Job Description
The Job: Senior Executive Officer – Age Friendly programme (12 month fixed-term contract)
Programme details:
Healthy Ireland (2013) is the national framework for action to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Ireland. Within this framework Ireland has adopted a whole of government approach to create an age-friendly Ireland within the context of its National Positive Ageing Strategy (2013). Effective, local joint working structures are required to complement national level activity and to support the realisation of the shared visions set out within these key frameworks. Within the framework of the World Health Organization (WHO’s) Age Friendly Cities and Communities model the 31 Age Friendly city and county programmes are making commitments to shared action plans addressing pillars spanning built environment, housing and health services, transport, and employment. Health and wellbeing is fundamental to the vision of the programme.
Position:
Reporting to the National Advisory Group via the Meath County Council Chief Executive, the Senior Executive Officer is responsible for the ongoing development and implementation of the programme’s strategy consistent with its agreed mission. The Senior Executive Officer will be responsible for ensuring delivery of the programme’s objectives and for the effective and efficient management of its operations. The Senior Executive Officer will be responsible for providing leadership for the Age Friendly Programme at national level working closely with local government, the HSE and the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to develop multi-sector commitment to the Programme’s interagency approach. The post holder will represent the programme and its approach publicly with the various external stakeholders and engage strategically with the decision makers within and across local government, the HSE, relevant agencies and government departments while informing and shaping future programme direction. This involves building capacity across statutory and non-statutory sectors for systems change through joint planning and co-ordination of services which respond to the needs associated with demographic change.
The position will be for a 12 month fixed-term period or until the National Shared Services Programme is implemented.
Responsibilities /Duties:
The Senior Executive Officer will have specific responsibility for leading and mainstreaming the Age Friendly Programme at national level as follows:
Providing strategic leadership for the implementation of the programme:
· Responsibility for creating a sense of shared ownership of the agenda within local government, the health services, An Garda Síochána and amongst key external stakeholders and agencies;
· Supporting the development and leading the implementation of a national strategy for the programme;
· Leading and coordinating delivery of the actions set out in the national strategy through collaborative working with the City and County Alliances and through other appropriate structures and mechanisms;
· Critically reviewing the programme at national and local levels and developing approaches for strengthening it to ensure effective implementation and mainstreaming;
· Building key relationships and optimising support for the programme from key stakeholders including local government, the HSE, government departments, statutory agencies, older peoples’ organisations and others, utilising a joint agency planning approach;
· Supporting the development of methods to gather, on an ongoing basis, valid, relevant and reliable evidence at city and county level against which; progress on positive ageing can be measured, programme impact can be assessed and communicated and effective, evidence based decisions can be made;
· Advising the National Advisory Group on key developments and how critical issues and challenges might be addressed;
· Facilitating an effective closure of the legal entity ‘Age Friendly Ireland’ alongside a discharge of any remaining obligations with funders.
Strengthening and embedding of the programme across all Local Authority areas and at national level:
· Supporting the design, development and implementation of appropriate plans so that the existing Programmes can be operated locally in an effective, sustainable manner in the absence of ongoing, direct support provided by Regional Managers;
· Developing and implementing a regional strategy and infrastructure to support the programme;
· Developing and providing centralised supports to the city and county based local authority programme coordinators including facilitated network meetings, guidelines and information sharing tools.
Facilitating the programme’s further mainstreaming and effective alignment with complementary multi-agency-multi-sectoral programmes:
· Raising the profile of the programme at national and local level in order to build support and enhance its mainstreaming potential;
· Facilitating Alliances and member agencies to collaborate on common age-friendly agendas and streamline their work to support local implementation of pertinent elements of relevant national strategies (e.g. Healthy Ireland, National Positive Ageing Strategy, Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness and others as relevant);
· Promoting the scaling up and wider application of high quality age-friendly measures by facilitating effective alignment with key local joint working structures, and most particularly the Local Community Development Committees (LCDC’s) and Public Participation Networks (PPN’s), and through the embedding of committed actions within key local plans such as the Local Economic and Community Plans (LECP’s);
· Enhancing the effectiveness of the cross agency collaborative approach at city/county level by optimising synergy with the Healthy City–Healthy County Programme and the pursuit of health and wellbeing goals;
· Collaborating with the Leads for Healthy Ireland, the National Positive Ageing Strategy, the Action Plan for Housing and other National Programmes to ensure alignment of activities, maximise synergies and avoid duplication of effort;
· Ensuring the programme secures the best possible advantages from participation in the WHO Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities Development of the Programme.
Providing effective leadership in relation to the programme:
· Providing vision and effective coordination for a 31 county and city network of programme coordinators to ensure the Programme continues to deliver on its strategic plan, remains fit for purpose and delivers on its mission;
· Supporting further knowledge transfer, network development and information exchange at local, regional and national level in order to secure strong local ownership and successful embedding of the Programme;
· Facilitating national and regional stakeholder networks of Chairs of Alliances, county/city based Administrative Officers, NGO’s and Older People’s Council’s to meet on quarterly/bi-annual bases to share good practice, facilitate problem solving and drive implementation of relevant actions from national policies/strategies;
· Leading the three person Age Friendly Programme Support Unit to support the delivery of the programme and managing the budgets and reporting relationships with all relevant funders.
· Reporting on the progress of the programme to the National Advisory Group, funders and other key programme stakeholders as required.
Qualifications
Character: Each candidate must be of good character.
Health:
Each candidate must be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
Education/ experience, etc.:
Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms have:
· Role related experience, knowledge and qualifications;
· Ability to provide energetic leadership and presence, and have passion for the opportunity the role provides to make a difference in the lives of older people;
· Proven track record in the management and delivery of significant change in a complex environment and in the implementation of comprehensive strategic change plans at national or similar level;
· Significant experience in successful execution of multiple, concurrent programmes involving multiple stakeholder groups and performance reporting on progress;
· The ability to build and maintain key relationships and lead, direct and influence multiple stakeholders and ensure buy-in to plans and their implementation;
· Excellent oral and written communications skills;
· Ability to think critically and strategically and to bring those skills to bear on strategies and priorities;
· Experience of achieving results by working collaboratively with multiple internal and external stakeholders;
· Have the requisite knowledge of both local government and health policy, service delivery and change management and the ability for the proper discharge of the duties outlined;
· Access to own transport as post will involve travel and work outside normal office hours.
Principal Conditions of Service
Type of Post: To form a panel from which a 12 month fixed-term post may be filled.
Salary: €64,426 - €79,313. Pending on service.
Probation:
(a) there shall be a period after such appointments take effect during which such persons shall hold the position on probation,
(b) such period shall be 9 months but the Chief Executive may at his or her discretion extend such period,
(c) such persons shall cease to hold the position at end of the period of probation unless during such period, the Chief Executive has certified that the service of such persons is satisfactory.
Superannuation Contribution:
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 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 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, are required, in respect of the Local Government (Spouses and Children’s Contributory Pension) Scheme, 1986, to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of their pensionable remuneration in accordance with the terms of the Scheme.
Format of the Competition
Applications must be made on the official application forms and all sections must be completed in full. When completing the application form accuracy is essential as it will be used as a computer input document. The information you supply in the application form will play a central part of the shortlisting process. Meath County Council’s decision to include you on the shortlist of candidates going forward to stage two of the process may be determined based on this information.
Where, by reason of the number of persons seeking admission to the competition and the standard of knowledge, training or experience in general of such persons, Meath County Council consider that it would be reasonable not to admit all the persons to the competition, Meath County Council may admit to the competition only persons who appear likely to them to attain in the competition a standard sufficient for selection and recommendation for appointment.
The admission of a person to a competition, or invitation to attend an interview, is not to be taken as implying that Meath County Council are satisfied that such person fulfils the requirements of the Regulations or is not disqualified by law from holding the position and does not carry a guarantee that your application will receive further consideration. It is important therefore, for you to note the onus is on you to ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements for the competition before attending for interview. If you do not meet these essential entry requirements but nevertheless attend for interview you will be putting yourself to unnecessary expense, as Meath County Council will not be responsible for refunding any expenses incurred.
The competition may consist of a two-stage process:
1. Short-listing
2. Competitive interview
Meath County Council may at their discretion require candidates to attend a preliminary interview in which case admission to the competitive interview would be conditional on candidates reaching such a standard as Meath County Council considered appropriate in the preliminary interview.
Interviews shall be conducted by Board(s) set up by Meath County Council. The Board(s) will assess the merits of candidates (except insofar as they are assessed otherwise) in respect of matters referred to in the prescribed Qualifications and any other relevant matters. Before making its final assessment a Board may recall a candidate for further questioning. Any such further attendance shall be regarded as part of the interview. Only candidates who reach such a standard as Meath County Council consider satisfactory in the competitive interview shall be considered for selection.
Before being recommended for appointment candidates shall satisfy Meath County Council that they possess the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability and where administrative experience is a requirement a high standard of administrative capacity) for the proper discharge of the duties of the position. Meath County Council may, at their discretion, select and recommend another person(s) for appointment on the results of this competition if the person recommended for appointment does not accept the appointment or, having accepted it, relinquishes it or if an additional vacancy arises.
The onus is on all applicants to make themselves available for the obligatory test(s) on the date(s) specified by Meath County Council and to make whatever arrangements are necessary to ensure that they receive communications sent to them at the address specified on their application form.
Canvassing will disqualify.
General Information
Meath County Council will not be responsible for any expense, including travelling expenses, candidates may occur in connection with their candidature.
Candidates shall undergo such medical examinations (which may include special tests) as Meath County Council consider necessary. Medical Examiners will be nominated by Meath County Council. Candidates will be required to pay the fee for any general medical examination or, unless determine otherwise, the fee for any examination by a medical specialist or for any special test and on receipt of bill, Meath County Council will re-imburse the candidate. Candidates must comply, at their own expense, with such remedial requirements as Meath County Council consider necessary.
Pension Arrangements and Retirement Age:
Candidates will be informed of their superannuation position at time an offer of appointment is being made.
Closing Date:
This Application Form, when completed, should be returned by email to by 1st March 2017
Note: Please include ‘Senior Executive Officer – Age Friendly Programme’ as a reference in the subject line before e-mailing application. Electronic applications will be acknowledged automatically. Please keep this acknowledgement as proof of delivery of your application. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact the HR Department at 046-9097040.