Library Staff Officer

JOB REQUIREMENTS

PANEL INFORMATION AND ELIGIBILITY

Kilkenny County Council will, following the recruitment and interview process, form three separate panels of suitably qualified candidates to meet the requirements agreed nationally of the ratio of posts to be confined to the Local Authority Sector, Open and those confined to Kilkenny County Council Staff.

Panel A. 50% Confined to employees of the Local Authority Sector

Panel B. 30% Open

Panel C. 20% Confined to employees of Kilkenny County Council

Panel A – Confined to the Local Authority Sector

This will comprise of successful candidates in order of merit serving in a Local Authority or Regional Assembly (where applicable)

Panel B – Open

This will comprise of all successful candidates in order of merit and may include candidates serving in a local authority, regional assembly and external applicants

Panel C – Confined to current employees of Kilkenny County Council

This will comprise of successful candidates in order of merit who are currently working in Kilkenny County Council.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE ETC.

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.

For outdoor grades and some specialised grades, the minimum eligibility requirements are set out by Kilkenny County Council Human Resources Department in consultation with the relevant Line Manager as they are not set centrally by the Department.

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

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 QUALIFICATIONS. OVERSEAS QUALIFICATIONS MUST ALSO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A TRANSLATION 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).

MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS – PANEL A

Character

Each candidate shall be of good character.

Health

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

Education, Experience etc.

Be a serving employee of a local authority or a regional assembly and have at least two years’ satisfactory experience in a post of Clerical Officer or analogous post.

MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS – PANEL B

Character

Each candidate shall be of good character.

Health

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

Education, Experience etc.

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

(a) have obtained at least Grade D (or a Pass), in Higher or Ordinary Level, in five subjects (or four subjects if Irish is included) from the approved list of subjects in the Department of Education Established Leaving Certificate Examination or Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme including Irish and/or English and one of the following: Mathematics, Accounting, Business Organisation or Economics,

and

(b) have obtained at least Grade C (or Honours) in Higher Level (or Honours) papers in three subjects in that examination (or two subjects if Irish and/or one of the following is included: Mathematics, Accounting, Business Organisation or Economics),

or

have obtained a comparable standard in an equivalent examination,

or

hold a third level qualification of at least degree standard.

Please note in relation to point (ii) above, an example of a comparable standard in an equivalent examination refers to the national state exams of another country, for example the A levels in the UK.

MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS – PANEL C

Character

Each candidate shall be of good character.

Health

Each candidate shall 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.

Be a serving employee of Kilkenny County Council and have at least two years’ satisfactory experience in a post of Clerical Officer or analogous post.

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

Kilkenny County Council 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:

Have at least 2 years satisfactory library experience.

Demonstrates experience of frontline customer service including experience of working as part of a team.

Applicants should satisfy themselves they are eligible under the required qualifications. Kilkenny County Council 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 County Council Library Service operates in a dynamic and changing environment across its network of 8 branch libraries, one mobile library service, Library Administrative Headquarters including Local Studies. The library staff officer will work as part of a multidisciplinary team to meet the wide-ranging information, education, research and cultural needs of the citizens of Kilkenny. The Library Service is charged with delivering on the aims and objectives of the sector’s 5-year strategy “The Library is the place: 2023–2027” and the local Library Development Plan 2025-2029.

The position of library staff officer is a frontline supervisory position with responsibility for managing the performance of a section or function. The library staff officer has responsibility for managing resources, staff and library services to the public and will report to the County Librarian and/or the senior library management team.

The role will include the following:

General branch management and development.

Management of information systems and services.

Identifying opportunities for improvements in service delivery.

Prepare and manage budgets including cash management.

Networking and community engagement.

Communicate and liaise effectively with employees, senior managers, customers, elected representatives in relation to operational matters of the library service.

Ensure full compliance with all organisational policies and procedures.

Supporting the library management team/executive librarian in the implementation of work programmes and initiatives in delivering national and local library strategy and as required by the Council’s Corporate and operational plans.

Cultural and community programming and engagement.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

DUTIES

The main duties and responsibilities of the library staff officer will be consistent with the provision of a modern 21st century public library service that is responsive to the changing requirements of customers of all ages and abilities.

The duties will include but are not limited to:

Supporting ICT and digital services.

Responsible for the supervision of delivery of a service within the library service.

Compile, prepare and present reports as necessary.

Supervision of employees in supporting roles.

Management and development of a library team.

Provide ongoing support to employees including performance management and identifying training and development requirements as appropriate by participation in the Performance Management Development System.

Developing and supporting community engagement.

Managing a budget and cash management.

Ensure full compliance with all organisational policies and procedures.

Communicate and liaise effectively with colleagues, managers and customers in relation to operational matters for their area within the library service.

Provision of relief cover in branch libraries as required.

PARTICULARS OF OFFICE

TYPE OF POST

To form a panel from which Permanent, Fixed Term, Specific Purpose and where applicable Acting-Up contract posts, 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 County Council any fees or other monies (other than inclusive salary) payable to and received by him/her by virtue of his/her office or in respect of services which he/she is required by or under any enactment to perform.

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 €52,761 minimum to €63,109 inclusive of LSI.

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.

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 to the public sector after a break of more than 26 weeks. Your contributions will be made up of 3% of your gross pensionable remuneration and 3.5% of your net pensionable remuneration (your gross pensionable remuneration less twice the value of the Contributory State Pension). As of 25th March 2019, the weekly CSP rate is €248.30.

Your normal retirement age under this scheme is the same age at which you can claim the Contributory State Pension. The minimum age for receipt of this pension is Age 66 and this will increase to Age 67 from 2021 and to Age 68 from 2028. There is a compulsory retirement age of 70 years.

Persons who commenced in Public Service Employment after 6th April 1995 and prior to 1st January 2013:

Persons who became pensionable employees after 6th April 1995 and prior to 1st of January 2013, without a break in employment, will join the Local Government (Superannuation) (Consolidation) Scheme 1998. Contributions are payable at the rate of 1.5% of your basic salary, 3.5% of basic salary less twice two times the value of the Contributory State Pension and a further 1.5% is payable for spouse and children’s contributions (*non-officer grades pay a co-ordinated contribution:

‘Non-New Entrants’ (those who became pensionable after 6th of April 1995 and prior to 1st April 2004) have a minimum retirement age of 60 and a compulsory retirement age of 70.

‘New Entrants’ (those who became pensionable after 1st April 2004 and prior to 1st January 2013) have minimum retirement age of 65 with no compulsory retirement age.

Persons who commenced in Public Service Employment before 6th April 1995:

Their minimum retirement age is 60 and they have a compulsory retirement age of 70 as per Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government Circular Letter CL/2/2019. Contributions are 5% of basic salary and 1.5% of basic salary toward Widow’s & Orphan’s or Spouse & Children’s Scheme.

PENSION ABATEMENT

If the appointee was previously employed in the Civil Service or in the Public Service please note that the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 (Section 52) includes a provision which extends abatement of pension for all Civil and Public Servants who are re-employed where a Public Service Pension is in payment. This provision to apply abatement across the wider public service came into effect on 1 November 2012. This may have pension implications for any person appointed to this position that is currently in receipt of a Civil or Public Service pension or has a preserved Civil or Public Service pension which will come into payment during his/her employment in this position.

Prior to appointment, successful applicants will be obliged to complete a declaration in relation to previous Public Service pensionable employment. Please note: In applying for this position you are acknowledging that you understand the abatement provisions, where relevant, will apply. It is not envisaged that the employing Department/Office will support an application for an abatement waiver in respect of appointments to this position.

PENSION ACRUAL

A 40-year limit on total service that can be counted towards pension where a person has been a member of more than one pre-existing public service pension scheme (i.e. non-Single Scheme) as per the 2012 Act shall apply. This 40-year limit is provided for in the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. This may have implications for any appointee who has acquired pension rights in a previous public service employment.

PROBATION

The following provisions shall apply:

There shall be a period after such appointments take effect during which such persons shall hold such office on probation;

Such period shall be one year but the Chief Executive may at his/her discretion extend such period;

Such persons shall cease to hold such employment at end of the period of probation unless during such period the Chief Executive has certified that the service of such persons is satisfactory.