District Administrator

THE POSITION

The Council is seeking applications from suitably qualified candidates with relevant experience for the position of District Administrator.It is proposed to form a panel of qualified candidates from which permanent and temporary vacancies will be filled during the lifetime of the panel.

The District Administrator is based in a District office (Baltinglass, Bray, Greystones, Wicklow and Arklow). They are the primary point of contact and liaison with Elected Members of the district and other Council Department in relation to all operational matters for the district. Duties may also include representing the District or Council on various committees and contributing through the business planning process to the formulation of policy. The post holder will be directly accountable for the work of the staff reporting to them.

The post holder will work under the direction and control of the District Manager or analogous grade or other officer designated by the Chief Executive Officer as appropriate.

The District Administrator is responsible for management of the day-to-day operations of the section or department and is a contributor to the strategic and policy making decision of the local authority. They will be expected to contribute to the development and implementation of policies and strategies and to work closely with the Elected Members, Oireachtas members and senior managers in delivering services to the highest standard.

The post holder will be expected to support the operations of the Elected Members, and administer local council meetings.

The District Administrator role will require excellent administrative, employee management, interpersonal and communication skills.

Wicklow County Council now invites applications from suitably qualified persons who wish to be considered for inclusion on a panel from which temporary and permanent vacancies for District Administrator positions that may be filled throughout the lifetime of the panel.

While the first filling of these positions is for District Administrator, successful candidates may be redeployed at Administrative officer grade in the council to other roles.

Recruitment arrangements to this grade will be on the following basis:

·       Panel A – 50% confined to employees of the sector.

·       Panel B – 30% open.

·       Panel C – 20% confined to employees of Wicklow County Council.

The Council will form three sperate panels of suitably qualified candidates to meet the requirements agreed nationally of the ratio of posts to be confined to the local government sector, open, and those confined to Wicklow County Council staff. The order of candidates placed on each of the three panels is determined by where they were placed on the overall Order of Merit List.

Panel A (Confined to Local Authority Sector) will comprise of successful applicants in order of merit from within the Local Authority Sector only i.e. candidates serving in a local authority or Regional Assembly (where applicable).

Panel B (Open) will comprise of all successful applicants in order of merit and may include candidates serving in a local authority, regional assembly and external applicants.

Panel C (Confined to Wicklow County Council) will comprise of all successful applicants in order of merit from within the recruiting Local Authority i.e., candidates serving in Wicklow County Council.

For the purposes of the above, the sector Panel A is comprehended to include all Local Authorities and the three Regional Assemblies only. Staff who are not existing employees of local authorities or regional assemblies are not eligible to apply for competitions confined to the sector (Panel A) or to the local authority (Panel C).

1         Character Candidates shall be of good character.

2         Health Candidates shall in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

3         Education, Experience, etc. Candidates must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms:

Applicants to Panel B (Open)

(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.

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

Confined Competition (Panel A)

(v)    (a) be a serving employee in a local authority, or a regional assembly and have no less than two years’ satisfactory experience in a post of Clerical Officer or analogous post,

AND

(b) have satisfactory experience in administrative procedures, including adequate

practical experience in work of an executive nature, office organisation and control of

staff.

Confined Competition (Panel C)

(i)     (a) be a serving employee of Wicklow County Council, and have not less than two years’ satisfactory experience in a post of Clerical Officer or analogous post.

AND

(b) have satisfactory experience in administrative procedures, including adequate

practical experience in work of an executive nature, office organisation and control of

staff.

PLEASE NOTE: Non-Irish Qualifications must be accompanied by a determination from Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) to establish their comparability against the Irish National Framework of Qualifications. Overseas qualifications must also be accompanied by a translation document. Failure to do so will deem your application inadmissible.

The onus is on the candidate to ensure that the relevant qualification is listed on their application form.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of key duties and responsibilities which may be assigned to an District Administrator.

(a)    Meeting Administrator to service all District Meetings, including Annual General Meeting while ensuring adherence to standing orders.

(b)   Support to Elected Members.

(c)    Administration and implementation of work programmes for the district, including working with all community stakeholders as appropriate.

(d)   Preparation and Management of district budgets, to include the ability to manage financial resources with a budgetary control framework and manage budgets as required.

(e)    Provide high level administrative support based on a thorough understanding of the overall workings and policies of the council.

(f)     Supervision and Management of Staff including general office management ensuring that services ae delivered efficiently and in line with Corporate Objectives.

(g)    Promote a culture of dignity, respect and fairness and seek to eliminate all forms of discrimination. Promote equality of opportunity and protect the human rights of staff and service users.

(h)   Supervise and participate in the Performance Management Development System (PMDS).

(i)     Manage workload effectively within team ensuring that the targets set for that work area are reached.

(j)     Project Management as required.

(k)    Policy formation.

(l)     Successfully manage the relationship and attending meetings with internal departments and external service providers as needed.

(m)  Possess a high degree of initiative and be able to work both as an individual and as a team member.

(n)   Maintain/develop appropriate records, reports and documentation as required.

(o)   To implement the systems necessary to support the services.

(p)   Continuously monitoring existing procedures to ensure they comply with best practice and the development of new/improved procedures where appropriate.

(q)   Use all technology and equipment assigned and complete all essential training successfully.

An ability to demonstrate competence in the following areas:

·        Significant experience working in a Local Government role will be required for this position. Experience of dealing with Elected Representatives. Management of council meetings will be required.

·        Satisfactory knowledge of the functions and duties of Local Authorities, and awareness of current local government issues, priorities and challenges.

·        Ability to analyse information, make informed decisions and contribute to policy development and operational planning.

A panel may be formed from which future permanent or temporary Administrative Officer positions may be filled. The position will be fulltime and pensionable.

The duties of the office are to give to the local authority and

(a)              to such other local authorities or bodies for which the Chief Executive, for the purposes of the Local Government Acts 2001 – 2014, 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 of such other officer as the Chief Executive may from time to time determine, such appropriate professional/technical and 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 servicing all committees that may be established by any such local authority or body. The holder of the office will, if required, act for an officer of a higher level.

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;

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.