Executive Planner

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE POST

1. CHARACTER

Candidates shall be of good character and references shall be sought.

2. HEALTH

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

3. 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.

4. EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE, ETC.

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

(a) Hold a qualification in Planning (at least Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications).

(b) Have at least five years satisfactory relevant experience of planning work.

(c) Possess a high standard of technical training and expertise.

(d) Possess a high degree of administrative experience.

5. DRIVING LICENCE

Holders of the post must hold a full driving licence for class B vehicles and 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.

Carlow County Council reserves the right to provide a vehicle to enable you to carry out your duties. The provision of a vehicle will be at the discretion of the Chief Executive.

If, during your employment, your licence is revoked, even temporarily, or if you receive endorsements on your licence which may affect your duties, you are obliged to notify the Council immediately.

THE ROLE OF EXECUTIVE PLANNER

An Executive Planner is currently the second grade within the tiers of planning posts within Carlow County Council. These range from Assistant Planner, Senior Executive Planner through to Senior Planner.

Executive Planners work within the Planning Section and the section works broadly under the following headings: Forward Planning, Development Management and Enforcement. However, an Executive Planner will be required to input into multi-disciplinary project teams on occasion, under the direction and line management of the Senior Executive Planner and/or Senior Planner.

Depending on the needs of the department/organisation, the Executive Planner may also be required to carry out duties as assigned by other delegated officers from time to time. Local Authorities also play a key role in supporting economic development and enterprise promotion at a local level.

The Executive Planner may, from time to time, be required to deputise for the Senior Executive Planner or more senior personnel and must be willing to take on this challenge.

The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated person, with a strong sense of commitment to delivering quality public services and shall demonstrate a clear knowledge and understanding of:

• Local authority services, its key stakeholders and relationships

• Local government structures and its democratic role and mandate

• Current local government issues, future trends and strategic direction of the sector, particularly in relation to planning policy and practice

• Key policies guiding the local government sector

• National, regional and local planning issues

• Fostering and maintaining a wide range of productive working relationships both internally and externally to the organisation

• Implementing change

• Public service values

The ideal candidate should also have an excellent technical knowledge base and experience of planning policy and practices to include the following:

• Planning legislation and procedures across the areas of forward planning, development management and enforcement in particular

• Current and future planning issues facing County Carlow and its wider region

• Administration, report writing and putting across a well-researched and reasoned recommendation

• Experience of working within multidisciplinary teams or demonstration of ability to do so

• Project or team leadership

• Awareness of and management of Health, Safety and Welfare in the workplace

• Operating ICT systems, in particular word processing, presentation and GIS systems

• Prioritising work effectively

• Acting on own initiative

• Dealing effectively with conflicting demands

• Working under pressure to tight deadlines

Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Planner

The duties and responsibilities to be assigned include the following, although this list is not exhaustive and may be reviewed from time to time as organisational needs require:

• Conducting site visits and preparing recommendations on assigned planning applications, including applications made directly to An Coimisiún Pleanála where a local authority report is requested

• Preparing responses to pre-planning requests and holding pre-planning meetings

• Preparing responses to planning appeals, attendance and input at oral hearings as necessary

• Carrying out site visits and preparing recommendations in relation to planning enforcement and derelict sites, including attendance at court cases and the giving of evidence

• Preparing responses for submissions on compliance with planning conditions

• Advising on and preparation of recommendations on ‘Section 5’ and ‘Section 57’ exempted development declaration applications and other declarations as directed

• Giving planning advice on the preparation and processing of “Part 8” Local Authority development applications

• Undertaking the planning role with respect to environmental reports associated with these specific statutory requirements in development management planning and policy planning

• Planning assessment of value and impacts on built heritage associated with both development management and policy planning

• Responding to planning queries, completions of returns, etc. from other Council departments and national and regional Government/statutory agencies/external bodies as directed

• Carrying out survey work, research, analysis, drafting policies and proposals, preparing written statements and maps, and other work as required on the agreed Development Plan and Forward Planning work programme

• Input into the preparation, management and administration of environmental assessments of planning applications and plans/programmes as required

• Assistance in organising and facilitating public consultation and participation, including attendance at meetings and other public forums, making presentations and recording and responding to queries

• Dealing professionally, courteously and efficiently with queries from members of the public and their agents

• Providing a high level of service to public representatives, including attendance at and presentations to the relevant Strategic Policy Committee and at meetings of the Council and Area Committees

• Maintaining, managing where required and proactively developing a culture of Health and Safety in the workplace

• Engaging in Continuing Professional Development/Training

• Incorporating the use of ICT and efficiencies into work practices

• Engaging as a member of a team on specific projects, including funding applications and preparation for and attendance at staff meetings

• Working in a supervisory role in relation to planning-related areas of work as required

• Taking a project management role on strategic planning-related projects as required

• Acting or deputising for senior personnel in their absence when required

• Undertaking any other duties of a similar level and responsibility as may be required or assigned from time to time

COMPLETING A COMPETENCY BASED APPLICATION FORM

A Competency Based Application Form requires you, as the candidate, to describe some of your personal achievements to date to demonstrate certain competencies (necessary skills and qualities) required for the position you are applying for.

All question areas must be answered, as you will be questioned on all areas should you be called for interview. You should describe situations from your own experience which you think are the best examples of what you have done which demonstrate the specific competency.

It is essential that you describe how you demonstrated the skill or quality in question. The examples may be drawn from your experience in various settings, including employment, community, sporting or voluntary. Please do not use the same example to illustrate your answer to more than two areas of competence.

Please note the interview board may look for additional examples of where you demonstrated the skills required for the post.

Carlow County Council is seeking candidates that demonstrate strong administrative, technical and communication skills. They must also be self-motivated and committed to delivering quality public services.

Key competencies for the post have been identified as essential for the role of Executive Planner. These competencies will be assessed under the following five headings:

Planning Policy & Practice

(Will be assessed at Interview Stage of the Recruitment Process)

Experience and detailed knowledge of the practical application of:

• Irish Planning Legislation and key relevant European Directives, including associated procedures

• Planning issues relevant to County Carlow and its wider region

• Historical, emerging and topical planning trends and issues in Ireland

• Report writing and communication of a reasoned assessment or recommendation

• Health and Safety legislation (fully implement safe systems for working in accordance with Corporate Safety Statement and relevant ancillary safety statement for their work area)

Strategic Management & Change

• Ensures that ethical governance principles are embedded into the culture, practices and processes of all activities within designated area of responsibility in the wider authority

• Understands and adheres to the Code of Conduct for employees and complies with all Council rules, regulations and procedures

• Ensures that there is full understanding of and compliance with all Council rules, regulations and procedures for employees within designated area of responsibility

• Understands, supports and embeds the principles of diversity

• Understands, supports and embeds information and consultation

Delivering Results

• Problem solving and decision making, particularly in situations of conflicting demands

• Organising work programmes and implementing solutions, especially to deadlines

• Helping to establish high quality service and customer care standards

• Converting operational objectives into specific work plans, programme activities and schedules, taking into account the broader operational plan when setting priorities

• Allocating resources across jobs to ensure that priorities are met and that work is executed in the most efficient manner possible to deliver quality work and services

Performance Through People

• Show visible commitment to the purpose, mission and vision of the organisation

• Show motivation and positivity as part of a team

• Have effective written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills

Personal Effectiveness

• Take initiative and be open to taking on new challenges or responsibilities

• Manage time and workload effectively

• Maintain a positive, constructive and enthusiastic attitude to their role

• Understanding the structures and environment within which the local authority sector operates

• Knowledge of current local government issues and strategic direction of local government

• Political awareness, integrity and public service values

PARTICULARS OF OFFICE

The Post

The post is whole time, permanent and pensionable.

The post holder shall not engage in any gainful occupation, other than as an employee of a local authority, to such an extent as to impair the performance of his or her duties as an employee of a local authority or in any occupation which might conflict with the interests of the local authority, or which might be inconsistent with the discharge of his/her duties as a local authority employee.

Duties

You shall perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to you in relation to your employment and as may be appropriate to any particular function of any local authority for which the Chief Executive is responsible and carry out such instructions as may be given in relation to the performance of your duties.

You shall, if required, act for an employee of a higher level. You may be required to work outside your normal job description from time to time.

Salary

The scale for the post of the Executive Planner is analogous to the Executive Engineer/Planner (Circular Letter EL 02/2026) as follows:

€60,255 – €62,447 – €64,640 – €66,837 – €69,032 – €71,226 – €73,423 – €75,606 – €77,813 – €80,001 – LSI 1 €82,523 – LSI 2 €83,758

Holders of the post will be paid at the appropriate point on the salary scale in accordance with the relevant Department Circular. The starting pay for new entrants will be at the minimum of the scale.

The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.

The holder of the position shall pay to the Local Authority any fees or other monies (other than inclusive salary) payable to or received by such holder by virtue of the position or in respect of services which are required by or under any enactment to perform.

Work Base

Carlow County Council reserves the right to assign you to any department or premises in use by the Council, now or in the future. Changes in location of employment will not result in payment of disturbance money or other compensation.

The person appointed will be required to provide him/herself, at his/her own expense, with the necessary mode of travel to and from work.

Working Hours

The working hours at present provide for a five day, thirty-five hour working week. Hours may vary from time to time.

Carlow County Council operate a flexible time scheme with the earliest starting time of 8.00 a.m. and the latest start time of 10.00 a.m., and the earliest finishing time of 4.00 p.m. and the latest finishing time of 18.00 p.m.

A lunch break consisting of a minimum of 30 minutes to a maximum of 2 hours must be taken between 12.30 p.m. and 14.30 p.m. The Flexi Leave Scheme is available on request.

Carlow County Council have implemented a Blended Working Policy which may facilitate remote working for certain staff who have in excess of six months’ service with the Council. A copy of the Blended Working Policy is available on request.

There may be a requirement to work additional hours from time to time, for which Time in Lieu on a time for time basis will apply. Overtime does not apply to this post.

All hours of work will be subject to and recorded in accordance with the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 and the Organisation of Working Time Act (Regulations) 2001.

The working hours may be reviewed at any time by the Council. The post may require flexibility in working outside of normal hours, including at weekends, as necessary. No additional remuneration will be paid in respect of such activities.

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, as determined by Carlow County Council.

References

Applicants are required to advise the names of two responsible persons to whom they are well known but not related (at least one of the referees should be an existing or former employer).

In advance of any offer of employment, Carlow County Council reserves the right to seek both written and verbal references from current and previous employers, educational institutions or any other organisations with which the candidate has been associated.

The Council reserves the right to determine the merit, appropriateness and relevance of such references and referees.

Probation

Where a person who is not already a permanent employee of a Local Authority is employed, the following provisions shall apply:

(a) There shall be a period after such employment takes effect during which such person shall hold such position on probation.

(b) Such period shall be one year, but the Chief Executive may, at his or her discretion, extend such period.

(c) Such person will cease to hold such position at the end of the period of probation unless during such period the Chief Executive has certified that the service of such person is satisfactory.

(d) The period at (a) above may be terminated on giving one week’s notice as per the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts.

(e) There may be assessments during the probationary period.

Health

For the purposes of satisfying the requirement as to health, it will be necessary for each successful candidate, before he/she is appointed, to undergo a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the local authority.

Annual Leave

The current annual leave entitlement is 30 days. Granting annual leave, payment for annual leave and arrangement for public holidays will be governed by the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 (as amended).