Executive Officer positions in the Civil Service

bobbysands81

Seeing as there's quite a few people asking about when there's a new EO competition coming up I thought I'd post a new thread so that folk might see.

There is both an open and interdepartmental EO competition due to run concurrently in November this year.

CPSU members will find the announcement on Page 3 of the latest Aontas Magazine - http://www.cpsu.ie/Images/ListBuilder/Documents/aontas_may_jun_2014.pdf

Mrs OBumble

Nice one, thanks bobbysands81.

I guess people should sign up at publicjobs.ie if they want to get email alerts when it comes up?

Tarzana

What does an executive officer do?

Any how will the application process differ?

Thanks!

gerbilgranny

In my place of work, an Executive Officer manages a team of about 6 people.

However, in another branch of my 'organisation', Executive Officers work on their own - i.e. they do stuff, but they don't have to manage staff.

I did an internal E.O. competition a few years ago (but wasn't successful, and now that I'm ancient, I won't be bothering again), and the selection process for that competition involved an aptitude test that comprised of a numerical test, a verbal aptitude test, and a test that involved 'scenarios' - which would be very similar to those in the recent Clerical Officer test. Successful candidates (of which I was one) are called to interview - but I flunked that.

In internal competitions, these competency-based interviews require solid examples of how the candidate achieved such-and-such.

I would imagine that the external competition would follow similar lines - although I would have thought that the educational requirements would be a third-level qualification.

jobseekr1

Thanks for that. I have lots of questions if people could help..
Any idea how many EO jobs there will be and also will it be 50/50 between internal and external candidates?
I presume HEO is between EO and AO?
And is there any chance of a HEO campaign?
What sort of things do I need to be practising between now and November, and the EO tests?
Will the EO/AO campaigns attract as many people as we saw in the recent CO campaign?
Is there any private courses run for the likes of the EO and AO campaigns?
Would the material for the EO test in terms of the online tests be broadly similar to that which was on the CO campaigns?

cerise

last few times I did this. 4 out of every 5 positions went to internal candidates union rules. As an outsider u need to be in the top 25-50 to be called for interview.

Plek Trum

Can anyone provide a link to the details - had a look on publicjobs.ie and cannot locate same. Thanks!

Twas Not

What's the salary scale for this position?

Uriel.

jobseekr1 wrote: »

Thanks for that. I have lots of questions if people could help..
Any idea how many EO jobs there will be and also will it be 50/50 between internal and external candidates?
I presume HEO is between EO and AO?
And is there any chance of a HEO campaign?
What sort of things do I need to be practising between now and November, and the EO tests?
Will the EO/AO campaigns attract as many people as we saw in the recent CO campaign?
Is there any private courses run for the likes of the EO and AO campaigns?
Would the material for the EO test in terms of the online tests be broadly similar to that which was on the CO campaigns?

HEO and AO are different, but neither is above the other. they've a slightly different salary scale progression but both end up on the same salary at the top of the scale.

Typically AOs are recruited with specific skills, and are accordingly assigned to specific roles/tasks. Because they tend to specialise it could be argued that career progression is more likely compared to a HEO but as with most things, this is not a rule and will largely depend on each individual and their performance etc

Uriel.

Tarzana wrote: »

What does an executive officer do?

Any how will the application process differ?

Thanks!

EO work differs widely depending where the person works. EOs would expect to be the first stage in the research, analysis and development of policy in some places, working solo or in conjunction with HEO etc or in other (staff heavy Departments) take on managerial roles and decision making (E.g. Welfare)

Cakewheels

Thanks OP. When it says 'November', does anyone know how long it would usually take before the first people would start? I presume there must be a lot of individual stages to the campaign.

gerbilgranny

Brush up on your Calculus!

(well, if the standard of the numerical test in the recent CO assessment is anything to go by....:D)

bobbysands81

loughgill wrote: »

Thanks OP. When it says 'November', does anyone know how long it would usually take before the first people would start? I presume there must be a lot of individual stages to the campaign.

At the very least 3 months and possibly quite a bit longer. Recruitment in CS in incredibly slow and although there's been all sorts of dramatic improvements in all aspects of CS over last few years recruitment still seems very slow.

The_Conductor

bobbysands81 wrote: »

At the very least 3 months and possibly quite a bit longer. Recruitment in CS in incredibly slow and although there's been all sorts of dramatic improvements in all aspects of CS over last few years recruitment still seems very slow.

If you're going by the interdepartmental EO to HEO competition- from start to finish has taken just shy of 10 months- though of course there were issues associated with this competition.

It could take a protracted time to run this competition- given that PAS are running a number of recruitment drives at present- and they themselves are also operating under staffing constraints.

If someone had a list of the current competitions- and the order of priority they have associated with them- and also whether there are sanctioned posts associated with the competitions- it would be very helpful.

At the moment- I'm only aware of the second group of 110 Garda posts- which don't even have sanction as yet..........

bobbysands81

UPDATE:

There is an Executive Officer campaign due to take place towards the end of this year but it has not been confirmed yet.

If you register on www.publicjobs.ie you can set up job alerts under different categories / Sub categories that will notify you when positions are advertised.

The Executive Officer should be advertised under Administrative - General admin or Graduate and Trainee / Junior Management - Graduate Opportunities.

Regards,

Public Appointments Service

The_Conductor

There was confirmation that recruitment would occur at this grade, when the embargo officially ends next year (I'll try to find a link to the clip on RTE and post it here- if/when I get it). To recruit at this grade- they need the competition beforehand- so presumably- when the AO competition finishes- they'll move onto the EO competition.

I think its optimistic to expect it before the end of the year- the AO competition application date is the end of October- so they'll not have much time to anything done on it before the year's end?

BRYAN Is Ainm Dom

There has already been a couple of EO and HEO advertisments over last few months in Office Government Procurement, I know that there more positions to be advertised but I don't know how many or when.

The_Conductor

I thought those were all internal competitions for serving civil servants?

BRYAN Is Ainm Dom

The_Conductor wrote: »

I thought those were all internal competitions for serving civil servants?

Yes I think the first few were but the recent HEO competition was open to everybody.

bobbysands81

The_Conductor wrote: »

I thought those were all internal competitions for serving civil servants?

There are two EO competitions due before year end.

1. An open one that anyone can apply for.

2. A confined competition for serving Civil Servants.

Other Departments seem to be having their own internal promotions which are separate to the above 2 national competitions.

ezra_pound

Brendan Howlin suggests eo competition before end of month.

https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-11-06a.79

IKCL

I presume that if you apply for the external EO competition, but subsequently gain employment from the CO comp, you are still eligible for the external EO comp ??

The_Conductor

IKCL wrote: »

I presume that if you apply for the external EO competition, but subsequently gain employment from the CO comp, you are still eligible for the external EO comp ??

The competitions are treated wholly independently of one another. If you do accept a CO post first- and are subsequently offered an EO post- your new home Department (where you are placed as a CO) would have first dibs on you- if they turn down the opportunity to keep you as an EO- you would then be offered the next available post in the area. Depending on the business needs of the section you are employed in as a CO- you may be asked to work out notice (though they rarely enforce this).

Houdini212

Mystic Meg here. The competition will be advertised later today

The_Conductor

Houdini212 wrote: »

Mystic Meg here. The competition will be advertised later today

Nothing there yet.......?

Zipppy

Houdini212 wrote: »

Mystic Meg here. The competition will be advertised later today

Fail

Houdini212

Zipppy wrote: »

Fail

Apologies, it was meant to go out late on Friday according to a union boss. Monday and Tuesday seems the more likely now.

Zipppy

only kidding with you houdini

The_Conductor

Houdini212 wrote: »

Apologies, it was meant to go out late on Friday according to a union boss. Monday and Tuesday seems the more likely now.

Probably CPSU........

maupat

Any more updates on when the Open EO competition will be advertised?

Also, does anyone know (with some degree of certainty) when/if there will be an interdepartmental EO competition anytime soon?

starlit

Only seen the odd EO position advertised on its own hopefully they have an overall external EO positions campaign. No sign of an EO one similar campaigns to CO/AO yet?