Community Climate Action Officer

The Role:

The Community Climate Action Officer within Leitrim County Council will support our role in leading on climate action, with the successful candidate playing a key role in advocating for climate action and sustainability.

This is an exciting opportunity to work with local communities to promote local positive climate action as supported by the Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP).

The Community Climate Action Officer will be involved with assisting and motivating communities, PPNs or businesses to identify relevant projects/initiatives, which will contribute to meeting Ireland’s climate targets and building awareness of the climate impact.

The Community Climate Action Officer will be required to initiate expressions of interest for funding, evaluate the eligibility of applications and play a key role in partnering with communities / PPNs whose projects were successful in receiving funding. The development of progress reports and overseeing expenditure are also key components of the role. The Community Climate Action Officer will also support implementation of the Leitrim Climate Action Plan and actions mobilising community climate action (outside of the CCAP). They will also be the point of contact for Leitrim County Council on the GAA Green Clubs Programme.

The Community Climate Action Officer will be required to work with other departments within the Council, to build relationships with citizens in the community, publicise events, make people aware of new initiatives and provide information that may be required to fully avail of the Council’s wide range of services in relation to climate action.

The successful candidate will have the ability, drive and vision to engage and support the public to take climate action. They will support to empower those beginning and those already participating in climate action.

The Qualifications:

Character

Each candidate shall be of good character.

Health

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

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.

Education and Experience

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,

and

(iv) shall have satisfactory experience in administrative procedures, including adequate practical experience in work of an executive nature, office organisation and control of staff.

Essential Requirements:

• Knowledge of current local government issues, priorities, concerns and future direction

• Relevant administrative experience at a sufficiently high level

• Ability to work within a team effectively

• Experience of compiling, preparing and presenting reports, presentations, correspondence etc.

• Effective financial and budget management skills

• Knowledge and experience of operating ICT systems

Desirable, though not essential:

• Previous experience in community engagement

• Project management skills

• Experience of organising and managing events

Each candidate must ensure that copy of the qualifications meeting the educational requirements above are submitted with the application. Foreign language qualification certificates must also be accompanied by a translation document. Applications received without the necessary documentation will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further.

Candidates must also hold a current valid and unendorsed driving licence in respect of category B vehicles or equivalent in the EU Model Driving Licence and must advise if this is not the case. A copy of Licence must be submitted with the application.

The Ideal Candidate Shall:

• Possess a good knowledge of Local Government functions, services and activities.

• Be interested and enthusiastic for the Climate Action agenda and have a good understanding of climate change adaptation and mitigation challenges relevant to Local Authority functions.

• Demonstrate knowledge of key policy areas including Energy, Green Infrastructure, Retrofitting, Sustainable Mobility (active transport and modal shift), Sustainable Energy Communities, Citizen Engagement, Just Transition, Land Use and Development, Biodiversity and Natural Environment.

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

• Have experience of dealing with multiple stakeholders.

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

• Demonstrate competence and experience of financial and budget management.

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:

Management and Change

Networking and Representing

• Demonstrates the ability to develop and maintain positive and beneficial relationships with relevant interests.

• Demonstrates the ability to sustain a positive image and profile of the local authority.

Delivering Results

Problem Solving and Decision Making

• Demonstrates the ability to act decisively and make timely, informed and effective decisions.

Operational Planning

• Demonstrates the ability to establish high quality service and customer care standards.

Communicating Effectively

• Demonstrates the ability to recognise the value of and requirement to communicate effectively.

• Demonstrates effective verbal and written communication skills.

Personal Effectiveness

Resilience and Personal Well Being

• Demonstrates appropriate and positive self-confidence.

• Operates effectively in an environment with significant complexity and pace.

Knowledge and Understanding of the Role / of Local Government

Knowledge and Understanding of Role

• Demonstrates understanding of the role of Temporary Community Climate Action Officer in the context of wider local authority service delivery.

• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the structure and functions of local government.

• Demonstrates knowledge of current local government issues, future trends and strategic direction of local government.

Principal Terms and Conditions:

The position is wholetime, temporary and pensionable and the appointment will be on the basis of a Fixed Term Contract of Employment to 31st December 2027, subject to a probationary period of 6 months.

Duties:

The Community Climate Action Officer shall perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned in relation to his or her employment and as may be appropriate to the role and the Council’s functions in relation to Climate Action and shall carry out such instructions as may be given in relation to the performance of their duties.

Reporting to the Climate Action Co-ordinator, or such other officer as designated by the Chief Executive, the key duties and responsibilities of the post of Community Climate Action Officer may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• To support their line manager to ensure work programmes are implemented to deliver on the Council’s corporate and operational plans, including planning and prioritising work and allocating resources.

• To develop and maintain productive working relationships, including providing information and assistance when required.

• To research, analyse and communicate information on specific climate action issues and policies as appropriate, including compiling, preparing and presenting reports, presentations, correspondence etc.

• To represent the local authority on committees and at meetings and to report on progress on their respective section as required.

• To provide support and administrative assistance in the delivery of Community Climate Action projects as required.

• To be involved in the day-to-day financial management of capital and operational expenditure in the section or department.

• To initiate expressions of interest for funding, evaluate the eligibility of applications and play a key role in partnering with communities / PPNs whose projects were successful in receiving funding.

• To participate in corporate management activities and responsibilities appropriate to the grade.

• To undertake any other duties of a similar level and responsibility, as may be required or assigned from time to time.

These duties are indicative rather than exhaustive and outline the main functions and responsibilities of the post of the Community Climate Action Officer and may be subject to change in the future. The post holder may therefore be required to perform duties appropriate to the post, other than those detailed above and to take instruction from and report to an appropriate officer or such designated officer as may be assigned from time to time by Leitrim County Council.

Salary:

The Salary scale for the post of Community Climate Action Officer, analogous to Grade VI, (Scale effective from 1st February 2026) is within the range:

€57,895 - €59,276 - €60,960 - €64,126 - €66,017 - €68,367 (LSI1) - €70,730 (LSI2).

Entry point to this scale will be determined in accordance with relevant Departmental Circulars. Offers of appointment to persons who are not serving local authority employees will be based on the minimum of this scale. Rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government Policy.

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.

Residence:

The holder of the post shall reside in the district in which his or her duties are to be performed or within a reasonable distance thereof and will be required to serve in the Local Authority’s Offices or wherever assigned by the Local Authority. Leitrim County Council reserves the right to re-assign an employee to any Department now or in the future and to assign an employee to any premises in use by the Council now or in the future.

Probation:

All contracts will be subject to a probationary period during which the performance of the successful applicant will be regularly evaluated. Such period shall be six months. If during that period, the Local Authority is satisfied that the appointee is unlikely to prove suitable for final appointment, the appointment may be terminated by the giving of one month’s notice on either side, or without notice in the event of misconduct or negligence.

The probationary period may be extended at the discretion of the Chief Executive of Leitrim County Council. Employment may be terminated by either party during probation or at the end of the probationary period on one week’s notice.

Annual Leave:

The annual leave entitlement for this post will be 30 days per annum (pro rata to the duration of any contract). The annual leave year is aligned to the calendar year.

Working Hours:

The successful candidate’s normal hours of work will be 35 hours per week. The role will involve flexible working hours and may include evening and weekend work. The Council reserves the right to alter hours of work from time to time.

Superannuation:

All new entrants to pensionable public service employment on or after 1st January 2013 will be members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. Contributions apply as set out in the scheme rules and relevant legislation.

Retirement Age:

Retirement age provisions depend on scheme membership, including Single Public Service Pension Scheme rules and Public Service Superannuation legislation.