Protocol on Principal Officer Mobility

Protocol on Principal Officer Mobility

Aim:

1. The aim of the Principal Officer Mobility Programme is to create a more flexible and unified Civil Service. This protocol will provide a framework within which mobility at Principal Officer level can be facilitated and managed.

1. This protocol covers Principal Officer (Higher and Standard scale) and Counsellor Grades. At the present time, equivalent Professional and Technical Grades are not covered under this protocol.

Objective:

1. It has been agreed by the Civil Service Management Board that at least 1 in every 3 vacancies that arises at Principal Officer levelwithin a Department/Office will be advertised under the Principal Officer mobility protocol. Departments/Offices will seek to fill at least half of all advertised posts. This means that Departments/Offices will aim to fill at least 1 in 6Principal Officer posts via mobility. However, the advertising of a given post under the mobility protocol does not guarantee that it will be filled via mobility.

1. Where vacancies are filled by Principal Officer mobility, Departments/Offices will reduce their liabilities to open Principal Officer panels by the same number.

1. The operation of the programme is subject to the agreed sanction arrangements in force.

1. This protocol is applicable topermanent Civil Servants in all Government Departments and Offices.

Process:

1. When a vacancy arises at Principal Officer level, consideration should be given to whether it could appropriately be filled through mobility. 1 in every 3Principal Officer vacancies that arise in a Department/Office must be advertised to be filled via mobility.

1. A central portal, operated by CSHR Policy Division in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, will be the means through which all posts are advertised. The Department/Office in which the vacancy arises is responsible for drafting the advertisement and uploading it to the central portal.

1. The advertisement should follow the format set out in Appendix 1.

1. The closing date for applications should be at least 2 weeks after the date of advertisement of the post. If the advertising Department/Office so wishes, the deadline for applications may be extended by 1 week where required.

1. Interested candidates will apply directly to the advertising Department/Office. The application should consist of the completed Career Details form set out in Appendix 2, along with a brief letter outlining the candidate’s reasons for applying and what they can bring to the role.

1. Once the closing date has passed, the advertising Department/Office will undertake a selection process.Advertising Departments/Offices should come to a decision regarding the filling of the post within 2 weeks of the deadline for receipt of applications.

1. In the case where there is no suitable applicant, the post remains to be filled through normal arrangements.

1. In the case where a candidate is selected, the Department/Office should inform all applicants and CSHR Division of the outcome of the process. The start date for the successful applicant should be decided between the sending and receiving departments. A start date of up to six weeks after the date the sending department is informed of the move may be agreed.

1. The sending department has an obligation to release a member of staff who has been successful in an application under the mobility programme. Where exceptional circumstances exist, the relevant accounting officers may decide on a later starting date.

1. The Counsellor Grade will be included in the scheme, both to allow moves of Counsellors to Principal Officer roles, and to fill appropriate Counsellor roles using the mobility process. Any moves from Principal Officer to Counsellor roles are subject to DFA requirements around travel.

1. Any Principal Officer (Higher) moving under the scheme will retain the higher scale on a personal to holder basis. However, no additional salary, by way of higher scale or otherwise, will apply to any moves i.e. moves under the scheme to positions in D/PER, D/Finance and D/Taoiseach will be at the Standard Scale.

Monitoring and Reporting:

1. CSHR Division in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is responsible for centrally monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the Principal Officer mobility protocol and will be reporting regularly to the Civil Service Management Board on the operation of the protocol by all Departments/Offices.

1. Following completion of the process, the HR unit of the advertising Department/Office will communicate a brief outline of the process to CSHR Division including the following information;
2. No. of applicants
3. Any refusals
4. Whether position was filled
5. Time taken to complete the process
6. Any difficulties encountered
7. Suggestions for improvements to the process

Appendix 1

Format for Advertisements:

Department/Office
Location
Key Responsibilities
No. of Staff Reporting
Required Skills
Desired Skills
HR Contact Details
Closing Date for Applications

Appendix 2

Career Details Form:

EDUCATION AND TRAINING HISTORY

1. Personal Details

Name
Grade
Current Position/Division
Department/Office
Email
Mobile number
Work number

1. Career History
2. Please present your career in reverse chronological order (last three or four roles – repeat as required) so that the most recent role appears first:

Position:
Organisation:
Dates from – to:
No. of staff:
Main responsibilities and achievements:

3. Educational Details

3.1 Please specify in each case:

(i)Level of qualification (e.g. certificate, diploma, B.A., BSc, M.A. MSc, PhD )

(ii)Title of qualification (e.g. Commerce, Law etc.)

(iii)Key subjects (up to 3) or in the case of a Masters by thesis or PhD indicate title of thesis

(iv)Year in which qualification was awarded

(v)Institution and (if different) Awarding Authority.

Qualification
Level / Qualification
Title / Key Subjects/
Title of Thesis / Year
Awarded / Educational
Institution/Awarding Authority
1
2
3
4
5

Please add on details of additional qualifications if required.

4.Training undertaken in the past ten years

4.1 Please specify training you have received in the last ten years:

Please expand table as necessary.

Course
Name / Year
Delivered / Institution
1
2
3
4
5

Data Protection and Confidentiality Statement

All personal information and views submitted by you in completing this document will be held and used solely for the purposes of the Principal Officer Mobility Programme.

All such information will be maintained safely and securely in line with the provisions of the Data Protection Acts 1998 and 2003. Your personal information will be treated in confidence and will not be shared with any third party.

1