PDST Advisor

Job Description and General Notes

  1. Competition

The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) is a cross sectoral support service under the remit of the Teacher Education Section of the Department of Education and Skills (DES) which offers professional development support to primary and post-primary teachers and principals.

Amongst the priorities for the Department of Education and Skills for the coming years is the continued implementation of proposals to improve Literacy and Numeracy in both primary and post-primary schools. Other major priorities will include supporting school self-evaluation.

The PDST currently has a number of full-time secondment opportunities for the position of advisor.

All applicants must be suitably qualified, serving primary or post primary teachers/principals, fully registered with the Teaching Council and must currently hold a recognised post in a recognised primary or post-primary school, or be on secondment from such a position.

The advisors will work as part of a national team providing local, regional and national professional development and support for teachers in priority educational areas.

  1. Job Description

Advisors will typically carry out a range of the following tasks:

  • work with teachers and demonstrate exemplars of effective teaching and learning strategies, approaches and methodologies across a range of curricular areas
  • support school-based collaborative continuing professional development in adopting whole-school, group and individual pupil approaches to literacy and numeracy
  • prepare and provide resource materials for professional development and support
  • advise and support schools in the development of self-evaluation practices, in prioritising and setting targets and in school development planning
  • visit schools and/or clusters of schools to engage with principals, in-school management teams, small or whole-staff groups
  • provide targeted professional development support,as required, following whole-school evaluation
  • provide support for schools in relation to aspects of Section 24 of the Education Act 1998
  • contribute to the planning, scheduling, monitoring and review of the PDST Team professional development plan for primary and/or post-primary teachers
  • contribute to the maintenance and development of existing web-based support
  • support the integration of ICT into teaching and learning
  • co-operate, liaise and maintain effective communication with the national director, deputy directors, team leaders, advisors and education centre directors as appropriate
  • liaise and collaborate with other members of the team, associate trainers and local facilitators, as required, to ensure cohesion and consistency in service delivery
  • train and mobilise part time personnel as required
  • participate in PDSTmeetings and team events
  • compile and provide reports (including the recording of continuing professional development (CPD) support provided to schools) for the team leader on an ongoing basis, and as required
  • support the team leader in the preparation of budgets where necessary
  • cooperate with external evaluators of the service
  • other responsibilities may be assigned over time.

The duties undertaken by the advisors may vary in accordance with emerging needs and priorities. Typically, advisors will work in one or more of the following teams:

1. Literacy (incorporating Gaeilge, Learning Support, Reading Recovery, First Steps, EAL)
2. Numeracy (incorporating Learning Support, Math Recovery, Ready Steady Go)
3. School Improvement (including School Self- Evaluation, Leadership and Teacher Professional Competence, SPHE and Child Protection)
4. Subject Specific Support at Post-Primary (including Gaeilge and post-primary national programmes, such as LCA etc)
5. Curriculum Reform (including JCSP)
6. Primary Curriculum Support (including Gaeilge)

3. Range of knowledge, experience and skills required:

Ideally the successful candidate will have a range of expertise in the following areas:

  • involvement in curricular innovation/development and/or experience in the design and delivery of teacher professional development including evidence of a capacity to mobilise and support teacher reflection, enquiry and classroom-based research
  • a thorough knowledge of the education system generally and an in-depth knowledge of the curriculum at primary or post primary-levels
  • in-depth knowledge and expertise in a particular area such as language teaching (English and/or Irish), literacy, numeracy, learning-support, DEIS, leadership, planning, curricular area, SSE/school improvement, junior and/or senior cycle programme(s) etc.
  • understanding of legislative requirements for schools (including Section 24 of the Education Act 1998)
  • ability to support whole-school improvement
  • capacity to work independently and as part of a team
  • excellent interpersonal, communication, facilitation and presentation skills
  • capacity to work in specific and generic areas of support
  • ability to pro-actively organise and coordinate the work of others
  • excellent organisational, management and ICT skills
  • an enterprising approach to tasks and the capability to undertake the innovative and challenging elements of the work
  • flexibility to meet the needs of the organisation, including a willingness to engage in travel and/or evening work as necessary.

Experience of teaching through the medium of Irish and fluency in the language will be an advantage for all posts and is a requirement for some.

4. Location

  • Successful candidates will be seconded to Dublin West Education Centre and will report to the PDST management team.
  • It will not be a requirement that the advisor be based in Dublin West Education Centre. S/he will however, be expected to travel there and elsewhere as necessary.
  • Successful candidates will be required to have their own means of transport and to possess and retain a full driving licence.
  • Public service travel and subsistence rates will apply and will be calculated from your local designated Education Centre, or home, as appropriate.

5. Competition

  • Secondment to the team will be effective from 1 September2013 or as soon as possible thereafter. Candidates must be eligible for full-time secondment as per circular 11/02 for primary and 0107/2006 for post primary*. The persons appointed will be seconded for an initial period of one school year, subject to satisfactory completion of a 3 month probationary period, with a possibility of further extensions available in line with DES regulations for secondments.
  • Each appointment is subject to the sanction of the Department of Education and Skills.
  • The secondment contract will provide for on-going performance review.
  • Health, sick leave and general work record must be satisfactory.

* If you are unsure as to your eligibility for secondment, please contact Paul McClearn in the Department of Education and Skills (090 6484227) or email

6. Salary

The salary for an advisor is in accordance with Category 4 as provided for by the 2003 Arbitration Award in respect of teachers on secondment, subject to the conditions outlined below.

Remuneration is at all times subject to the relevant DES or Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regulations and circulars.In that regard, candidates should note thatsecondment allowancesfor new secondees are currently on hold, pending a review of same.The allowances below may bepayable to successful candidates, depending on the outcome of the review.

An advisor is entitled to all of the following:

  • her/his relevant point on the Teachers’ Common Basic Scale, plus
  • an honours primary degree allowance
  • an honours Higher Diploma in Education allowance
  • the standard Category 4 secondment allowance, which is pensionable (see table below)

Seconded Category / PDST Position / Teachers’ Common Basic Scale / Honours Degree Allowance / Honours H.D.E Allowance / Standard Secondment Allowance
4 / Advisor / As Applicable / €4,918 pa
@1/1/2010 / €1,236 pa
@ 1/1/2010 / €10,130 pa
@ 1/1/2010

Note: Circular 004/2010 refers

For teachers newly appointed to their teaching post since 01/01/2011 a 10% reduction applies to these allowances as per circular 004/2011

Seconded Category / PDST Position / Teachers’ Common Basic Scale / Honours Degree Allowance / Honours H.D.E Allowance / Standard Secondment Allowance
4 / Advisor / As Applicable / €4,426 pa
@1/1/2011 / €1,112 pa
@ 1/1/2011 / €9,117 pa
@ 1/1/2011

Note: Circular 004/2011 refers

Post of responsibility allowances will not be payable to seconded personnel who are in receipt of the above secondment allowances.

7. Selection Procedure

  • Selection will be by way of competitive interview. Shortlisting may apply.
  • Applications should be made by submission of a completed application form. This should be submitted in electronic format by 5pm on Thursday 6th Juneto
  • Note that four signed hard copies must also be submitted by 5pm on Thursday 6th June to:

Aine Duffy,

Administrator,

Professional Development Services for Teachers

14 Joyce Way,

Park West Business Park,

Nangor Road,

Dublin 12.

Telephone: (01) 4358578

  • Late applications will not be considered.
  • A selection committee will be established to carry out all aspects of the selection process.
  • It is the responsibility of the candidates to make themselves available for interview, if invited to attend. Candidates should note that it may not be possible to provide an alternative date. Interviews will be completed by mid-July.
  • Those called for interview will be asked to make a 5 minute presentation to the interview panel focusing on the applicant’s vision for the position and the contribution s/he could make to professional development with the PDST.
  • A panel may be formed from which future vacancies at advisor level may be filled.

8. Release from Present Post

  • It is a matter for successful candidates to secure the agreement of their school authorities for release to take up a post for the period concerned.
  • Successful candidates will be expected to be available to take up appointment on 1st September 2013.
  • Commitment of release from your employer will be required. On receipt of an offer the successful candidate will be asked to seek immediate confirmation from his/her employer (e.g. Chairperson of the Board of Management). This signed statement should indicate that the employer (e.g. Chairperson of the Board of Management) is in a position to release the successful applicant.

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