Clerical Officer

JOB REQUIREMENTS

MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Eligibility Requirements are the minimum requirements required for the position and are set out by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for administrative and technical/engineering grades.

For outdoor grades and some specialised grades, the minimum eligibility requirements are set out by Kilkenny County Council Human Resources Department in consultation with the relevant Line Manager, as they are not set centrally by the Department.

Applicants will be required to submit scanned images of documentation to establish that they meet the following minimum eligibility criteria:

CHARACTER

Applicants shall be of good character.

HEALTH

Each applicant must be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Eligibility Requirements are the minimum requirements required for the position and are set out by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for administrative and technical/engineering grades.

Applicants will be required to submit scanned images of documentation to establish that they meet the following minimum eligibility criteria:

Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of the completed application form:

• Have obtained at least Grade D (or a Pass), in Higher or Ordinary Level, in five subjects from the approved list of subjects in the Department of Education Established Leaving Certificate Examination or Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme,

or

• Have passed an examination of at least equivalent standard,

or

• Have had at least two years' previous service in an office of Clerical Officer, Clerk/Typist (Clerical Duties), Clerk/Typist (Typing and Clerical Duties), or Clerk/Typist under a local authority or health board in the State,

or

• Have satisfactory relevant experience which encompasses demonstrable equivalent skills.

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

Kilkenny County Council can, for any position they advertise, include Desirable Requirements. Desirable Requirements are those that would be beneficial to optimising job performance. Desirable Requirements can be used, if necessary, to reduce the numbers called for interview.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL POSSESS:

• Excellent office administrative experience, including organisational skills, with the ability to plan, organise and prioritise work effectively.
• Strong verbal communication skills, being able to communicate effectively and appropriately with people at all levels.
• Strong interpersonal skills, working well with other employees, managers, customers and the public.
• Good written and proofreading skills, with grammatical proficiency.
• Excellent IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
• Ability to undertake work requiring accuracy and attention to detail and to meet established deadlines.
• Ability to be self-motivated and work on own initiative.
• Ability to be flexible in their approach to work.
• Knowledge and understanding of the Local Authority and the role of Clerical Officer.

Applicants should satisfy themselves that they are eligible under the required qualifications. Kilkenny County Council may not be able to investigate the eligibility of all candidates in advance of the interview/examination, and hence persons who are ineligible but nevertheless enter may put themselves to unnecessary expense.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The duties of a Clerical Officer are varied and can involve assignment to different parts of the organisation or different areas of work. The role requires employees to function in a flexible manner and work effectively together as a team to deliver required outcomes or outputs.

The duties shall be such clerical, administrative and secretarial duties as may be assigned to the officer from time to time by the local authority and shall include the duty of deputising for other officers of the local authority when required, and such duties as may be assigned to him/her in relation to the area of any other local authority.

Clerical Officers Perform a Range of Tasks Including:

• Participate in and support the work of the section or department to ensure that work programmes are delivered in accordance with operational plans.
• Provide high levels of customer service, responding to queries and requests for information in a professional, courteous and timely manner.
• Process applications for services in accordance with Council policies, procedures and plans.
• Carry out a range of administrative tasks including photocopying, preparing letters, documents and presentations for public circulation, typing, minute-taking, report and return preparation, filing, arranging meetings, receipting and balancing payments including cash, and handling internal and external mail.
• Operate the financial system and other local government systems.
• Undertake any other duties assigned as part of the overall functioning of the relevant Department.
• Comply with Health and Safety legislative requirements, policies, procedures and safe systems of work.

PARTICULARS OF OFFICETYPE OF POST

A panel will be formed from which Permanent, Temporary, Part-Time, Fixed-Term and Specific Purpose positions may be filled.

SALARY

The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time. The holder of the office shall pay to Kilkenny County Council any fees or other monies (other than 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.

In accordance with EL 02/2011, persons who are not serving Local Authority employees must be placed on the minimum of the scale. Where a person being appointed is a serving Local Authority employee, normal starting pay rules will apply.

The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with government policy.

The current salary scale for the position is €31,935 minimum to €49,413 maximum, inclusive of LSI.

CITIZENSHIP

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

• A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; or
• A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or
• A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or
• A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA, UK or Swiss citizen and has a Stamp 4 visa; or
• 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 who 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, the State.

SUPERANNUATION CONTRIBUTIONPublic Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012

New members joining the public sector on or after 1 January 2013 are required to join the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. It applies to all first-time entrants to the Public Service, as well as former public servants returning to the public sector after a break of more than 26 weeks.

Contributions consist of:

• 3% of gross pensionable remuneration; and
• 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration (gross pensionable remuneration less twice the value of the Contributory State Pension).

As of 25 March 2019, the weekly Contributory State Pension rate is €248.30.

The normal retirement age under this scheme is the same age at which a person can claim the Contributory State Pension. The minimum age for receipt of this pension is 66 years. There is a compulsory retirement age of 70 years.