General Operative Grade 1

Section 1: Overview of the Department

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) plays the lead role in promoting competitive and sustainable economic development in the agriculture, food, forestry and fisheries sectors. Its mission is to lead, enable and regulate the sector in a way that optimises its contribution to social, economic and environmental sustainability.

The Department’s strategic goals include:

• to promote and safeguard public, animal and plant health and animal welfare for the benefit of consumers, producers and wider society

• provide income and market supports to underpin the rural economy and the environment

• provide the optimum policy framework for the sustainable development of the agri-food sector

• deliver a sustainable, growth driven sector focused on competitiveness and innovation driven by a skilled workforce delivering value added products in line with market demands

• maintain and develop strategic, operational, regulatory and technical capacity to achieve operational excellence

Further information on the Department can be viewed here.

Vacancies

The Department invites applications for the appointment to the position of General Operative Grade 1 (Rural) at Tops Farm Raphoe, Co Donegal.

Important to note that the post is located at Tops Farm, Raphoe, Co Donegal only.

Tops Farm is situated outside Raphoe in Co Donegal and consists of both crops and livestock on approximately 70ha. Tops Farm forms part of Crops Policy, Evaluation and Certification Division (CPECD) within DAFM. Tops Farm is entrusted by the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) to conduct out Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) tests on newly bred potato varieties and sweet potato varieties for the purposes of variety registration and plant breeders rights. In addition, official field trials for the Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) of newly developed potato varieties are carried out at Tops Farm. Minitubers (approximately 70,000) are produced annually at Tops which is the first step in the seed potato renewal process, which are then sold to seed potato growers for further multiplication under the Department’s Seed Potato Certification Scheme. Tops is also the curator of the National Potato Genebank which involves the maintenance of over 750 potato varieties.

Following an assessment process, candidates who achieve the qualifying standard will be placed on an Order of Merit from which appointments will be made. The post will be offered to the candidate ranked first and, if refused, to the remaining candidates in sequence until the posts are filled. There is currently 1 vacancy in this location, further vacancies may arise. The Order of Merit will remain in place for a period of up to two years from the date of the first appointment, or until exhausted, and will be used to fill further vacancies, if any, that may arise during that period.

Temporary Vacancies

In the event that temporary vacancies for this post arise during the lifetime of the Order of Merit, the Department reserves the right to offer such temporary posts on the basis of the results of this competition. Candidates who accept such a temporary post retain their placing on the Order of Merit and the acceptance of such a temporary appointment in no way interferes with the normal process of appointing candidates to permanent posts that may arise.

Section 2: Job Specification

Principal Duties & Responsibilities

The following list, which is not exhaustive, sets out the broad range of duties required to be undertaken by a General Operative Grade 1 (Rural) appointed to the position.

• Management and supervision in the general running of Tops Farm.

• Management and supervision of farm operatives.

• Prioritising and assigning daily tasks to each operative in conjunction with line management.

• Liaising with and following instruction from senior management.

• Liaising with other staff members, contractors and other relevant organisations (e.g. OPW) as appropriate.

• Operating tractors, farm machinery and certain hand-held and motorised equipment as required.

• Implementation of daily checks and maintenance plans on vehicles/machinery/equipment to include oil levels, coolant, tyre pressure, greasing and visual inspection.

• Assisting in conducting crop variety trials, the production of minitubers and maintenance of the potato genebank collection.

• Completion of tasks associated with the care and welfare of animals on the farm and ensuring duties are conducted in line with Animal Welfare legislation.

• Ensuring and participating in good crop husbandry practices and application of good farm animal husbandry and grassland management practices.

• Managing the delivery and disposal of grain and straw for commercial crops.

• Carrying out minor maintenance and repairs of machinery and equipment, reporting of any irregularities/defects for repair and ensuring vehicles/trailers are roadworthy.

• Ensuring compliance with National Vehicle Testing service requirements.

• Reporting of major maintenance issues to senior management and co-ordinate and assist maintenance contractors on site.

• Ensuring the safe transport of farm machinery and equipment.

• Play an active role in the planning and purchase of machinery and equipment.

• Ensuring maintenance of records including compiling daily and monthly stock sheets, fertiliser, fuel and plant protection products (PPPs) applications.

• General maintenance of the grounds around the buildings, farm and laboratory including fencing, painting, cleaning, power washing yards, sheds and machines etc.

• Ensuring the general security of farm and buildings.

• Implementing the highest standards of Health & Safety on the farm regarding machinery, staff, buildings and adherence to internal procedures to ensure compliance with all Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Regulations for staff and visitors.

• Continuous upskilling and maintenance of qualifications as required e.g. health and safety, use of technology/machinery and continuance of accreditation such as Professional User (PU) of PPP’s and chainsaw training.

• Ensuring adherence to hygiene standards to prevent spread of pests to include weeds, seeds, disease and insects etc.

• Ensuring all documentation is kept up to date in line with management requirements, legislation and for the purpose of audits from DAFM, Bord Bia or the Health and Safety Authority.

• Ensure strict adherence to biosecurity controls on the farm.

• Travelling to outside sites as required.

• Any other general duties as directed by line management as required.

• Out of hours and on-call duties are part of the role.

Reporting Relationship

The General Operative Grade 1 (Rural) reports to the Farm Manager/ Deputy Farm manager and to any other person to whom authority has been delegated and/or assigned.

Section 3: Person Specification

Essential Requirements Candidates must, on or before the closing date of 03rd September 2025:

• A thorough knowledge of modern farming practices in Ireland.

• Experience of working on a farm.

• Ability to drive tractors and operate farm machinery.

• Ability to effectively manage staff and work constructively within the management structure.

• Strong knowledge of Health and Safety principles and practice in the farm environment.

• Good organisational skills.

• Basic IT skills including MS Excel and Word.

• Ability to work as part of a team and work on own initiative.

• Willing to take instruction and provide feedback through effective communication.

• Must be flexible regarding seasonal demands in the work area.

• A full driving licence for tractors and cars (categories B and W). (At time of offer)

• While an articulated lorry licence is not an essential requirement, the successful applicant must be willing to undergo the relevant training for such a licence.

• A willingness to continuously upskill and undertake training as required.

Desirable Requirements

• Driving licence in category BE and CE (car trailer and articulated lorry).

• Have a formal qualification in agriculture.

• Understanding of experimental trial work on crops.

• Experience of managing farm/staff.

• Health and Safety qualification.

Competencies Applicants should have all the attributes required of a General Operative Grade 1 (Rural) and in particular they must demonstrate, by reference to specific examples from their career to-date, that they possess or have the capacity to acquire the qualities, skills and knowledge required for the role of a General Operative Grade 1 (Rural) as identified in the following competency framework.

Note: All qualifications deemed essential for this role must be verified through the submission of relevant awards. In the case of non-essential qualifications, a number of candidates who are called forward to the final stage of the assessment process will be selected randomly and required to submit evidence of one or more such qualifications.

Outside Employment The position is non established whole time and the appointee may not engage in private practice or be connected with any outside business, which would interfere or conflict with the performance of their official duties. Clarification must be sought where any doubt arises in that regard.

Pay The salary scale for this position Rural General Operative Grade 1, with effect from 1st August 2025, is as follows: Personal Pension Contribution (PPC) Pay Rate: €761.09, €790.97, €822.73, €835.33, €847.96, €860.57, €873.16, €885.75, €898.35 NMAX

Candidates should note that entry will be at the minimum of the scale and will not be subject to negotiation and the rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy. Increments may be awarded annually subject to satisfactory performance.

Overtime Overtime may be available for these roles and the successful candidates may be required to work such additional hours from time to time as may be reasonable and necessary for the proper performance of their duties subject to the limits set down in the working time regulations.

Important Note: Different terms and conditions may apply, if, immediately prior to appointment the appointee is already a serving Civil Servant or Public Servant.

Payment will be made fortnightly in arrears by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) into a bank account of an officer’s choice. Payment cannot be made until a bank account number and bank sort code has been supplied to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Statutory deductions from salary will be made as appropriate.

An officer appointed to the post of Rural General Operative will agree that any overpayment of salary or of travel and subsistence may be deducted from future salary payments due in accordance with the Payment of Wages Act 1991 (as amended). In accordance with that Act, the Authority will advise the officer in writing of the amount and details of such overpayment and give at least one week’s notice of the deduction to take place and will deduct the overpayment, at an amount that is fair and reasonable having regard to all the circumstances, within six months of such notice in accordance with the Act.

Tenure and Probation The successful candidate who is appointed to the post will be required to give a written undertaking that they will remain in the assigned post for a minimum of two years before being eligible for transfer. However, in certain circumstances the business needs of the Department may dictate that an officer be transferred earlier.

The appointment will be subject to a probationary period.

The probationary contract will be for a period of one year from the date of appointment. Notwithstanding this paragraph and the paragraph immediately following below, this will not preclude an extension of the probationary contract in appropriate circumstances.

During the period of the probationary contract, an officer’s performance will be subject to review by the appropriate supervisor(s) to determine whether the officer: (i) has performed in a satisfactory manner (ii) has been satisfactory in general conduct, and (iii) is suitable from the viewpoint of health with particular regard to sick leave.

Prior to completion of the probationary contract a decision will be made as to whether or not the officer will be retained. This decision will be based on the officer’s performance assessed against the criteria set out in (i) to (iii) above. The detail of the probationary process will be explained to the officer by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on commencement of employment.

Notwithstanding the preceding paragraphs in this section, the probationary contract may be terminated at any time prior to the expiry of the term of the contract by either side in accordance with the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts, 1973 to 2005. In certain circumstances the contract may be extended and the probationary period suspended. The extension must be agreed by both parties.

The probationary period stands suspended where an employee is absent due to Maternity or Adoptive Leave.

In relation to absence on Parental Leave or Carers Leave, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine may require probation to be suspended if the absence is not considered to be consistent with a continuation of the probation.

Probation may be suspended in cases such as absence due to a non-recurring illness. The employee may in these circumstances make an application to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an extension to the contract period.

Duties

The employee will be required to perform any duties appropriate to the position which may be assigned from time to time. The officer may not engage in private practice or be connected with any outside business which would interfere with the performance of official duties or conflict with their role in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Headquarters

The employee’s headquarters will be such as may be designated from time to time by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. When absent from home and headquarters on duty appropriate travelling expenses and subsistence allowances will be paid at the state industrial employee rate.

Hours of attendance

Hours of attendance will be as fixed from time to time. At present they amount to 39 hours net of breaks.

Annual Leave

The annual leave allowance will be 25 days per annum, inclusive of Good Friday.