Chief Technician

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 –

a) have satisfactory experience in a technician post at Grade I, or higher level, or in an analogous post under a Local Authority or health board in the State,

b) have at least nine years satisfactory relevant experience in a technician post at Grade II, or higher level, or an analogous post,

c) have a thorough knowledge of all the technical aspects of local authority work, and also a deeper knowledge of at least one relevant section of the work, and have experience in taking charge of such a section, or other sections of the work,

d) have adequate experience in dealing with other departments within their own organisation, and with other bodies,

e) have adequate experience in the direction, supervision and control of staff,

f) possess technical training and experience, and administrative experience of a high standard, and

g) possess a satisfactory knowledge of health and safety in the workplace.

Candidates must demonstrate in their application form that they possess the above. Failure to do so may result in being deemed ineligible for the competition.

4. CITIZENSHIP: Candidates 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

(f) 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

PERSON PROFILE

DUTIES: The duties of the post are to give the local authority and:-

(a) such other local authorities or bodies for which the Chief Executive, for the purposes of the City and County Management Acts, is Chief Executive, and

(b) to any other local authority or body with which an agreement has been made by the local authority or by any of the authorities or bodies mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph,

under the general direction and control of the Chief Executive or such other employee as the Chief Executive may from time to time determine, such technical or ancillary services of an advisory, supervisory or executive nature as may be required by any local authority or body hereinbefore mentioned in the exercise and performance of any of its powers, functions and duties including the duty of assisting the Director of Service or other appropriate employee, in the supervision of the technical or ancillary services of any foregoing local authorities or bodies and, when required to do so, to perform the duty of acting for the appropriate professional employee of higher rank during the absence of such employee of higher rank.

The actual duties of the post of Chief Technician will depend on placement of the post, but in general they will include but are not limited to:

• Providing necessary information to Senior Management relevant to the area of responsibility,

• Management and supervision of staff, and co-ordination of duties of staff under their control,

• Ensuring the efficient delivery of services in their area of responsibility,

• Providing technical services to the area of responsibility to which they have been assigned, eg. site inspections, site surveying, creation of drawings and graphics, report writing and such other duties associated with a drawing office.

• Operating the appropriate technology as required to carry out the work to which they have been assigned, CAD, Graphics, GIS Software such as ESRI/ArcGIS and Building Information Modelling (BIM).

• Liaising with other departments, members of the public and external agencies in relation to operational aspects of assigned work,

• Functioning as a Team Leader. This includes: prioritising work as determined by the Section Head / Director of Services, functioning as a facilitator and co-ordinator between team members and other departments and external agencies, and being responsible for the allocation of work and ensuring task completion,

• Preparation of Estimates,

• Preparation of public consultation display material,

• Preparation of design drawings and reports for, and attendance at, meetings,

• Preparation of land registry maps and dealing with the land registry office,

• Mentoring and development of Technical staff, including Technicians at Grade I and Grade II, Executive Technicians and Senior Executive Technicians,

• Contributing to individual staff development, personal development, and team development initiatives,

• Undertaking any course of training organised by Wexford County Council which they are designated to attend,

• Providing a high level of service to public representatives, including attendance and presentations at meetings, including at Municipal District level,

• Carry out all responsibilities in relation to Health and Safety and maintaining, managing where required and proactively developing a culture of Health and Safety in the workplace,

• Such other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

If appointed to the Environment Section, the duties of the post in general will also include, but are not limited to:

• Scientific report writing and preparation of data for annual environmental reports, measures reports, and attendance at routine meetings with Operations, Uisce Eireann the HSE and EPA as required.

• Overseeing of the investigation, risk assessment, reporting, enforcement and close-out of environmental complaints assigned.

• Preparation of environmental pollution cases and provision of expert testimony in court, as required,

• Implementation of plans and measures under the River Basin Management Plans, including liaison with Fisheries bodies, LAWPRO and EPA as required,

• Oversee the Quality Management System (QMS), including, equipment calibration & servicing, internal & external quality audits, method validation, nonconforming testing,

• Overseeing water body quality testing & reporting programmes,

• Input into the implementation of the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme & the Developer Provided Infrastructure Programme,

• Forward planning /strategic development - provide technical information for development plans on Water & Wastewater treatment plants operated by Uisce Eireann,

• Assessment of planning applications referred to the environment section,

Essential Skills and Experience The ideal candidate for the position shall have

• the ability to work under pressure, both independently and as part of a team,

• the ability to work and carry out managerial responsibilities on their own initiative,

• the ability to work with multidisciplinary teams,

• the ability to self-motivate to achieve good performance,

• the ability to motivate, empower, encourage and achieve maximum efficiency and value for money from the personnel and processes under their control,

• a track record of delivering results,

• an understanding of Local Authority services and structures in Ireland,

• excellent interpersonal, communication and influencing skills,

• good knowledge and awareness of statutory obligations of Health and Safety Legislation, the implications for the organisation and the employee, and their application in the workplace,

• the skills to schedule/programme the carrying out of work,

• an understanding of the role and duties of managers in safety management in the workplace,

• excellent ICT skills, including strong proficiency in AutoCAD, GIS Software and MS Excel,

• a focus on the customer and on service improvement including taking ownership of and resolving issues as they arise.

Candidates must also:

• have the knowledge and ability to discharge the duties of the post concerned,

• be suitable on grounds of character,

• be suitable in all other relevant respects for appointment to the post concerned, candidates, if successful, 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.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

1. Tenure: The post, whether temporary or permanent, is whole-time and pensionable.

Persons who become pensionable employees of a Local Authority who are liable to pay 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 (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 dependent or qualified children).

All persons who become pensionable employees 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 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 dependent or qualified children) in accordance with the terms of the Scheme.

For new entrants under the Single Public Service Pension Scheme effective from 01/01/2013, superannuation contributions are 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration and 3% of pensionable remuneration.

2. Probation: Where a person who is not already a permanent employee of a local authority is appointed, the following provisions shall apply:-

(a) there shall be a period after such appointment takes effect during which such person shall hold such employment on probation;

(b) such period shall be 6 months but the Chief Executive may, at his discretion, extend such period;

(c) such person shall cease to hold such employment at the end of the period of probation, unless during such period the Chief Executive has certified that the service of such person is satisfactory.

3. Salary: The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time. Holders of the post shall pay to the local authority any fees or other monies (other than their inclusive salary) payable to or received by them by virtue of their employment or in respect of services which they are required by or under any enactment to perform. An allowance may also be payable in respect of travel expenses and subsistence.

€56,882 to €73,750 (LSI 2) (As at 1st August 2025)

Entry point to this scale will be determined in accordance with Circulars issued by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.

Appointees who are not existing public servants will enter at the minimum point of the scale.

4. Health: For the purpose of satisfying the requirement as to health, it will be necessary for successful candidates, before being appointed, to undergo at their expense, a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the local authority. Defects reported as a result of this examination must be remedied before appointment. On taking up appointment, the expense of the medical examination will be refunded to the candidate.

5. Retirement/Superannuation

Single Public Service Pension Scheme: Effective from 1st January, 2013, The Single Public Service Pension Scheme applies to all first-time new 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.

All new entrants to pensionable public service employment on or after 1 January, 2013 are, in general, members of the Single Scheme.

Pension Age: Minimum pension age of 66 years (rising to 67 and 68 in line with State Pension age changes). Scheme Members must retire at the age of 70 years.

New entrants to the public service appointed on or after 1st April, 2004.

Retirement Age will be determined by the terms of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004. The Act introduces new retirement provisions for new entrants to the public service appointed on or after 1st April, 2004. For new entrants there is no compulsory retirement age and 65 is the earliest age at which retirement benefits can be paid. In all other cases, 60 years is the minimum retirement age, with 70 years being the maximum retirement age.

6. Driving Licence When required to do so holders of the office may be required to drive a motor car in the course of their duties and should therefore, hold a full driving licence for Class B vehicles free from endorsement and disqualification.

7. Residence The holder of the post shall reside in the district in which his/her duties are to be performed, or within a reasonable distance thereof.