Senior Executive Librarian

1.    Duties

The duties will be such as may be assigned by the Local Authority or its appropriate officer from time to time.

Persons employed will be required to work in any location within the Fingal administrative area. 

The duties include but are not limited to:

•       Taking overall responsibility for particular aspects of the service and maintaining the service at maximum efficiency in close liaison with the County Librarian and senior team

•       Presenting at various forums including SPCs and Council meetings

•       Leading change across the library service to enable delivery of quality services to the public

•       Participation in both national and local council committees

•       Taking part in formal staff and student training

•       Accepting responsibility for the direction, control and welfare of the library staff under the post holder’s authority and developing the abilities of each individual

•       Supervision of the performance of Library Service staff and responsibility for other HR management and associated policies

•       Assisting in the preparation of budgets and reports

•       Developing and maintaining good relations with all stakeholders including councillors, national organisations and other council teams

•       Supporting the promotion and marketing of the County’s Library Service and the development of outreach programmes

•       Working in partnership with other agencies, in the development of services to the community and improving the accessibility to library services.

2.    Qualifications and requirements of the post

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.

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

                         i.                    Hold a degree (level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications) in the area of Library and Information Studies

                       ii.                     have satisfactory experience of library work including satisfactory experience at a management level

The ideal candidate shall have:

                           i.          leadership and management ability

                          ii.          excellent communication and interpersonal skills

                        iii.          people management and team membership skills

                        iv.          change management and project management skills

                          v.          knowledge of current issues & future direction of Libraries and Local Government

                        vi.          commitment to the public interest

                       vii.          satisfactory IT skills including knowledge and understanding of relevant technical ICT packages

Candidates may be shortlisted based on the ideals listed above.

The Selection Process:

Fingal County Council reserves the right to shortlist applications, if required. This is not to suggest that any candidate may be unsuitable or incapable of undertaking the duties of the post advertised, but rather that there may be candidates who have demonstrated that they are better qualified and/or have more relevant experience.

The number of persons to be invited, in these circumstances, to interview shall be determined by the local authority from time to time, having regard to the likely number of vacancies to be filled.

Step 1: Initial Screening

In the first instance, all applications received by the latest date/time for receipt of completed applications are screened for eligibility in accordance with the qualifications for the post as set out in this booklet and declared by the Minister for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under Section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001.

Step 2: Shortlisting

Each candidate’s application may be assessed against pre-determined criteria based on the requirements of the position as outlined in this booklet. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to provide a detailed and accurate account of their qualifications and/or experience in their application form and to outline the relevance of their experience in the examples provided.

Step 3: Interview

Candidates who are successful in the shortlisting process will be invited to attend for interview(s). Fingal County Council will endeavor to give sufficient notice of the interview to shortlisted candidates. Thereafter, it is the responsibility of the candidate to make themselves available on the date/time selected. Candidates who do not attend for interview will be deemed to have withdrawn their application from the competition. Expenses incurred by candidates in attending for interview, will be at the candidates own expense.

An independent interview board will be established by the Senior Executive Officer, People Services, or other designated officer, to assess the candidates shortlisted for interview. The interview board will generally comprise of a Chairperson and two other members, who will have expert knowledge in the relevant field. The objective of the interview board is to identify candidates who best meet the objective criteria and competencies required for the position and to place them in order of merit.

Candidates who are successful in the interview will be qualified in order of merit for appointment to the post of Senior Executive Librarian and placed on a panel. It should be noted that placement on a panel may not necessarily lead to a job offer. The selection process is not concluded until such time as references have been sought and clearance checks, i.e. Garda vetting, occupational health, verification of education qualifications, etc, have been carried out to the satisfaction of the Council.

3.    Particulars of Employment

The employment is wholetime, permanent and pensionable.

(i) Persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority who are liable to pay Class A rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of their pensionable remuneration plus 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration (i.e. pensionable remuneration less twice the annual rate of social insurance old age contributory pension payable at the maximum rate to a person with no adult dependant or qualified children).

(ii) Persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority who are liable to pay the Class D rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 5% of their pensionable remuneration.

(iii) All persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority will be required in respect of the Local Government (Spouse’s and Children’s Contributory Pension) Scheme to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of their pensionable remuneration in accordance with the terms of the Scheme.

(iv) New members joining the Public Sector after the 1st January 2013 will be required to join the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. A rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 3% of their pensionable remuneration plus 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration (i.e. pensionable remuneration less twice the annual rate of social insurance old age contributory pension payable at the maximum rate to a person with no adult dependant or qualified children). This includes a contribution to a Spouse’s and Children’s Scheme.

PROBATION

Where persons who are not already employees of a Local Authority are employed, the following provisions shall apply: 

(a)             there shall be a period after such employment take effect during which such persons shall hold such employment on probation,

(b)             such period shall be one year, but the Chief Executive may at his or her discretion extend such period,

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

SALARY

€61,217 – €62,716 – €64,464 – €66,219 – €67,973 – €69,541 – €71,146 – €72,702 – €74,253 – LSI1 €76,910 – LSI2 €79,583

Persons who are not serving local authority employees will be based on the minimum of the scale.

Holders of the post shall pay to the local authority any fees or other monies (other than their inclusive salary) payable to or received by them by virtue of their post or in respect of any services which they are required by or under any enactment to perform.

HEALTH

For the purpose of satisfying the requirement as to health it will be necessary for successful candidates, before they are employed, to undergo a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the Local Authority.

RETIREMENT AGE

The retirement age is 70 years.

Recruitment

A local authority may decide, by reason of the number of persons seeking admission to a competition, to carry out a shortlisting procedure. The number of persons to be invited, in these circumstances, to interview shall be determined by the local authority from time to time, having regard to the likely number of vacancies to be filled.

Selection will be by means of an interview conducted by or on behalf of the local authority. Candidates will be required to pay any expenses incurred by them in attending the interview.

Panels may be formed on the basis of such interviews. Candidates whose names are on a panel and who satisfy the local authority that they possess the qualification declared for the post and that they are otherwise suitable for employment may, within the life of the panel, be employed as appropriate vacancies arise.

The local authority shall require a person to whom employment is offered to take up such employment within a period of not more than 6 weeks and if he or she fails to take up the employment within such period or such longer period as the local authority in its absolute discretion may determine, the local authority shall not employ the person.