Staff Welfare Officer

The Role

The Staff Welfare Officer provides a range of supports to employees, which focus on their well-being, while also helping employees to engage with innovative preventative measures to avoid injury and illness and to help enhance their daily lives. They offer support, advise management on welfare policies, handle confidential issues, and bridge communication between staff and employers. The Staff Welfare Officer reports to the Administrative Officer, People Services, or such designated person(s) as may be assigned from time to time.

Duties

The duties of the Staff Welfare Officer include, but are not limited to the following:

• Act as the first point of contact for staff experiencing personal or work-related difficulties and provide confidential support to help resolve issues.

• Promote awareness of the Council’s Staff Welfare service and actively communicate its benefits to staff.

• Work with the Wellbeing Team to plan, promote and roll out wellbeing and resilience programmes across the organisation.

• Provide an active outreach to staff members on long-term sick leave, where appropriate.

• Advise management on strategies to improve absence management and related performance indicators.

• Direct staff to appropriate external support services when required.

• Liaise with external agencies and the Council’s Medical Advisors regarding the provision of information and supports on health promotion.

• Collaborate with the Learning and Development team in relation to the development and roll-out of health, wellness and welfare training programmes.

• Develop and maintain a Staff Welfare Charter and annual work plan.

• Ensure information on staff welfare policies and procedures is dispersed to all staff in a timely manner.

• To take an interest in, and actively encourage general welfare, social and recreational activities amongst the Council’s staff.

• Meet new staff members to provide information on available welfare facilities and supports.

• Contribute to the development and roll out of health awareness initiatives and programmes.

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the various state, semi-state, medical, voluntary and other agencies whose services may benefit staff.

• To advise, as required, on the formulation of staff welfare policies and to assist in the development and implementation of such policies.

• Maintain appropriate records in line with confidentiality requirements.

• Report directly to the Senior Executive Officer, People Services or their nominee and liaise with Heads of Departments and relevant external agencies as necessary in the carrying out of their duties.

• Other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned from time to time. These tasks which are indicative rather than exhaustive are carried out under general supervision.

Qualifications and Requirements of the Post

CHARACTER

Each candidate must be of good character.

HEALTH

Candidates shall 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.

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

(a) hold a professional qualification in Social Work prescribed under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended): or

(b) have a Letter of Validation issued by CORU/National Social Work Qualifications Board;

(c) be eligible for registration with CORU;

(d) possess a high standard of administrative and management experience; and

(e) have a satisfactory knowledge of public service organization.

The ideal candidate shall:

• Have strong communication, confidentiality, and interpersonal skills.

• Have a proven track record in the promotion of staff welfare.

• Provide satisfactory evidence of their ability to relate well to people and to guide them towards the resolution of their difficulties with sensitivity and sound judgement.

• Will have good knowledge and awareness of Health and Safety Legislation and Regulations, the implications for the organization and the employee, and their application in the workplace.

• Be in possession of a current unendorsed full driving licence (Category A1, A and/or B) as they may be required to drive in the course of their duties.

Candidates may be shortlisted based on the desirables 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 Staff Welfare Officer 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.

Benefits

At Fingal County Council, we value our employees and want to support them to develop their careers. We offer flexible working arrangements, competitive salaries and pension benefits, a positive work environment, training and development opportunities, a defined career path in a supportive and inclusive culture and the opportunity to make a difference, along with the following benefits:

➢ Standard working day is 9-5

➢ Excellent Work/Life balance with Family Friendly Schemes such as Shorter Working Year and Worksharing

➢ Opportunities for promotion and career development

➢ Employee Assistance and Wellbeing Programme

➢ Pension Scheme

➢ Blended Working available - up to 2 days per week

➢ Ongoing training and higher educational support

➢ Cycle to Work Scheme

Particulars of Employment

The employment is whole time, permanent and pensionable. Persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority who are liable to pay the 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 dependent or qualified children).

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.

All persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority will be required in respect of the Local Government (Spouses 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.

PROBATION

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

(b) such period shall be one year but the Chief Executive may at their 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

€55,209, €57,809, €60,432, €63,076, €65,707, €68,342, €70,979 (LSI 1), €72,357 (LSI 2) per annum. 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

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 they fail 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.