Senior Parks & Landscape Officer

The Role

The Senior Parks and Landscape Officer works within the Community Cultural Services and Parks Department, which provides a range of social and community infrastructure designed to improve the quality of life of the citizens in the County. The Department plans, designs, and manages the County landscape to provide an attractive, green, and sustainable environment. It aims to meet the social, recreational, and conservation needs of the County and its citizens. It is responsible for managing parks, open spaces, and community and sports buildings, creating an environment where people can meet and engage socially, while fostering social cohesion and engagement.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Senior Parks and Landscape Officer reports to the Director of Community, Cultural Development and Parks.

The duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Contribute to the development and delivery of a long-term vision for the County that promotes the physical, social, cultural, and economic environment in an integrated way.
• Lead and manage a team to deliver the areas and programmes within their remit, ensuring a strong focus on achieving results.
• Initiate, develop, and drive appropriate change programmes that enhance the range and quality of services.
• Work with the Council, its Strategic Policy Committees, and the Local Community Development Committee in developing policy and strategic plans for their areas of responsibility that align with national priorities and deliver projects efficiently to meet local community needs.
• Implement the Corporate Plan and deliver national and local programmes in a resource-efficient manner.
• Develop and support staff to ensure optimum service delivery, including full utilisation of the PMDS system.
• Manage significant change programmes in line with national and local priorities.
• Network effectively with internal and external stakeholders, including representatives of Government Departments, State agencies, business and community representatives, and other organisations to deliver priority programmes and projects.
• Analyse and manage the deployment of human and financial resources within their area of responsibility to ensure optimal results.
• Promote the role of the Council and ensure a strong customer focus among their teams, reflecting balanced and fair decision-making and equity of treatment.
• Operate an effective risk management system within their area of responsibility.
• Keep abreast of relevant external developments, trends, and funding opportunities that may benefit their functional area.

Qualifications

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has declared that the qualifications for the position of Senior Parks and Landscape Officer are as follows.

Character

Candidates shall be of good character.

Health

Candidates shall be in a state of health to render regular and efficient service.

Education

Candidates shall hold a Level 8 or higher qualification on the National Framework of Qualifications in one of the following:

• Horticulture
• Landscape Architecture
• Arboriculture
• Natural Science
• Environmental Science

Experience

Candidates shall also:

• Have not less than eight years' postgraduate satisfactory experience in the planning, design, development, and management of one or more of the following:
• Have the ability to lead and motivate multidisciplinary teams to achieve corporate objectives.
• Have well-developed interpersonal skills, demonstrating an ability to influence, communicate, and network effectively.
• Have proven ability to manage finances and resources within a strict budgetary control framework.
• Have proven ability to manage the delivery of projects on time and within budget, including procurement, contractors, and professional consultants.
• Demonstrate a capacity for innovation and problem-solving.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop policies, strategies, best practice guidance, and prepare technical reports as required.
• Have a good working knowledge of the legal and regulatory standards that apply to local authorities, including Health and Safety.

Candidates Must Also

• Have the knowledge and ability to discharge the duties of the post.
• Be suitable on the grounds of character.
• Be suitable in all other relevant respects for appointment to the post.

Successful candidates will not be appointed unless they:

• Agree to undertake the duties attached to the post and accept the conditions under which the duties are, or may be required to be, performed.
• Are fully competent, available, and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the position.

Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms, meet the above essential criteria.

The Office

The office is whole-time, permanent, and pensionable.

The holder of the office shall not engage in any gainful occupation, other than as an officer of a local authority, to such an extent as to impair the performance of their duties or in any occupation that might conflict with the interests of the local authority or be inconsistent with the discharge of their duties.

Probation

Where persons who are not already permanent employees of a local authority are appointed:

• There shall be a probationary period after the appointment takes effect.
• The probationary period shall be a maximum of 12 months.
• The appointee shall cease to hold the position at the end of the probationary period unless the Chief Executive certifies that their service has been satisfactory.

Salary

The salary shall be fully inclusive and determined from time to time. The holder 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 the post or in respect of services they are required by law to perform.

Salary Scale (effective 1 June 2026)

€93,698 – €95,995 – €98,283 – €100,582 – €102,874 – €105,177 – €108,641 (LSI 1) – €112,107 (LSI 2)

Salary shall be in accordance with existing practice as set out in relevant circulars.

Starting pay for new entrants will be at the minimum of the scale. The entry point will be determined in accordance with circulars issued by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

In accordance with Departmental Circular EL 02/2011, a person who is not a serving local authority employee on or after 1 January 2011 will enter the scale at the minimum point. Rates of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government policy.

Residence

The holder of the office shall reside within the district in which their duties are to be performed or within a reasonable distance thereof.

Start Date

The Local Authority shall require a successful candidate to take up the appointment within a period of not more than three months. Failure to do so within this period, or such longer period as the Local Authority may determine, may result in the appointment not being made.

Duties

In accordance with Section 159(3) and (4) of the Local Government Act 2001, an employee of the local authority shall perform the duties of the office and provide, under the general direction and control of the Chief Executive or such other officer as the Chief Executive may determine, appropriate executive, administrative, or management services required for the exercise and performance of the powers, functions, and duties of the local authority.

The post holder shall also exercise such powers, duties, and functions as may be delegated by the Chief Executive from time to time, including servicing committees established by the local authority and carrying out duties relating to any area of the local authority.

The holder of the office may also be required to act for an officer of a higher grade.

Hours of Attendance

Hours of attendance will be determined from time to time but will amount to not less than 35 gross hours per week.

The successful candidate may be required to work additional hours as necessary for the proper performance of their duties, subject to the Working Time Regulations.

The rate of remuneration includes any additional attendance liability.

Annual Leave

Annual leave for the position of Senior Parks and Landscape Officer is 30 days per annum.

This entitlement is subject to the normal public service conditions governing annual leave, is based on a five-day working week, and is exclusive of public holidays.

Sick Leave

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

Superannuation Contributions

Persons who become pensionable officers of a local authority and are liable to pay the Class D PRSI contribution shall contribute 5% of pensionable remuneration.

Persons liable to pay the Class A PRSI contribution shall contribute:

• 1.5% of pensionable remuneration, plus
• 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration (pensionable remuneration less twice the annual rate of the Social Insurance Old Age Contributory Pension payable at the maximum rate to a person with no adult dependant or qualified children).

All pensionable officers shall contribute 1.5% of pensionable remuneration or net pensionable remuneration, as applicable, under the Local Government (Spouses' and Children's Contributory Pension) Scheme 1986.

Persons who become pensionable officers for the first time on or after 1 January 2013 shall contribute:

• 3% of pensionable remuneration, plus
• 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration.

Retirement

Effective from 1 January 2013, the Single Public Service Pension Scheme applies to all first-time entrants to the Public Service and former public servants returning after a break of more than 26 weeks.

The normal retirement age is the age at which the Contributory State Pension becomes payable, currently 66 years, subject to future legislative changes. The maximum retirement age is 70 years.

For appointees who are not regarded as new entrants under the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004:

• Minimum retirement age: 60 years
• Maximum retirement age: 70 years

For Class A new entrants under the Act:

• Minimum retirement age: 65 years
• No maximum retirement age.

Pension Accrual

A 40-year limit applies to total pensionable service where a person has been a member of more than one existing Public Service Pension Scheme, in accordance with the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012.

This may affect candidates who have accrued pension rights in previous public service employment.

Pension Abatement

If an appointee has previously been employed in the Civil or Public Service and is entitled to, or receives, a Civil or Public Service pension, that pension will be subject to abatement in accordance with Section 52 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012.

By applying for this position, candidates acknowledge that these abatement provisions, where applicable, will apply.

Incentivised Scheme for Early Retirement (ISER)

Under Department of Finance Circular 12/09, retirees under the Incentivised Scheme for Early Retirement (ISER) are debarred from applying for another position in the same employment or sector and are therefore not eligible to apply for this position.

Department of Health and Children Circular 7/2010

The Department of Health Circular 7/2010 introduced the Targeted Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) Scheme and Voluntary Redundancy Scheme (VRS).

• Persons who availed of the VER Scheme are not eligible to compete for this position.
• Persons who availed of the VRS Scheme are prohibited from re-employment in the Public Service for seven years. Successful candidates must demonstrate that this period has expired before appointment.