Climate Action Officer

THE ROLE

Climate Change is now a major consideration in all policies and actions of Local Authorities who are increasingly being given a critical role in the embedding and enabling of Climate Action across the diverse range of their functions and activities.

The National Adaptation Framework was published in 2018 and this together with the Low Carbon and Climate Development (Amendment) Act 2021 provide the context within which Local Authorities are obliged to prepare Climate Action Plans. The Climate Action Regional Offices (CARO) were formed to link and bring together the expertise and capacity in the Local Authorities to achieve this objective while also proving a focus for linkages with Central Government Departments, Regional Assemblies, Public Representatives, and other relevant stakeholders.

The Climate Action Officer within Laois County Council will be a core resource requirement for local authorities to lead on climate action, the successful candidate playing a key role in advocating for climate action and sustainability. 

The Climate Action Officer will report to the Council’s Climate Change Coordinator and will be responsible for managing and promoting behavioural and organisational culture change, building climate action awareness and readiness across the local authority. 

This is a challenging and exciting position and requires a broad technical knowledge of climate change, the risks and possible mitigation and adaptation strategies, and a strong organisational networking and communication skills-set. 

THE POSITION

The position is full-time, to be filled on a fixed term basis.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE POST

CHARACTER 

Candidates must be of good character. 

HEALTH

Candidates shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service. For the purpose of satisfying the requirements as to health, it will be necessary for successful candidates, before they are appointed, to undergo at their own 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.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

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

• Education, training, experience, etc.

Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms -

• hold a third level qualification (Level 8 in the National Framework of Qualifications) or equivalent professional qualification in Engineering, Planning, Environmental Science, Architecture, or another relevant discipline;
• have at least three years’ satisfactory relevant experience;
• have hold a current full driving licence in respect of category B vehicles, as there will be a requirement to travel to various Council premises and other locations. 
• Have relevant experience in supporting the formulation and implementation of strategies, plans, studies, and processes including stakeholder engagement.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POST

Requirements

In the context of the key duties and responsibilities for the post of Climate Action Officer, the ideal candidate shall also be able to demonstrate some the following; 

• an understanding of the aims and objectives of the National Climate Action Plan 2021 and the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 together with knowledge of key Local Authority climate action areas such as Energy, Green Infrastructure, Decarbonisation Zones, Retrofitting, Sustainable Mobility (active travel and modal shift), Sustainable Energy Communities, Citizen Engagement, Just Transition, Land Use and Development, Biodiversity and Natural Environment. 
• a good understanding of climate change adaptation and mitigation challenges relevant to Local Authority functions.

• strong judgement and problem-solving skills and effecting or influencing behavioural change

• experience of dealing with multiple stakeholders.

• a knowledge of health and safety legislation and regulations, and their application in the workplace.

• A good knowledge of the operation of local authorities and their role and interactions with Government Departments in terms of governance, finance, and reporting structures. Climate Change funding can be made available through a variety of European and national funding streams and knowledge of those funding streams and of the processes involved in applying for such funding will also be important.
• competence and experience of financial and budget management 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Alongside supporting the Climate Action Coordinator in designing and delivering Laois County Council’s climate action strategies and policies, the proposed Climate Action Officer will have responsibilities including, but not limited to, the following:

• Support the implementation of the Local Authority Climate Action Plan (LACAP) across all departments in the local authority.
• Provide assistance to the Climate Action Coordinator in developing and implementing climate action strategies, plans and policies across the Local Authority.
• Assist in defining the desired values and behaviours for the local authority and translate into a comprehensive measured action plan for execution across the organisation. 
• Support the Climate Action Coordinator and the CARO to monitor and communicate the performance of the local authority. 
• Work with the Climate Acton Team, CARO, national government, and relevant agencies in the development, roll-out and evaluation of programmes and campaigns to promote climate action to local authority staff, elected members and local authority stakeholders
• Work with Elected members and Council officials across all functional areas to ensure Local Authority led activities include appropriate Climate Measures.
• Provide support and advice to all departments on climate action related matters. 
• Undertake any other duties of a similar level and responsibility as may be required, or assigned, from time to time.

THE PRINCIPAL TERMS & CONDITIONS 

The position is wholetime. Laois County Council reserves the rights to, at any time, assign an employee to any premises in use by the Council now or in the future.

• PROBATION:

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

• There shall be a period after appointment takes effect, during which such a person shall hold the position on probation;
• Such period shall be six months’ but the Chief Executive may, at his/her discretion, extend such period;
• Such a person shall cease to hold the position at the end of the period of probation, unless during this period the Chief Executive has certified that the service is satisfactory;
• There will be ongoing assessments during the probationary period. Employment may be terminated by either party during probation or at the end of the probationary period on one week’s notice.

• SALARY:

The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time. Holders of the office 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 office or in respect of services which they are required by or under any enactment to perform. 

The salary scale for the post of Climate Action Officer is €59,067 - €82,108 (LSI 2) as per circular EL 03/2025.

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.

• WORKING HOURS:

The standard working week will be 35 hours. The role may require flexible working hours and may occasionally include evening and weekend work.

• ANNUAL LEAVE: 

• days per annum.

6. RESIDENCE

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

• EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The Council shall work to promote a culture of equality and to develop equality and recruitment policies and procedures to ensure that all candidates are selected on merit. The Council shall endeavour to ensure that the selection process does not provide unjustifiable advantage or disadvantage to any particular candidate or group of candidates. The recruitment and selection process shall embrace genuine equality of opportunity, and this will be integral to the process by which appointments are made.

• RECRUITMENT

Selection of candidates for appointment shall be by means of a competitive interview.

• Shortlisting Process

The local authority may decide, by reason of the number of persons seeking admission to a competition, to carry out a shortlisting procedure. The number of persons to be invited, in these circumstances, to interview, shall be determined by the local authority from time to time having regard to the likely number of vacancies to be filled. The local authority may at its discretion, decide that such shortlisting will be based on qualifications, relevant experience and information submitted on the application form.In that regard, candidates should ensure they provide detailed and accurate information in completing the form. Alternatively, the local authority may at its discretion decide to shortlist by way of preliminary interview.

• Competitive Interview

Selection of candidates for appointment shall be by means of a competitive interview. The competitive interview shall be conducted by or on behalf of the local authority. The Council is committed to a process of selection on merit, based on fair and open competition. The criteria for judging suitability and ranking will be related directly to the qualification, attributes and skills required to undertake the duties and responsibilities to the standard required in the post.

c)Panels

A panel may be formed on the basis of the interviews from which Climate Action Officer will be employed on a full-time capacity within the life of the panel. Other temporary contract positions, as they arise may also be offered, within the life of the panel.

d) References/Documentary Evidence

Each candidate may be required to submit as references the names and addresses of two responsible persons to whom he/she is well known but not related. Candidates may be required to submit documentary evidence to the local authority in support of their application.

• COMMENCEMENT The local authority shall require a person to whom an appointment is offered to take up such appointment within a period of not more than one month and is he/she fails to take up the appointment within such period or such period or such longer period as the local authority in its absolute discretion may determine, the local authority shall not appoint him/her.

• RETIREMENT

The Single Public Service Pension Scheme (“Single Scheme”) as provided by the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 commenced with effect from 1st January 2013. The act introduces new pension and retirement provisions for new entrants to the public service appointed on or after 1st January 2013. Pension age set initially at 66 years; this will rise in step with statutory changes in the SPC age to 67 years in 2021 and 68 years in 2028. The compulsory retirement age of 70 applies. Otherwise the retirement age of the relevant Scheme applies. It should be noted that candidates who are in receipt of a Public Service Pension and are rehired in any paid capacity by a Public Service Body may be liable to have their pension abated. Prior to appointment successful candidates will be obliged to complete a Declaration in relation to previous Public Pensionable Employment.

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