Graduate Planner

JOB REQUIREMENTS

MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Eligibility Requirements are the minimum requirements required for the position and are set out by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for administrative and technical/engineering grades.

Applicants will be required to submit scanned images of documentation to establish the applicant meets the following minimum eligibility criteria:

Character

Each candidate must 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.

Education, Training, Experience etc.

PLEASE NOTE:

• FAILURE TO UPLOAD ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS I.E. QUALIFICATIONS, I.D. ETC., AT SUBMISSION STAGE WILL AUTOMATICALLY RESULT IN AN INVALID APPLICATION.

• APPLICANTS SHOULD SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT THEIR EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS POSITION.

• 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 QUALIFICATION. OVERSEAS QUALIFICATIONS MUST ALSO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A TRANSLATIONS DOCUMENT. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL DEEM YOUR APPLICATION INADMISSIBLE.

• FAILURE TO FULLY COMPLETE EACH QUESTION ON THE APPLICATION FORM MAY DEEM YOUR APPLICATION INVALID (ANSWERS WHICH REDIRECT TO OTHER RESPONSES ARE NOT PERMITTED).

Candidate shall:

(a) Be a recent graduate with an honour in a level 8 Honours degree or higher in Planning.

Or

(b) Be due to graduate this year and expect to achieve an honour in a level 8 Honours degree or higher in Planning.

Eligibility qualifications and competence to compete

To be eligible for these vacancies, applicants must be able to show the following.

Graduate status

On or before the date on which the Kilkenny or Wexford County Council makes you a formal job offer you must provide formal documentation confirming that you have recently achieved an honour in an honours degree (Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications) in Planning.

Undergraduates and postgraduate students

At the time of application, if you are still a final-year undergraduate or postgraduate student in a Planning course, you can still apply and complete all stages of the application and recruitment process. If you are a final year student and yet to be assigned a grade, you will be asked on the application form to detail the award your course of study will lead to and what grade you expect to obtain when you do graduate. However, you must have proof of having achieved the required award level required (i.e.) an honour in a level 8 honours degree or masters. You must show this to the potential employer as part of the normal pre-employment checks process before they can make any job offer to you. If you cannot prove at the job offer stage that you have achieved at least an honour in an honours degree or masters, a job offer will not be made.

Applicants will not receive any job offers if they have been:

• asked to repeat exams or

• asked to resubmit elements of their final year course work so that their final results can be issued by the university or educational institute where they did the course of study or

• unable to provide evidence of already possessing a valid visa stamp or employment permit for Ireland.

Applicants must ensure that they are in a position to commence employment when required by the employing Council. As part of your employment, you must ensure that you will be able to physically attend the Council offices, on a full-time basis.

Competency

You must also be able to show at interview that you have the competencies for the role of a Graduate Planner. These competencies are defined at paragraph 7.3.1.

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

Kilkenny and Wexford County Councils can for any position they advertise, include Desirable Requirements. Desirable Requirements are those that would be beneficial to optimising job performance. Desirable Requirements can be used if necessary to reduce numbers called for interview.

It is desirable that each candidate shall possess:

• A passion for shaping communities and tackling town planning challenges and a collaborative mindset

• Strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills

Applicants should satisfy themselves they are eligible under the required qualifications. Kilkenny and Wexford County Councils may not be in a position to investigate the eligibility of all candidates in advance of the interview/examination, and hence persons who are ineligible but nevertheless enter, may put themselves to unnecessary expense.

JOB DESCRIPTION

ROLE

Kilkenny and Wexford County Councils invite applications from suitably qualified persons, who wish to be considered for inclusion on a panel, from which relevant vacancies for the post of Graduate Planner may be filled.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

DUTIES OF THE ROLE SHALL INCLUDE:

The duties may include but are not limited to the following and the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

The Graduate Planner will work under the direction and management of a Senior Planner or other employee designated by the Director of Services as appropriate.

To write reports and make recommendations on planner matters as assigned.

To complete site inspections as part of his or her case load.

Preparing responses to preplanning requests and holding preplanning discussions with prospective applicants.

Preparing responses to appeals of Planning Decisions.

Preparing recommendations on compliance with Planning Conditions.

To answer phone and email queries, dealing with members of the public in a courteous, prompt, and efficient manner.

Use of Mapping (GIS) systems.

Procurement.

Inter-agency operations, engagement, and activities.

Participate and undertake duties according to Environmental, Health & Safety Management Accredited Systems.

Carrying out the delegated health and safety duties and proactively develop a culture of Health & Safety in the workplace.

Carrying out any other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

The above specification is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office. These duties are indicative rather than exhaustive and are carried out under general guidance and direction of a Senior Executive Scientist or other employee designated by the Director of Services as appropriate.

PARTICULARS OF OFFICE

TYPE OF POST

To form a panel from which relevant vacancies may be filled during the lifetime of the panel.

SALARY

The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time. The holder of the office shall pay to Kilkenny or Wexford County Council any fees or other monies (other than inclusive salary) payable by virtue of office or in respect of services required under any enactment.

In accordance with EL02/2011 persons who are not serving Local Authority employees must be placed on the minimum of the scale. Where a person being appointed is a serving Local Authority employee normal starting pay rules will apply. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with government policy.

The current salary scale for the position is €40,244 - €50,951.

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.

SUPERANNUATION CONTRIBUTION

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012

New members joining the public sector on or after 1st January 2013 will be required to join the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. It applies to all first-time entrants to the Public Service as well as former public servants returning after a break of more than 26 weeks. Contributions are 3% of gross pensionable remuneration and 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration.

Normal retirement age is the age at which the Contributory State Pension can be claimed, with a minimum age of 66 and compulsory retirement age of 70.

Persons who commenced in Public Service Employment after 6th April 1995 and prior to 1st January 2013 will join the Local Government (Superannuation) (Consolidation) Scheme 1998. Contributions are payable at 1.5% of basic salary, 3.5% of adjusted salary, and a further 1.5% for spouse and children’s contributions.

Non-New Entrants have a minimum retirement age of 60 and compulsory retirement age of 70.

New Entrants have a minimum retirement age of 65 with no compulsory retirement age.

Persons who commenced in Public Service Employment before 6th April 1995 have a minimum retirement age of 60 and compulsory retirement age of 70. Contributions are 5% of basic salary and 1.5% for spouse and children’s scheme.

PENSION ABATEMENT

If the appointee was previously employed in the Civil Service or Public Service, abatement provisions under the Public Service Pensions Act 2012 apply where a pension is in payment.

PENSION ACCRUAL

A 40-year limit on total service that can be counted towards pension applies where a person has been a member of more than one pre-existing public service pension scheme.

PROBATION

There shall be a probation period after appointment during which the person shall hold office on probation. The period shall be 6 or 12 months and may be extended at the discretion of the Chief Executive. The person shall cease employment at the end of probation unless service is certified satisfactory.