IS Technical Support Officer

The Role

The IS Technical Support Officer (IS TSO) will participate in a team providing a high standard of technical support to the staff and Councillors in Longford County Council. Working under the direction of the IS Project Leader, it will involve the provision of 1st and 2nd level technical support across a geographically dispersed user base across all our office locations, on premise and remotely.

The successful candidate will work as part of the Information Systems team in Longford County Council, supporting the delivery of secure, reliable and citizen-focused ICT services across the organisation. Duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Providing 1st and 2nd line ICT support to Council staff and Elected Members across all Information Systems platforms, services and locations throughout the County, including on-site, remote and hybrid working environments.

• Supporting a wide range of end-user devices and technologies, including:

o Desktop and laptop systems, peripherals and mobile devices

o Microsoft Windows operating systems

o The full Microsoft 365 ecosystem including Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive and Exchange Online

o Active Directory, Azure AD / Entra ID and Multi-Factor Authentication

o Microsoft Teams Rooms, video conferencing and Teams Phone solutions

o Local Authority network infrastructure including LAN, WAN and Wi-Fi services

o Council-wide security controls and endpoint protection systems

• Providing support for corporate and line-of-business systems used across Council Directorates, including:

o Local Government business systems and national shared services

o CRM platform

o GIS, CAD and mapping systems

o Web-based and cloud-hosted applications

o Intranet, website and digital service platforms

• Developing and supporting digital solutions using Microsoft Power Apps, Power Automate and SharePoint, and leveraging Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365 capabilities to automate workflows, improve business processes, enhance collaboration and support secure information and records management across the organisation.

• Working closely with colleagues across the Infrastructure & Digital, Business Systems, Cyber Security and GIS functions, assisting with ICT projects, upgrades and service improvements as required.

• Resolving ICT incidents and service requests for local and remote users, including Council offices, external locations, and County facilities, using phone, email, service desk tools and in-person support.

• Ensuring all ICT issues are accurately logged, tracked and updated through the Council’s service desk system, taking ownership of tickets through to resolution and maintaining high levels of customer service.

• Installing, configuring and maintaining ICT hardware and software, including:

o Device builds and replacements

o Software deployments, updates, patches and security releases

• Communicating clearly and professionally with users and stakeholders throughout the lifecycle of incidents, service requests and planned works, ensuring appropriate updates and resolutions are provided.

• Assisting in root cause analysis of recurring issues and contributing to the continuous improvement of ICT services, system stability and user experience across the organisation.

• Supporting the ongoing development, review and maintenance of ICT policies, procedures and technical documentation, in line with Council governance, cyber security and data protection requirements.

• Participating in backup, disaster recovery and business continuity procedures for Council ICT systems and services, including testing and recovery exercises where required.

• Building, deploying and supporting new ICT equipment and services as part of office moves, upgrades, new facilities and County-wide initiatives.

• Assisting with the procurement of ICT hardware, software and services, and liaising with approved third-party suppliers and vendors to resolve technical issues and support service delivery.

• Supporting the implementation of the objectives, standards and targets set out in the Council’s Digital Strategy and subsequent Information Systems Service and Team plans.

These duties are indicative rather than exhaustive and are carried out under general guidance.

QUALIFICATIONS

Character

Candidates 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; o

(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 and Experience etc.

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

(a) A qualification at Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) major award (i.e. honours degree) or higher in a relevant computing discipline plus 2 years’ directly relevant, recent ICT experience from your employment to date*

OR

(b) A qualification at Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) major award (i.e. honours degree), or higher, with computing taken in the final year and at least 3 years directly relevant, recent ICT hands-on experience from your employment to date*

OR

(c) A qualification at Level 7 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) major award (i.e. ordinary degree) in a relevant computing discipline plus 3 years’ directly relevant, recent ICT experience from your employment to date*

OR

(d) A qualification at Level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) major award in a relevant computing discipline and at least 4 years directly relevant, recent ICT experience from your employment to date*

AND

(e) Have a satisfactory knowledge of public service organisation or the ability to acquire such knowledge.

*Relevant ICT hands-on experience should include, but is not limited to:

Experience in supporting and delivering ICT and digital services within a complex organisational or public-sector environment. This should include involvement in the implementation and support of digital solutions that enable service improvement, operational efficiency and secure information management.

Relevant experience may include working with a broad range of technologies and platforms such as Microsoft Power Apps and Power Automate for the development of workflow automation, forms and low-code business solutions, as well as the effective use of Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Copilot and related Microsoft 365 capabilities to support productivity, collaboration and information management across the organisation.

Experience should also encompass web-based and cloud-hosted systems, data and records management through Microsoft SharePoint, application support, business analysis, and the support of enterprise and line of business systems used across multiple service areas.

Hands-on experience in ICT service delivery and operations is required, including support for Microsoft 365 and hybrid cloud environments, server and client operating systems, virtualisation platforms, mobile device management, identity and access management, and the delivery and support of county-wide telecommunications and network infrastructure (LAN, WAN and Wi-Fi).

In addition, relevant experience should include ICT service management, end-user and systems support, cyber security controls, backup and disaster recovery, system monitoring, third-party supplier engagement, and the delivery of secure, resilient and compliant ICT solutions that support organisational objectives, national systems and continuous service improvement.

PARTICULARS OF EMPLOYMENT

The Post

The post is wholetime (i.e. 35 hours per week) and appointment may be permanent or temporary.

Location

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

The person appointed will be required to report to their place of work by their own means of transport and at their own expense.

Commencement

Longford County Council shall require a person to whom an appointment is offered to take up such appointment within a period of not more than one month and if they fail to take up the appointment within such period or such other longer period as the Council in its absolute discretion may determine, Longford County Council shall not appoint them.

Working Hours

The current working hours are 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Longford County Council reserves the right to alter the hours of work from time to time in line with Government Circulars.

All hours worked are subject to and recorded in accordance with the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997, and the Organisation of Working Time Regulations, 2001. Longford County Council requires employees to record their hours using a Clocking system.

Reporting Arrangements

IS Technical Support Officers report directly to the IS Analyst or IS Project Leader in the Section or to any other employee of Longford County Council as the Director of Services or other appropriate employee may designate for this purpose.

A system of regular appraisal will be operated during employment, which will involve discussions between the employee and the line manager regarding performance and conduct.

Probationary Period of Employment

There shall be a period after appointment during which the appointee will hold the position on probation. The period of probation will be prescribed by the Chief Executive. Employment may be terminated during the probationary period should service be deemed by the Chief Executive to be unsatisfactory. Employment may be terminated at the end of the probationary period unless the Chief Executive has certified that the employee had satisfactory service. Tenure of employment following probation will be subject to satisfactory service.

Remuneration

The current salary scale for the post of IS Technical Support Officer is €52,239 - €62,484 LSI2 gross per annum (Circular EL 02/2026). The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government Circulars.

On appointment, successful candidates will be placed on the first point of the salary scale. Appointment to a higher point of the salary scale may apply to candidates employed elsewhere in the public service, subject to verification of service history.

Remuneration is paid fortnightly by Pay-Path directly to the employee’s nominated bank account. The current wage pay cycle may be revised during the period of employment. Remuneration is subject to all statutory deductions, e.g. P.A.Y.E. and P.R.S.I. Increments are paid annually subject to satisfactory attendance, conduct and performance and national agreements. Increments may be withheld if performance, attendance and/or conduct are not satisfactory.

Superannuation & Retirement

A person who becomes a pensionable employee of the County Council will be required in respect of their Superannuation to contribute to the Local Authority at the appropriate rate.

The terms of the Local Government Superannuation (Consolidation) Scheme 1998 as amended or the Public Services Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 or the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme & Other Provisions) Act 2012 will apply as appropriate on appointment.

Retirement age for employees is dependent on their relevant contract of employment, with due consideration being given to the rules of the Superannuation Scheme to which they belong.

• For appointees who are deemed not to be “new entrants” as defined in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, retirement is compulsory on reaching 65 years of age.

• The minimum retirement age for “new entrants” to the public service as defined in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 is 65. There is no mandatory retirement age.

• Effective from 1st January 2013, the Single Public Service Scheme applies to all first-time new entrants to the public service, as well as to former public servants returning to the public service after a break of more than 26 weeks:

Retirement age is set, initially, at 66 years; this will rise in step with statutory changes in the State Pension Contributory (SPC) age to 67 years in 2021 and 68 years in 2028.

Compulsory retirement age will be 70.

Annual Leave

The current annual leave entitlement for IS Technical Support Officer is 30 days per annum.

The Chief Executive of Longford County Council retains autonomy with regard to office closures (e.g. Christmas Office Closure). Any days arising from such closure will be reserved from the employee’s annual leave entitlement. Proposed office closure days will be reviewed and advised to all employees each year.