CANDIDATES INFORMATION BOOKLET PLEASE READ CAREFULLY IS Project Leader (Grade VII) CLOSING DATE: 12 NOON ON WEDNESDAY, 8 th MARCH, 2017 Completed applications should be returned to: Human Resources Department, Carlow County Council, County Offices, Athy Road, Carlow. 1
QUALIFICATIONS The office is whole time permanent and pensionable 1. Character Candidates shall be of good character. 2. Health Candidates must be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service. 3. Education, Training, Experience, Knowledge Candidates must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms:- a) possess the N.C.C. Higher Diploma in Computer Studies or an equivalent accredited certified I.T. qualification, and b) have 7 years satisfactory experience in an information technology environment, and c) hold a full valid driving licence for Class B vehicles, and d) have significant experience in a number of the following areas:- Windows Server, Office 365, LANs, WANs, Virtualisation, backup and recovery, TCP/IP, routing and network design, SANS, SQL Server, Firewalls, Active Directory, Group Policy, VoIP telephony, encryption technologies, system monitoring and management, Mobile Device Management, AWS, Azure 2
4. Person Specification Evidence of implementing IT security tools, techniques, and procedures Must be able to demonstrate commitment to customer service Experience of managing a service desk, system administration and technical infrastructure staff, including understanding of ITIL Experience of leading a technical team in the delivery of ICT infrastructure and applications Demonstrable experience of managing, motivating and developing staff, including performance management Experience managing projects using recognised methodologies Development of business cases, writing of project initiation documents and identifying project risks Good working knowledge of information governance Practical experience of the management of change, including development of policies, procedures, and work practices and implementation of same Understanding of IT procurement process within the context of public sector regulations Exposure to Open Source technologies including LAMP Flexibility regarding working hours and occasional unsociable hours including weekends 5. Job Description The ICT Department provides a wide range of services to Carlow County Council and its customers. As such, due to the dynamic nature of ICT, and the changing business requirements within the Council, all ICT posts require a flexibility to work in other IT roles as required The IS Project Leader will initially participate in a team to provide a high standard of technical support in Carlow County Council. An ability to ensure product quality and stability and a determination to professionally manage and resolve a number of potentially complex issues in a fast paced environment is required The role will be primarily based in Carlow town but also requires support to be provided from time to time at all Council locations throughout the county The IS Project Leader will operate under the direction of and report to the Head of Information Systems or to any other such person as may be determined by the Council from time to time The IS Project Leader will ensure that Carlow County Council s ICT infrastructure and business applications operate efficiently, perform to agreed targets, and deliver a secure and compliant platform for the Council to carry out its business The IS Project Leader will assist with the management of the IT Operations team as a customerfocused service function The IS Project Leader will support the strategic objectives of Carlow County Council The IS Project Leader will act as a senior internal ICT specialist, leading where necessary, in the delivery of solutions to complex technical issues 3
6. Key Duties The post holder will be assigned to the ICT Section of Carlow County Council under the Finance Directorate. The Council reserves the right to assign the post holder to any area/premises now or in the further or from time to time as the need may arise. The principal duties and responsibilities will be to perform such duties appropriate to the post of IS Project Leader that may be assigned by the Head of Information Systems, and may include the following duties: Proactively develop, support and manage the ICT infrastructure environment including networks, servers, cloud services, desktop/laptop and mobile systems Assist the Head of Information Systems and the Management Team in developing long-term, strategic plans, for the development of ICT capabilities within the Council Establish and manage service level agreements for contracted services and suppliers Ensure business continuity and disaster recovery technologies and processes are appropriate to the organisation s needs and risk management policies Negotiate between the Information Systems function, other directorates, and external suppliers to resolve technical or contentious issues and conflicts to ensure that projects and services are delivered on time and within budget Actively review, monitor and improve ICT security Ensure the Council maintains licence compliance and makes most cost-effective use of ICT licences Contribute to the development and review of ICT policies Advise on the technical specification relating to the development or procurement of new information systems or ICT infrastructure, assisting in the developing of Business Cases if appropriate 4
POST OF IS PROJECT LEADER (Grade VII) PARTICULARS OF OFFICE 1. The office is whole-time, permanent and pensionable. Persons who become pensionable officers 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 the 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 dependant or qualified children). Persons who become pensionable officers 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 officers 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. 2. Salary - 47,013-61,418 2 nd LSI in accordance with Circular Letter EL 17/2009. Entry point to this scale will be determined in accordance with Circulars issued by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government. 3. Hours of Work You will be required to work 37 hours per week. Carlow County Council operates a flexi time system, details of which are available from the Human Resources Section. The Council reserves the right to alter your hours of work from time to time. 4. Annual Leave Annual leave entitlement will be 30 days per annum exclusive of public holidays and Good Friday. 5
5. Duties The duties shall be as such as may be assigned to the employee from time to time by the local authority and shall include the duty of deputising for other officers of the local authority, when required, and such duties as may be assigned to him/her in relation to the area of any other local authority. 6. Probation Where a person who is not already a permanent officer of a local authority is appointed, the following provisions shall apply:- (a) there shall be a period after such appointment takes effect during which such person shall hold such office on probation; (b) such period shall be one year but the Chief Executive may at his or her discretion extend such period; (c) such person 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 person is satisfactory. 7. Health For the purpose of satisfying the requirement as to health it will be necessary for successful candidates before being appointed, to undergo a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the local authority. Defects reported as a result of this examination must be remedied before appointment. 8. Residence Holders of the office shall reside in the district in which their duties are to be performed or within a reasonable distance thereof. 9. Retirement Age There is no mandatory retirement age for new entrants to the Public Service as defined in the Public Services Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004. Persons who are NOT new entrants to the Public Service as defined in the Public Services Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004 are subject to a compulsory retirement age of 65 years. With effect from 1st January 2013, persons who are pensionable under the terms of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme will have a minimum retirement age of 66 years initially rising in line with the State Pension age changes. Members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme have a compulsory retirement age of 70 years. The Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 was passed on the 25th March, 2004. The Act introduces new superannuation and retirement provisions for new entrants to the public service appointed on or after 1st April, 2004. In summary, the Act makes 65 the minimum age at which a pension may be paid to all other new entrants to the public service and provides that all other new entrants to the public service will not be required to retire on grounds of age. If however, you are an existing employee in the public service, your superannuation position is as follows - retirement is mandatory at age 65, however a staff member may retire on pension at any time after age 60. 6
RECRUITMENT Selection shall be by means of a competition based on an interview conducted by or on behalf of the local authority. A panel may be formed on the basis of such interviews. Carlow County Council reserves the right to shortlist candidates in the manner it deems most appropriate. Shortlisting may be on the basis of information supplied on the application form and the likely number of vacancies to be filled. It is therefore in your own interest to provide a detailed and accurate account of your qualifications/experience on the application form. The candidates shortlisted will be invited to attend for interview. The Council will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by candidates in attending for interview. Candidates whose names are on a Panel and who satisfy the local authority that they possess the qualifications declared for the office and that they are otherwise suitable for appointment may, within the life of the Panel, be appointed as appropriate vacancies arise. The life of the Panel will be for either one or two years from the date it is formed, at Management s discretion. Carlow County Council will require the person to whom appointment is offered to take up the appointment within a period of not more than one month and if the person fails to take up the appointment within such period or such longer period as Carlow County Council in its absolute discretion may determine, Carlow County Council will not appoint him/her. It should be noted that the terms of Paragraph 13 of Circular Letter EL 02/09 - Incentivised Scheme of Early Retirement may need to be considered in some instances. It is a condition of this scheme as set out in the Department of Finance Circular 12/2009 that retirees, under that Scheme, are debarred from applying for another position in the same employment or the same sector. Furthermore, persons who have availed of a Redundancy Payment Scheme should not that is a condition of the Collective Agreement that persons availing of the agreement will not be eligible for re-employment in the public service by any public service body (as defined by the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2009 2011) for a period of 2 years from termination of the employment. Thereafter the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform will be required prior to re-employment. 7
Applicants will be required to declare whether they have previously availed of either of the above schemes. 8