Regional Education Officers

Water Safety Ireland is seeking 3 dedicated and enthusiastic Regional Education Officers to join our education team.

As a Regional Education Officer, you will play a pivotal role in delivering our water safety and drowning prevention programmes. Your responsibilities will include conducting educational sessions and workshops in early learning centres, schools, colleges, corporate entities and other various public and private organisations within your designated region and online. Occasionally, you may be required to deliver sessions outside of your region if needed. Additionally, you will be expected to host online sessions as required, ensuring a broad and impactful engagement.

Your primary mission will be to ensure that our programmes are effectively delivered, remain relevant, and achieve significant impact, in alignment with Water Safety Ireland’s national goals of reducing drownings and enhancing community safety.

You will report directly to the Education Manager, contributing to the overall success of our educational initiatives.

Blended: This role is primarily remote with a significant amount of travel involved, including some outside of your designated region, and a requirement to attend meetings in the office for induction and training and work-related matters. Training will be in the office for the first week, and then as required.

There are 3 positions available, each based in different regions:

Region 1: A Central/Midland’s focus encompassing the counties of Cavan, Monaghan, Longford, Offaly, Laois, Westmeath, Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, and Louth.

Region 2: A West/Southwest focus encompassing the counties of Limerick, Kerry, Cork, Waterford, and Wexford.

Region 3: A Greater Dublin focus encompassing Dublin, Wicklow, Meath, Kildare.

Principal Duties

Reporting to the Education Manager, the Regional Education Officer will play a key role in WSI’s education initiatives.

This is a full-time fixed term contract appointment.

The Regional Education Officer will undertake the following functions:

• Assist in developing, coordinating, and delivering WSI Education Programmes, workshops, and camps for schools, colleges, private and public organisations, aquatic facilities, and WSI Water Safety Area Committees and any other stakeholders who may want to avail of our programmes whether in-person or online.

• Assist in managing the administration of various programmes.

• Assist in developing and managing e-learning courses to ensure accessible water safety training for all.

• Respond to education queries professionally and promptly, ensuring all relevant stakeholder replies are included.

• Support the upkeep and enhancement of Water Safety Ireland’s data collection systems.

• Deliver educational sessions for new members.

• Offer follow-up support to educators, pupils, and aquatic facilities to sustain and develop their programmes.

• Maintain relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, such as Water Safety Area Committees (WSAC), Local Authority Water Safety Development Officers, Lifesaving Training Centres, Outdoor Adventure Centres, An Garda Síochána, Scouting Ireland, the National Maritime College, Education Centres, Teacher Education Centres, and other relevant partners.

• Support and attend relevant national conferences, exhibitions, and ceremonies.

• Present at relevant conferences, exhibitions, and ceremonies if required.

• Provide administrative support for educational projects from various WSI commissions.

• Assist in promoting Early Years, Primary and Post Primary Water Safety.

• Assist in drafting reports and updates for WSI Management, Board, and relevant Councils as required.

• Attend training as needed, which may be on-site or at alternate locations, in traditional or online formats, and may occur during normal working hours or evenings or weekends.

• Other duties assigned are based on the needs of the organisation.

Qualifications and Experience

a.       Essential Requirements

·        Strong background coaching/instruction/training.

·        Strong knowledge/background/passion in water safety.

·        Excellent interpersonal, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

·        Strong team player, able to collaborate effectively within a team setting.

·        Skilled in using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).

·        Full clean Irish driving licence.

This role involves working with children, so successful Garda vetting is required.

b.       Desirable Requirements

·        Capable of delivering high-quality results in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, with effective prioritization and escalation.

·        Water Activity and/or Safety Certification

·        Skilled in developing and maintaining trusting, proactive relationships with all stakeholder groups.

·        Proficient in Irish Language

·        Deeply committed to the vision and values of WSI.

Please also refer to the Clerical Officer Competencies in Appendix 1 of this booklet

TRAINING

WSI will cover the costs for relevant additional training and professional development as considered appropriate by management.

Eligibility to compete and certain restrictions on eligibility

a.       Eligible Candidates must be:

                                           i.     A citizen of the European Economic Area. The EEA (European Economic Area) consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway; or

                                     ii.          A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK);

                                        iii.     A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU (European Union) and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or

                                        iv.     A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA or Swiss citizen and has a stamp 4 visa; or

                                         v.     A person awarded international protection under the International Protection Act 2015, or any family member entitled to remain in the State because of family reunification and has a stamp 4 visa or

                                        vi.     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 Switzerland and has a stamp 4 visa.

To qualify candidates must meet one of the citizenship criteria above by the date of any job offer. Candidates who are not citizens of the aforementioned countries must have the necessary permissions to work in Ireland

Principal Conditions of Service

a.       Salary

Entry will be at the minimum of the scale and increments may be awarded subject to satisfactory performance and to changes in the terms and conditions relating to salary increments in the Civil/Public Service generally. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.=

PPC (Personal Pension Contribution) Scale (for officers who are existing civil or public servants appointed on or after 6 April 1995 or who are new entrants to the civil or public service and who are making a compulsory personal pension contribution).

CLERICAL OFFICER - PPC

Weekly rate of €590.21 €623.23 €631.62 €647.99 €672.15 €696.26 €720.35 €737.91 €757.82 €780.93 €797.18 €820.07 €842.79 €878.27 €906.13¹ €918.93²

A different rate will apply where the appointee is a civil or public servant recruited before 6th April 1995 and who is not required to make a Personal Pension Contribution.

Other pay and conditions may apply if, immediately prior to appointment, the appointee is a serving civil or public servant.

Important Note

Entry will be at the minimum of the scale and the rate of remuneration will not be subject to negotiation and may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.

Different terms and conditions may apply if you are a currently serving civil or public servant. Subject to satisfactory performance, increments may be payable in line with the current Government Policy.

Successful candidates will agree to repay any overpayment of salary, allowances, or expenses in accordance with Circular 07/2018: Recovery of Salary, Allowances, and Expenses Overpayments made to Staff Members/Former Staff Members/Pensioners.

b.       Annual Leave

The annual leave allowance for the position of Clerical Officer is 22 days. This allowance is subject to the usual conditions regarding the granting of annual leave in the Civil or Public Service, is based on a five-day week and is exclusive of the usual public holidays.

c.       Hours of Attendance

Hours of attendance will be fixed from time to time but will amount to not less than 35 hours net per week. The successful candidate will 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 in the working time regulations. Should additional hours be required, time in lieu procedures will apply.

d.       Place of Work

The Education Officer is a remote role with substantial travel involved. A company vehicle will be provided. Water Safety Ireland’s head office is currently located on the Long Walk, Galway City. The office will be your designated place of work from time to time,to meet the needs of the organisation and the head office itself could relocate during the contract to facilitate business needs. When absent from home and office on duty, appropriate travelling expenses and subsistence allowances will be paid subject to the normal Civil or Public Service regulations.

e.       Company Vehicle and Travel

As part of our commitment to supporting Regional Education Officers, a company vehicle will be provided for work-related use. This benefit may be subject to Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) taxation unless the general exemption criteria are met. Travel expenses incurred during official duties will be reimbursed in accordance with the Public Service travel and subsistence policy.

f.         Tenure and Position

The position of Clerical Officer – Regional Education Officer is a full-time role being offered initially on a 3-year fixed term. The provisions of the Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977 – 2007 will not apply to the termination of the contract consisting only of the expiry of the fixed term. The first year will serve as a probationary period, during which the appointee’s performance and suitability for the role will be formally assessed. If, during this time, it becomes evident that the role is not a good fit, the contract may be concluded early. Upon successful completion of this probation period, the appointee will continue under the terms of the remaining contract. At the end of the three-year term, and subject to satisfactory performance, the role may be extended or transitioned to one of indefinite duration.

The probationary contract will be for a period of 12 months; this is included and not additional to the specified purpose contract. 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 your probationary contract, your performance will be subject to review by your supervisor(s) to determine whether you:

(i)                Have performed in a satisfactory manner,

(ii)              Have been satisfactory in general conduct, and

(iii)            Are suitable from the point of view of health with regard to sick leave.

g.       Suspension of Probation

WSI may suspend the probationary period and, as a result, extend the term of the probationary contract in the following circumstances:

                                           i.     the probationary period will be suspended if the officer is on Maternity or Adoptive leave,

                                          ii.     the probationary period may, at the discretion of the Department, be suspended where the employee is absent on any other form of statutory or non-statutory leave.

Where WSI’s ability to assess the officer and/or the officer’s ability to demonstrate their suitability for permanent appointment is compromised by the officer’s absence on leave, the contract period will be extended by the period of leave taken.

h.       Duties

The appointee will be required to perform any duties appropriate to their grade which may be assigned to them. They may not engage in private practice or be connected with any outside business which would interfere with the performance of official duties.

i.         Sick Leave

Pay during properly certified sick absence, provided there is no evidence of permanent disability for service, will apply on a pro-rata basis, in accordance with the provisions of the sick leave

circulars. Officers who will be paying Class A rate of PRSI will be required to sign a mandate authorising the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to pay any benefits due under the Social Welfare Acts directly to the employing Department or Organisation. Payment during illness will be subject to the officer making the necessary claims for social insurance benefit to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection within the required time limits.

j.         Superannuation and Retirement

The appointee will be offered public service pension terms and retirement age conditions in accordance with pension arrangements in the WSI depending on the status of the successful appointee:

In general, an appointee who has never worked in the Public Service will be offered appointment based on membership of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme (“Single Scheme”). Full details of the Scheme are at www.singlepensionscheme.gov.ie.

Where the appointee has worked in a pensionable (non-Single Scheme terms) public service job in the 26 weeks prior to appointment or is currently on a career break or special leave with/without pay, different terms may apply. The pension entitlement of such appointees will be established in the context of their public service employment history.

Key provisions attached to membership of the Single Scheme are as follows:

(a)    Pensionable Age: The minimum age at which pension is currently payable is 66 (this is under review and will rise in line with changes in State Pension age).

(b)    Retirement Age: Scheme members must retire on reaching the age of 70.

(c)     Career average earnings are used to calculate benefits (a pension and lump sum amount accrue each year and are uprated each year by reference to CPI).

(d)    Post retirement pension increases are linked to CPI.

(e)    An individual who is on secondment will remain a member of the parent organisation’s pension scheme and the pensionable remuneration will be based on their substantive grade i.e., the grade at which the individual is employed in their parent organisation.

(f)       An individual who was a member of a “preexisting public service pension scheme” as construed by the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 and who does not qualify for membership of the Single Scheme will have standard public service pension terms reflecting new entrant or nonnew entrant status for the purposes of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004.

k.           Pension Abatement

If the appointee has previously been employed in the Civil or Public Service and is in receipt of a pension from the Civil or Public Service or where a Civil/Public Service pension comes into payment during their re-employment that pension will be subject to abatement in accordance with Section 52 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. Please note: In applying for this position, you are acknowledging that you understand that 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.

However, if the appointee was previously employed in the Civil or Public Service and awarded a pension under voluntary early retirement arrangements (other than the Incentivised Scheme of Early Retirement (ISER), the Department of Health Circular 7/2010 VER/VRS or the Department of Environment, Community & Local Government Circular letter LG(P) 06/2013, any of which renders a person ineligible for the competition) the entitlement to that pension will cease with effect from the date of reappointment. Special arrangements may, however, be made for the reckoning of previous service given by the appointee for the purpose of any future superannuation award for which the appointee may be eligible.

l.             Ill Health Retirement

Please note that where an individual has retired from a Civil/Public Service body on the grounds of ill health their pension from that employment may be subject to review in accordance with the rules of ill-health retirement within the pension scheme of that employment. Applicants will be required to attend an appointed medical professional to assess their ability to provide regular and effective service taking account of the condition which qualified them for IHR.

Appointment post ill health retirement from Civil Service

If successful in their application through the competition, the applicant should be aware of the following:

If deemed fit to provide regular and effective service and assigned to a post, their civil service ill health pension ceases.

If the applicant subsequently fails to complete probation or decides to leave their assigned post, there can be no reversion to the civil service IHR status, nor reinstatement of the civil service IHRpension, that existed prior to the application nor is there an entitlement to same.

                 i.     The applicant will become a member of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme (SPSPS) upon appointment if they have had a break in pensionable public/civil service of more than 26 weeks.

Appointment post Ill health retirement from public service:

                ii.     Where an individual has retired from a public service body their ill-health pension from that employment may be subject to review in accordance with the rules of ill-health retirement under that scheme.

              iii.      If an applicant is successful, on appointment the applicant will be required to declare whether they are in receipt of a public service pension (ill-health or otherwise) and their public service pension may be subject to abatement.

              iv.      The applicant will become a member of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme (SPSPS) upon appointment if they have had a break in pensionable public/civil service of more than 26 weeks.

Please note more detailed information in relation to pension implications for those in receipt of a civil or public service ill-health pension is available upon request.