Economic Development Officer Business Advisor

QUALIFICATIONS

Character Each candidate shall be of good character.

Health Each candidate must 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, Training, Experience Each candidate, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms must: (a) Hold a professional qualification at degree level (level 7 NFQ) or above in Business / Entrepreneurship or equivalent is desirable and/or at least 2 years’ experience working in a project development role within the public service is desirable (b) Have significant experience of working in or working with small and micro businesses and be familiar with the broad range of supports and agencies available to support local businesses (c) Have significant experience in project management (d) Have significant experience of working with a variety of different levels of stakeholders (e) Demonstrate significant experience in the development of projects from concept to development to delivery stage (f) Experience in commercial evaluation and project application writing is desirable (g) Be computer literate and have good verbal and written communication skills and be comfortable speaking in public

NOTE: A copy of relevant examination results should be included with your application in order to determine your eligibility for this post.

DRIVING LICENCE The holder of the post MUST hold a full driving licence for Class B vehicles free from endorsement/disqualification. When required to do so, holders of office shall drive a motor car in the course of their duties and for this purpose provide and maintain a car to the satisfaction of the local authority.

The Role of the Economic Development Officer/Business Advisor

The Economic Development Unit of Carlow County Council plays a central role in driving business support, enterprise development, and economic growth across the county.

Operating from Enterprise House on O’Brien Road, Carlow, the unit’s activities extend countywide, with staff delivering services across a variety of locations in line with project and community needs.

The Economic Development Unit is responsible for:

• Delivering the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Programme The Economic Development Unit leads the implementation of the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Programme in Carlow in partnership with Enterprise Ireland. This includes the provision of a comprehensive range of supports for micro and small businesses such as financial assistance, business advice clinics, training programmes, mentoring, innovation support, and sector-specific initiatives. The unit also supports entrepreneurship promotion, including student enterprise programmes and female entrepreneurship development, and acts as a first-stop shop for business queries at a local level, ensuring seamless access to national and EU enterprise supports.

• Implementing Strategic Economic Development Initiatives The Unit designs and delivers strategic initiatives to promote economic resilience and competitiveness across County Carlow. This includes inward investment attraction, business engagement, and support for key economic sectors such as tourism, food, engineering, the creative industries, and digital transformation. The team plays a pivotal role in the planning and delivery of tourism development strategies, place-branding, and the coordination and funding of festivals and events that enhance Carlow’s profile, drive visitor numbers, and stimulate local spending. It also supports enterprise networks and works with industry partners to build innovation capacity.

• Leading and Managing Special Development Projects The Unit drives the development and management of key special projects aimed at enhancing infrastructure, place-making, and economic opportunity. This includes securing and leveraging funding through European programmes (e.g., Interreg, Erasmus+, Creative Europe), and national initiatives on a cross-functional basis. The Unit also manages enterprise centre development and innovation hub initiatives—such as Connected Hubs and remote working infrastructure—ensuring Carlow is well-positioned to support remote work, startup growth, and rural innovation.

The Ideal Candidate Should:

• Have an excellent understanding of project development and delivery

• Have an excellent understanding of commercial business and significant experience in working with the business community

• Have excellent communication skills and experience in client/customer engagement and management

• Have significant experience in event management and/or delivery of projects

• Be experienced in the use of financial management systems both from an administrative and reporting perspective

• Have experience in the management and utilization of new communication technologies and digital marketing

• Have a strong capability to multi-task and work to deadlines

• Be self-motivated with an ability to work on own initiative but within a dynamic small-team environment

• Have a strong understanding of the needs of small and micro businesses and the role of the Local Enterprise Office, including knowledge of its supports, services and processes

• Can motivate, empower, and encourage staff under his/her control to achieve maximum performance

• Possess a strong business acumen with experience that demonstrates an understanding of the phases of business development including a demonstrated ability to analyse and interpret business proposals from various perspectives, e.g., finance, marketing, process/operations, etc.

Duties

The duties of the office shall be to give to the local authority, under the direction and supervision of its appropriate officer, such services of an executive, supervisory, and advisory nature as are required for the exercise and performance of any of its powers and duties. This shall include the duty of deputizing for other officers of the local authority, when required, and such duties as may be required in relation to the area of any other local authority.

Key duties include:

• Financial management, accounting, budgeting, and reporting, including to Council bodies, Enterprise Ireland, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, and other bodies as required

• Delivery of various projects in Business Support (LEO), Economic Development & Tourism as part of the Council’s annual programme and EU Projects

• Acting as a liaison between local organisations, businesses, individuals, and government/industry representatives concerning economic development

• Securing funding and supporting development of funding proposals

• Representing the council at local, regional, national, and international economic conferences

• Providing market analysis and advice on economic opportunities

• Identifying joint venture opportunities and assisting with negotiations

• Researching private/public funding opportunities and developing cross-functional projects

• Participating in EU programmes and innovation initiatives as directed

• Providing one-to-one business advice to startups and existing businesses

• Evaluating SME business proposals for funding structures

• Performing other relevant duties as required by the Head of Economic Development & Enterprise or other nominated members of LEO

ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE

Competencies Candidates must demonstrate competency in the following areas. The application form should provide practical examples. Interviews will be competency-based, with marks awarded under these skill sets:

PARTICULARS OF POST

The post is wholetime, permanent and pensionable.

Salary

Remuneration will be at the Senior Staff Officer Salary Scale:

€55,765, €57,179, €58,590, €60,008, €61,425, €62,842, €64,259, €66,158 (LSI 1), €68,061 (LSI 2)

Holders of the post will be paid at the appropriate point on the salary scale in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Departmental Circulars. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.

Starting pay for new entrants will be at the minimum of the scale.

Increments may be awarded annually subject to satisfactory performance.

Duties

The duties of the office shall be to give to the local authority, under the direction and supervision of its appropriate officer, such services of an executive, supervisory and advisory nature as are required for the exercise and performance of any of its powers and duties. This shall include the duty of deputising for other officers of the local authority, when required, and such duties as may be required in relation to the area of any other local authority.

Location

Louth County Council reserves the right to assign the successful candidate to any premises in use by the Council, now or in the future.

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.

Working Hours

The successful candidate's normal hours of work will be 35 hours per week. The Council reserves the right to alter the hours of work from time to time.

Probation

Where a person is newly appointed to the local authority, the following will apply:

• There will be a probationary period which will be for a minimum period of one year.

• During the probationary period, progress will be monitored.

• At the end of the probationary period, a decision will be made on whether or not the appointee will be retained.

• This period may be extended at the discretion of the Council.

Superannuation

The appointee will be subject to the provisions of the Local Government Superannuation Scheme.

Pension Abatement

If the appointee has previously been employed in the Civil or Public Service and is in receipt of a pension from that employment, the entitlement to pension may be subject to abatement in accordance with Section 52 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012.

Pension Accrual

A 40-year limit on total service that can be counted towards pension applies. This may have implications for any appointee previously employed in the Civil or Public Service.

Pre-Employment Medical

The successful candidate will be required to undergo a medical examination by the Council's occupational health advisor.

Garda Vetting

The successful candidate may be subject to Garda vetting prior to appointment, depending on the requirements of the position.

Canvassing

Any attempt by a candidate to influence the decision of the interview board by canvassing, either directly or indirectly, will automatically disqualify the candidate.

References

The Council may contact previous employers for references. Please ensure contact details are up to date and accurate.

Shortlisting

Depending on the number of applications received, shortlisting may apply. The shortlisting process is based on the information supplied in the application form. Therefore, it is in the candidate's best interest to provide a detailed and accurate account of qualifications/experience on the form.

Closing Date

Applications must be received by the specified deadline. Late applications will not be considered.