Civil Service Career Path

What is the role?
As a Higher Executive Officer, you will be a key member of the mid-management team and report to and support an Assistant Principal in pursuit of goals of the organisation. You will advise and interact with senior management in respect of their areas of responsibility and play a central role in driving organisational change. To be successful at this grade, you must have experience in managing and leading teams, coordinating projects, managing budgets and developing or implementing policy.

What are the requirements?
Details on the particular skills and requirements for this role can be found in the Competition Information Booklet for each campaign at this level. You will need to meet the competency skills deemed necessary to serve effectively in the Civil and Public Service. Examples of the competencies could include Problem Solving, Teamwork, Decision Making, and Team Leadership amongst others. You might also find it useful to look at the Higher Executive Officer Competency Model Framework.

Salary:
Starting salary is €52,373.

Learning and Development:
The training and development opportunities you might experience in the Civil and Public Service depend on several things, including the specific role you have been offered, the Organisation/ Department you have been placed in, and the skills required to carry out your job in the role.

Depending on the role, as a Higher Executive Officer you could expect to advance your personal skills in a wide range of different ways, and you could have the opportunity to up-skill and develop yourself professionally through high-quality training programmes, mentoring and support systems, internal training initiatives, and many more – all in order to make sure you have the skills and knowledge required to succeed in a fast-paced and results-oriented role in the Public Service.

What is the role?

The Assistant Principal is a senior managerial grade in the Civil Service. The role is extremely diverse, citizen driven and very rewarding. The exact nature of the role varies depending on the sector and Department/Office in which the vacancy arises.

Assistant Principals are key participants in the senior management process of Departments/Offices with a critical management role in implementing government policy in the economic, financial, international, environmental and/or social arenas.

Specific duties and responsibilities include:

• Participating in the development of national economic, social and business strategies and policies.
• Advising top management on the practical implications of key business decisions and proposals.
• Translating high-level decisions into practical programmes of action.
• Providing appellate functions where members of the public can make appeals against administrative decisions, such as in the various Ombudsman offices.
• Participating on national committees and representing the State on international organisations.

What are the requirements?
Details on the particular skills and requirements for this role can be found in the Competition Information Booklet for each campaign at this level. You might also find it useful to look at the Assistant Principal Competency Model Framework for this level. 

Salary:
Starting salary is €72,511.

Learning & Development:
The training and development opportunities you might experience in the Civil and Public Service depend on several things, including the specific role you have been offered, the Organisation/ Department you have been placed in, and the skills required to carry out your role.

Depending on the role, as an Assistant Principal Officer you could expect to advance your personal skills in a wide range of different ways, and you could have the opportunity to up-skill and develop yourself professionally through high-quality training programmes, mentoring and support systems, internal training initiatives, and many more – all in order to make sure you have the skills and knowledge required to succeed in a fast-paced and results-oriented role in the Civil and Public Service.

What is the role?

As senior managers in the Civil Service, Principal Officers have a key role in advising on government policy and subsequent responsibility for its implementation. Typically, a Principal Officer will lead a unit or division, overseeing the implementation of the Department’s objectives and take responsibility for providing the leadership required to deliver a responsive and inclusive service.

It is a diverse role which can vary from Department to Department and from post to post. This role involves acting as a key participant in the senior management process of Departments/Offices with a critical influencing role in implementing or advising on government policy in the economic, financial, international, environmental and/or social arenas.

You may have responsibility in areas such as:

• Formulating and developing policies, business plans and expenditure budgets.
• Providing advice on emerging policy proposals to Assistant Secretaries, Secretaries General, Ministers and Government.
• Preparing legislation and providing expert advice to Ministers and members of the Oireachtas.
• Monitoring policy formulation, strategy, legislative and regulatory development of a range of state, semi-state, the private sector and national organisations.
• Representing the State on EU, Anglo-Irish and Cross-Border bodies.
• Participating in meetings of international organisations where decisions reached may be of vital importance to Irish economic and social well-being.

Furthermore, as a Principal Officer you may be required to act as a representative for your Departments/Offices in the media, at Oireachtas Committees, and may also represent the country at a European and international level.

What are the requirements?

You might also find it useful to look at the Principal Officer Competency Model Framework for this level. Further details on the particular skills and requirements for this role can be found in the Competition Information Booklet for each campaign at this level.

Salary:
Starting salary is €94,357.

Learning & Development:
The training and development opportunities you might experience in the Civil and Public Service depend on several things, including the specific role you have been offered, the Organisation/ Department you have been placed in, and the skills required to carry out your job in the role.

Depending on the role, as an Principal Officer you could expect to advance your personal skills in a wide range of different ways, and you could have the opportunity to up-skill and develop yourself professionally through high-quality training programmes, mentoring and support systems, internal training initiatives, and many more – all in order to make sure you have the skills and knowledge required to succeed in a fast-paced and results-oriented role in the Civil and Public Service.

What is the role?

Assistant Secretary is the title typically given to the Head of a Division(s) in a Civil Service Department who will also sit on the management board for that department. The Assistant Secretary competency model reflects what is needed to operate effectively in the environment in which public servants and Assistant Secretaries find themselves, in a period of high demand for increased pace of decision making and delivery, increased complexity and volume of demand, fewer resources, increased media and public scrutiny and an ambitious and progressive public service reform programme.

What are the requirements?

The specific requirements will vary from post-to-post but typically the person appointed will have:

• A proven track record of significant achievement as a leader and senior manager in a large, complex service delivery organisation.
• Experience of developing key strategies and policies and implementing a vision across a large and disparate organisations.
• A track record in change management in a large operational environment and ensuring flexibility in response to emerging social needs.
• Sound judgement and a capacity to deal effectively with complex interrelated issues across diverse public policy areas and on the implications of different approaches.
• Excellent communication skills and a track record in managing relationships, providing clarity, developmental leadership and delivering results.
• Strong experience in project management and financial management.
• Balancing strategic focus over the longer term and delivering results at pace.

Further details on the particular skills and requirements for this role can be found in the Competition Information Booklet for each campaign at this level.

Salary:
Starting salary is €149,641.

Learning and Development:
The Senior Public Service (SPS) was established with the aim of strengthening senior management and leadership across the Civil and Public Service. Membership is currently comprised of all serving and newly appointed civil servants at Secretary General, Deputy and Assistant Secretary and Director levels and related departmental and professional grades.

The SPS Leadership Development Strategy, approved by Government, sets out the initiatives to be implemented for the SPS in the period 2017-2020, including executive coaching, development programmes, mobility opportunities and networking events. The goal is to equip the SPS with the skills and supports necessary in meeting the key business and leadership challenges facing a modern Civil Service and to support lasting change at an individual, organisational and Civil Service level.

What is the role?
The Secretary General is the title typically given to the Head of a Civil Service Department. The Secretary General is responsible for the effective and efficient management of the Department, including particular financial responsibilities as Accounting Officer, providing advice to Ministers, delivering outputs and outcomes, addressing cross-cutting matters and being accountable before Oireachtas Committees as required.

As the head of an organisation, the Secretary General is assisted by a senior management team typically known as a Management Board, which acts as a team and a unifying force, providing leadership and direction for the organisation.

What are the requirements?
The specific requirements will vary from post-to-post but typically the person appointed will have:

• A proven track record of significant achievement as a leader and senior manager in a large, complex service delivery organisation.
• Experience of developing key strategies and policies and implementing a vision across a large and disparate organisations.
• A track record in change management in a large operational environment and ensuring flexibility in response to emerging social needs.
• Sound judgement and a capacity to deal effectively with complex interrelated issues across diverse public policy areas and on the implications of different approaches.
• Excellent communication skills and a track record in managing relationships, providing clarity, developmental leadership and delivering results.

Further details on the particular skills and requirements for this role can be found in the Competition Information Booklet for each campaign at this level.

Salary:
Starting salary is €204,630.

Learning and Development:
The Senior Public Service (SPS) was established with the aim of strengthening senior management and leadership across the Civil and Public Service. Membership is currently comprised of all serving and newly appointed civil servants at Secretary General, Deputy and Assistant Secretary, and Director levels and related Departmental and professional grades.

The SPS Leadership Development Strategy, approved by Government, sets out the initiatives to be implemented for the SPS in the period 2017-2020, including executive coaching, development programmes, mobility opportunities and networking events. The goal is to equip the SPS with the skills and supports necessary in meeting the key business and leadership challenges facing a modern civil service and to support lasting change at an individual, organisational and Civil Service level.