Senior Staff Officer

The Job

The Senior Staff Officer is a middle management position within Dublin City Council and is assigned responsibility for the day to day administration and management of an area of the Council’s activities, including management and supervision of staff. The Senior Staff Officer is responsible for ensuring that goals set out in the Team Charter become operational actions through the planning, allocation and prioritisation of work.

The Senior Staff Officer is a key point of contact and liaison with other Sections or Departments in relation to all operational matters for the service delivery section or sections for which they are responsible.

The Senior Staff Officer is expected to carry out their duties with an understanding of the political context of local government and in such a manner that enhances public trust and confidence and ensures impartial decision making.

The Ideal Candidate

In the context of key duties and responsibilities for the post of Senior Staff Officer, the ideal candidate will demonstrate the following;

Knowledge, Experience and Skills

• Knowledge and understanding of the structure and functions of local government, of current local government issues, priorities and concerns and of the key influencers of local government;
• An understanding of the role of a Senior Staff Officer;
• Relevant administrative experience at a sufficiently high level;
• A career record that demonstrates an ability to manage staff to ensure delivery of complex work programmes;
• Experience of managing and supervising staff, including managing performance;
• Ensuring strong governance and ethical standards are set and maintained;
• The ability to motivate, empower and encourage staff under their control to achieve maximum performance by supporting the current Performance Management and Development System (PMDS);
• An understanding of the changing operating environment in the Council and be capable of leading change in order to deliver quality services to our citizens;
• An understanding of the representational role of the elected members and the need to work with them to deliver quality services and implement policy decisions;
• Proven management analysis, report writing, and presentation skills;
• Effective financial and resource management skills;
• Knowledge and experience of operating ICT systems.

• The ideal candidate will also:
• Be self motivated with an ability to work on own initiative;
• Have strong interpersonal and communications skills;
• Be capable of representing the Council in a professional and credible manner with all stakeholders;
• Have an ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines in the delivery of key operational objectives;
• Have an awareness of relevant legislation and regulations in the area of Health and Safety and in data governance, their implications for the organization, the employee, and their application in the workplace.

Qualifications

Character:

Each candidate shall 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, Experience, etc.:

PANEL A (CONFINED TO EMPLOYEES OF THE SECTOR)

PANEL B (OPEN COMPETITION)

PANEL C ( CONFINED TO EMPLOYEES OF DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL)

Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed applications:-

Open Competition (Panels B)

(a) i) have obtained at least a 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

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

or

• ii) have obtained a comparable standard in an equivalent examination (e.g. Level 6 major award)

or

• iii) hold a third level qualification of at least degree standard,

and

(b) 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)

(a) be a serving employee in 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, and

(b) 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 C)

(c) be a serving employee in Dublin City Council and have not less than two years’ satisfactory experience in a post of Clerical Officer or analogous post, and

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

Candidates eligible under Category – Panel B (educational requirements above) Candidates are required to upload documentation for the qualification they are claiming eligibility under with their online application. The onus is on the candidate to ensure that the correct documentation is uploaded along with their application form.

Non-Irish Qualifications must be accompanied by a determination/comparability statement 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.

Candidates who do not submit the required eligibility documentation by closing date/time will be deemed as having an incomplete application and no further consideration will be given to your application.

For details of qualifications please see the following website; The National Framework of Qualifications | Quality and Qualifications Ireland

Duties

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

• Leadership and management of employees in supporting roles up to position/grade of Staff Officer, including assigning duties and workload;
• Supporting management in the implementation of work programmes as required by the Council’s Corporate and Operational Plans;
• Supporting line manager to communicate, implement and manage all change management initiatives within the relevant area of responsibility;
• Responsibility for the management of a section or function within the Council;
• Delivery of specific departmental/organizational objectives;
• Management of conflicting demands within a team environment and to prescribed timelines and deadlines;
• Provide ongoing leadership, motivation and support to employees in the department/section including resolving day to day problems and identifying training and development requirements as appropriate;
• Ensure full compliance with all organisational policies and procedures including grievance and disciplinary, performance management and attendance management;
• Effective communication and liaison with colleagues, managers and customers in relation to operational matters for their section;
• Compile, prepare and present reports as necessary, including preparation of reports or letters, which may be of a sensitive and/or confidential in nature;
• Support implementation of good practices with transparent reporting and communications and to deliver accountable services in the department/section;
• Carry out duties in a manner that enhances public trust and confidence and ensures impartial decision making;
• Such other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

The particular duties and responsibilities attached to the post may vary from time to time, without changing the general character of the duties or level of responsibilities entailed. The post holder may therefore be required to perform duties appropriate to the post, other than those detailed above, and to take instructions from and report to, an appropriate Officer or such designated Officer as may be assigned from time to time by the City Council.