Senior Parks & Landscapes Officer

The Role:

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

Responsibilities and Duties

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

The Senior Parks & Landscape Officer 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 on the areas and programmes within their remit, ensuring a strong focus on the delivery of 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 are in line with overall national priorities and aim to deliver projects in the most efficient manner possible to meet the specific needs of the local community.
• 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 bodies, to deliver priority programmes and projects.
• Critically analyse and manage the deployment of resources (including human and financial resources) within their areas of responsibility to ensure the delivery of optimal results with the available resources.
• Promote the role of the Council and ensure a strong customer focus among their teams, reflecting the requirements for balanced and fair decision-making and equity of treatment.
• Operate an effective risk management system for their area of responsibility.
• Keep abreast of relevant external developments, trends, and opportunities that may be beneficial to their functional area, including external funding opportunities.

Qualifications

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has declared that the qualifications for Senior Parks & Landscape Officer are as set out below.

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 qualification in Horticulture, Landscape Architecture, Arboriculture, Natural or Environmental Science (Level 8 or higher on the National Framework of Qualifications).

Experience, Etc.

Candidates shall also:

a. Have not less than eight years' postgraduate satisfactory experience of planning, design, development, and management of one or more of the following:

• Parks
• Heritage Landscapes and Gardens
• Open Spaces
• Green Infrastructure
• Public Realm and Urban Design
• Urban Forests
• Sports Grounds
• Recreation and Play Facilities
• Burial Grounds
• Community Gardens and Allotments

b. Have the ability to lead and motivate multidisciplinary teams to achieve corporate objectives.

c. Have well-developed interpersonal skills, demonstrating an ability to influence, communicate, and network effectively.

d. Have proven ability to manage finances and resources within a strict budgetary control framework.

e. Have proven ability to manage the delivery of projects on time and within budget, including dealing with procurement, contractors, and professional consultants.

f. Demonstrate a capacity for innovation and problem solving.

g. Demonstrate the ability to develop policies, strategies, best practice guidance, and prepare technical reports as required.

h. Have a good working knowledge of the legal and regulatory standards that apply to local authorities, including Health & Safety.

Candidates must also:

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

Candidates, if successful, will not be appointed to the post 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 and available to undertake, and fully 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 as an officer of a local authority or in any occupation that might conflict with the interests of the local authority or be inconsistent with the discharge of their duties as a local authority officer.

Probation

Where persons who are not already permanent employees of a local authority are appointed, the following provisions shall apply:

(i) There shall be a period after such appointments take effect during which such persons shall hold the position on probation.

(ii) Such period shall be a maximum of 12 months.

(iii) Such persons shall cease to hold the position at the end of the probationary period unless, during that period, the Chief Executive has certified that their service is satisfactory.

Salary

The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as 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 any services that they are required by or under any enactment to perform.

Salary Scale (effective from 1 June 2026)

• €93,698
• €95,995
• €98,283
• €100,582
• €102,874
• €105,177
• €108,641 (LSI1)
• €112,107 (LSI2)

Salary for the post 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 to this scale will be determined in accordance with Circulars issued by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

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

Residence

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

Start Date

The Local Authority shall require a person to whom an appointment is offered to take up such appointment within a period of not more than three months. If they fail to take up the appointment within such period, or such longer period as the Local Authority may determine at its absolute discretion, the Local Authority shall not appoint them.

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 give the local authority, under the general direction and control of the Chief Executive or such other officer as the Chief Executive may determine from time to time, such appropriate services of an executive, administrative, or management nature as are required for the exercise and performance of any of its powers, functions, and duties.

The employee shall also exercise such powers, duties, and functions as may be delegated to them by the Chief Executive from time to time, including the duty of servicing all committees established by the local authority and such duties as may be required in relation to the area of any local authority.

The holder of the office will, if required, act for an officer of a higher level.

Hours of Attendance

Hours of attendance will be fixed from time to time but will amount to not less than 35 hours gross 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 down in the Working Time Regulations.

The rate of remuneration payable covers any extra attendance liability that may arise from time to time.

Annual Leave

The annual leave allowance for the position of Senior Parks & Landscape Officer is 30 days.

This allowance is subject to the usual conditions regarding the granting of annual leave in the public service, is based on a five-day week, and is exclusive of the usual public holidays.

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.