received by him/her by virtue of his/her office or in respect of services which he/she is required by or under any enactment to perform. Starting pay shall be determined in accordance with appropriate Departmental Circular letters. New Entrants will be placed on the minimum of salary scale.

Hours of Work The person appointed will be required to work a 35 hour week Monday to Friday, which equates to a 7 hour day to be accounted for within attendance hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with one hour lunch between 1.00pm and 2.00pm. A flexi system is also in operation.

Travel The holder of the office may be required to hold a valid Irish/EU full driving licence for class B vehicles or a licence acceptable to NDLS for exchange, free from endorsement and disqualification. They must be a competent driver and shall drive a motor car in the course of his/her duties and for this purpose, provide and maintain a car to the satisfaction of the Local Authority. The Local Authority must be indemnified on their insurance.

Garda Vetting Candidates may be subject to Garda Vetting. Appointment(s) will be considered having regard to receipt of satisfactory Garda Vetting, particularly to determine suitability to work with children/vulnerable adults.

Health For the purposes of satisfying the requirements as to health it will be necessary for successful candidates, before they are appointed, to undergo at their expense a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the local authority. On taking up appointment the expense of the medical examination will be refunded to candidates.

Residence Holders of the office shall reside in the district in which their duties are to be performed or within a reasonable distance thereof. Annual Leave Annual leave entitlement will be 30 days per annum exclusive of public holidays and Good Friday. Retirement Age There is no mandatory retirement age for new entrants to the Public Service as defined in the Public Services Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004. Persons who are NOT new entrants to the Public Service as defined in the Public Services Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004 and the Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018, are subject to a compulsory retirement age of 70 years. With effect from 1st January 2013, persons who are pensionable under the terms of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme will have a minimum retirement age of 66 years initially rising in line with the State Pension age changes. Members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme have a compulsory retirement age of 70 years.

Superannuation Persons who become pensionable public servants on or after 1st January 2013 will become members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme and, as such, will be required to pay contributions of 3% of pensionable remuneration and 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). Persons who become pensionable officers 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 the 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). Persons who become pensionable officers 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 officers of a local authority will be required in respect of the Local Government (Spouses and Children’s 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.