Staff Officer

The Housing Agency is a government body working with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in the delivery of housing and housing services. The Agency’s vision is to achieve an integrated housing system, meeting the nation’s housing needs and promoting sustainable communities. It does this by providing evidence-based housing insights and data that inform thinking and policy making; by working with others to enable the delivery of housing solutions and implement programmes and actions in Government housing policy; and by equipping itself and its stakeholders with the capacity required to respond quickly and effectively to challenges in the housing system. The Agency’s work to deliver sustainable and affordable housing for all is framed under three broad themes: • Being a centre for housing knowledge; • Bridging housing supply and demand; and • Building capacity for housing.

We provide a broad range of services including: • Assisting local authorities with all aspects of their housing function • Supporting affordable housing initiatives including cost rental and affordable purchase schemes • Housing acquisitions and property sourcing for social housing • Managing the Croí Cónaithe Fund • Technical advice and supports to local authorities and AHBs regarding capital construction and refurbishment projects and procurement • Financial appraisals of AHB funding applications • Co-ordination of the Housing First initiative • Mortgage to Rent • Research, financial analysis and policy advice • Pyrite Remediation and the Defective Concrete Block Schemes • Land development and management • Loan Underwriting • Housing practitioner training and information • National Housing Strategy for Disabled People The Housing Agency is now seeking applications for a Staff Officer IT – Grade V vacancy on a permanent basis. This post is based in our offices in Dublin 2. The Housing Agency operate a Blended Working Policy.

Main Duties • Promote the effective use of ICT to support the business of the organisation. Collaborate with other departments to understand IT needs and requirements. • Provide frontline IT support and training to members of the organisation - explaining complex technical information to a non-technical audience. • Train employees to use software and hardware; troubleshoot issues and provide technical support when needed. • Support end users to maximize their use of the systems in place in the organisation. • Communicate effectively and confidently with end users and senior management. • Helpdesk ticket management - track and update relevant service requests. Ensure ICT issues are resolved or escalated to the proper resources to resolve in a timely manner with minimum disruption to the operational business areas. • Participate in the development and roll out of ICT policies as required; ensuring that all IT security policies and procedures are adhered to. Ensure all ICT security policies and procedures are followed, maintained, and implemented correctly on servers and systems. • Manage cloud resources. • Manage and monitor network infrastructure, including routers, switches, firewalls, and VPNs. • Ensure data backups are made on a regular basis. • Install and upgrade PCs, laptops, network printers, and IoT devices. • Asset Tagging • Help ensure that the organisation operates the best security practices such as MFA, digital signing, device encryption, mobile device management, and network monitoring. • Document IT systems, configurations, and procedures for knowledge sharing and training. • Test and evaluate new hardware and software to determine if they are suitable for the organisation. • Keep up to date with advancements in computing technology and recommend upgrades or changes as necessary. • Other duties as assigned by the Director or Chief Executive

Personal/Educational Requirements • A relevant bachelor’s degree in IT or equivalent or a minimum of three year’s relevant IT experience. • Good working knowledge of Microsoft products i.e. Windows 11, Server 2019/2022, creation and administration of user accounts, Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Intune etc. Software installation, configuration, and lifecycle update management.

Competencies • Communication and Interpersonal Skills - Tailors communications to effectively reach an audience. Is assertive and professional when dealing with challenging issues • Teamwork - Promotes cooperation and commitment within a team to achieve goals and deliverables. • Delivery of Results – Manages and progresses multiple projects and work activities successfully • Decision Making - Exercises good judgment, makes well informed decisions in a timely manner; consults with others as appropriate before implementing decisions • Planning and Organising - Contributes to the development of operational plans, ensures plans are fully implemented, and monitors progress to operational objectives • Specialist Knowledge - Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office apps, software installation, support, configuration, and lifecycle update management, web technologies and best practice IT policies and procedures.

Salary Scale – Staff Officer – Grade VI LA Scales €48,089 - €49,561 - €51,039 - €52,537 - €54,047 LSI 1 - €55,806 LSI 2 - €57,572

New entrants will be appointed on the first point of the scale in line with government policy. Different terms and conditions may apply if immediately before appointment you are a currently serving civil/public servant.

Eligibility to compete: Candidates should note that eligibility to compete is open to citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union along with Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Swiss citizens under EU agreements may also apply. To qualify candidates must be citizens of the EEA by the date of any job offer. Eligible candidates must be: a) A citizen of the European Economic Area. 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 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 Switzerland and has a stamp 4 visa