Staff Officer

The Council will form three separate panels of suitably qualified candidates to meet the requirements agreed nationally of the ratio of posts to be confined to the local government sector, open, and those confined to Wicklow County Council staff. The order of candidates placed on each of the three panels is determined by where they were placed on the overall Order of Merit List.

Panel A (Confined to Local Authority Sector) will comprise of successful applicants in order of merit from within the Local Authority Sector only, i.e. candidates serving in a local authority or Regional Assembly (where applicable).

Panel B (Open) will comprise of all successful applicants in order of merit and may include candidates serving in a local authority, regional assembly and external applicants.

Panel C (Confined to Wicklow County Council) will comprise of all successful applicants in order of merit from within the recruiting Local Authority, i.e., candidates serving in Wicklow County Council.

For the purposes of the above, the sector Panel A is comprehended to include all Local Authorities and the three Regional Assemblies only. Staff who are not existing employees of local authorities or regional assemblies are not eligible to apply for competitions confined to the sector (Panel A) or to the local authority (Panel C).

QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates shall be of good character.

Candidates shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Candidates must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms:

Applicants to Panel B (Open)

(i) (a) have obtained at least Grade D (or a Pass), in Higher or Ordinary Level, in five subjects (or four subjects if Irish is included) from the approved list of subjects in the Department of Education Established Leaving Certificate Examination or Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme including Irish and/or English and one of the following: Mathematics, Accounting, Business Organisation or Economics,

AND

(b) have obtained at least Grade C (or Honours) in higher level (or Honours) papers in three subjects in that examination (or two subjects if Irish and/or one of the following is included: Mathematics, Accounting, Business Organisation or Economics),

or

(ii) have obtained a comparable standard in an equivalent examination,

or

(iii) hold a third level qualification of at least degree standard.

(iv) shall have satisfactory experience in administrative procedures, including adequate practical experience in work of an executive nature, office organisation and control of staff.

Confined Competition (Panel A)

(iv) (a) be a serving employee of a local authority, or a regional assembly and have not less than two years’ satisfactory experience in a post of Clerical Officer or analogous post.

Confined Competition (Panel C)

(iv) (a) be a serving employee of Wicklow County Council and have not less than two years’ satisfactory experience in a post of Clerical Officer or analogous post.

PLEASE NOTE: Non-Irish Qualifications must be accompanied by a determination from Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) to establish their comparability against the Irish National Framework of Qualifications. Overseas qualifications must also be accompanied by a translation document. Failure to do so will deem your application inadmissible.

The onus is on the candidate to ensure that the relevant qualification is listed on their application form.

In the event that an offer of employment is made, the candidate will be required to submit all relevant Educational Qualifications in order to meet the requirements above.

DRIVING LICENCE/TRAVEL

The holder of the office will be required to hold a valid Irish/EU full driving licence for Class B vehicles or a licence acceptable to NDLS for exchange, free from endorsement and disqualification. They must be a competent driver and shall drive a motor car in the course of his/her duties and for this purpose, provide and maintain a car to the satisfaction of the Local Authority. The Local Authority must be indemnified on their insurance.

https://www.ndls.ie/help/faq.html#exchange-of-foreign-driving-licence

Where a candidate does not hold a driving licence due to a certified medical condition, they may still be considered for interview. If successful at interview, the candidate will be required to provide an appropriate medical certificate and may be required to attend the Council’s independent medical practitioner for assessment prior to the issue of any contract of employment.

DUTIES

The duties assigned to a Staff Officer shall be to give to the local authority under the direction and supervision of its appropriate officer such services of an executive, supervisory and advisory nature as are required for the exercise and performance of any of its powers and duties and shall include the duty of deputising for other officers of the local authority, when required, and such duties as may be required in relation to the area of any other local authority.

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

PRINCIPAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

A panel may be formed from which future Staff Officer positions may be filled; this panel will remain in place for two years. The position will be full-time and pensionable.

The successful candidate(s) may be assigned as required to any of the Municipal Districts/Directorates under the Chief Executive’s control or to any premises/location in use by the Council now or in the future.

Duties

The duties of the office are to give to the local authority and

(a) to such other local authorities or bodies for which the Chief Executive, for the purposes of the Local Government Acts 2001–2014, is Chief Executive, and

(b) to any other local authority or body with which an agreement has been made by the local authority or by any of the authorities or bodies mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph.

Under the general direction and control of the Chief Executive or of such other officer as the Chief Executive may from time to time determine, such appropriate professional/technical and ancillary services of an advisory, supervisory or executive nature as may be required by any local authority or body hereinbefore mentioned in the exercise and performance of any of its powers, functions and duties, including the duty of servicing all committees that may be established by any such local authority or body. The holder of the office will, if required, act for an officer of a higher level.

Probation

Where persons who are not already permanent officers of a Local Authority are appointed, the following provisions shall apply;

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

(b) such period shall be nine months; this period may be extended at the Chief Executive’s discretion;

(c) such persons shall cease to hold such office 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: €52,761 - €63,109 per annum includes 2nd LSI EL 04/2026

The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time in line with national policy. The holder of the office shall pay to the local authority any fees or other monies (other than his/her inclusive salary) payable to and received by him/her by virtue of his/her office or in respect of services which he/she is required by or under any enactment to perform. Starting pay shall be determined in accordance with appropriate Departmental Circular letters. New Entrants will be placed on the minimum of salary scale.

Hours of Work

The person appointed will be required to work a 35 hour week Monday to Friday, which equates to a 7 hour day to be accounted for within attendance hours of 9.00am to 5.00pm with one hour lunch between 1.00pm and 2.00pm. There may be a requirement to work additional hours from time to time for which Time in Lieu will apply.

A flexi system is also in operation.

Garda Vetting

Candidates may be subject to Garda Vetting. Appointment(s) will be considered having regard to receipt of satisfactory Garda Vetting, particularly to determine suitability to work with children/vulnerable adults.

Citizenship

Candidates must, by the date of any job offer, be:

(a) A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). 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 UK 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 the UK or Switzerland and has a Stamp 4 visa.

Work Permit

All non-EU/EEA citizens must hold a valid work permit prior to and for the duration of their contract. The work permit must allow you to work full-time for Wicklow County Council. It is the responsibility of individual employees to ensure that you have a valid work permit. If at any stage during your contract you cease to hold a valid work permit, you must immediately advise Wicklow County Council and your employment will cease with immediate effect.

Health

For the purposes of satisfying the requirements as to health, it will be necessary for successful candidates, before they are appointed, to undergo at their expense a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the local authority. On taking up appointment, the expense of the medical examination will be refunded to candidates.

Residence

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

Annual Leave

Annual leave entitlement will be 30 days per annum exclusive of public holidays and Good Friday.