Office of the Prime Minister
Post of Senior Legal Officer in the Department for Industrial and Employment Relations within the Office of the Prime Minister
Nomenclatures denoting the male gender include also the female gender.
1. The Director (Finance and Administration), Office of the Prime Minister, invites applications for the post of Senior Legal Officer in the Department for Industrial and Employment Relations within the Office of the Prime Minister.
Terms and Conditions
2.1 This appointment is subject to a probationary period of twelve (12) months.
2.2 The salary for the post of Senior Legal Officer is Salary Scale 6, which in the year 2023 is equivalent to, €29,446.19 per annum, rising by annual increments of €596.33 up to a maximum of €33,024.17.
2.3 In view of the special nature of the duties involved, a selected candidate may also be entitled to a disturbance allowance of up to 15% of the basic salary for work performed regularly after office hours, and/or duties of an extraordinary nature undertaken beyond office hours, as may be required by management and subject to the approval of the Director General for Industrial and Employment Relations. The allowance may be increased up to 25% in exceptional circumstances and on the approval of higher authority and in line with the Sectoral Agreement. The disturbance allowance is not an automatic allowance and is payable on a month to month basis subject to approval as indicated above.
2.4 The appointee will be entitled to such other benefits and subject to such other conditions as may be stipulated in any pertinent agreement with the Government of Malta and the competent union.
2.5 The appointee must ensure that s/he operates within the framework of the Code of Ethics and of Section 6.2.3 of the Public Service Management Code, and will not carry any form of outside work outside the Government employment which may lead to a conflict with thier official duties with the Government. Private work invariably necessitates the permission of the Permanent Secretary.
2.6 Lateral applications in the same grade from public officers are not allowed.
2.7 Accepting appointment in this grade signifies that any pending applications within the Public Service are automatically considered renounced, unless the latter are applications for SAAC/ADAC positions or applications for a definite position.
Duties
3. The job duties for the post of Senior Legal Officer include:
i. Provides legal advice to the Department and assist Compliance Officers in the preparation of court cases;
ii. Performs legal work in accordance with the standards of the profession including the preparation and filing of judicial acts;
iii. Advices and represent the Department and the Head of Department before the courts/tribunals in Malta/Gozo as necessary;
iv. Attends and participate in training, meetings, conferences and seminars in Malta and abroad;
v. Carry out legal research, perform analysis, draw up reports and cabinet memos as may be required;
vi. Liaises with the Office of the Attorney General, State Advocate and other Government Departments as necessary in matters related to the Department;
vii. Draw and/or advise in the drawing up of official scheduled forms or notices related to the Department's role and function;
viii. Assists in the policy formulation, transposition of EU legislation and other functions of the Department by the preparation of briefs in relation to areas falling within the remit of the Department;
ix. Drafts laws and regulations, including amendments to existing legislation, as well contracts and other written instruments and to peruse documents drafted by others;
x. Pays attention to details and information gathered through the processing, analyses and evaluation of cases, to be able to take the necessary action;
xi. Maintains and communicate a positive and professional attitude during communication with competent authorities;
xii. Undertakes any other duties which may be updated to meet the requirements of any other area as confirmed by the Permanent Secretary;
xiii. Any other duties as directed by the Principal Permanent Secretary.
Eligibility Requirements
4.1 By the closing time and date of this call for applications, applicants must be:
i. a. citizens of Malta; or
b. citizens of other Member States of the European Union who are entitled to equal treatment to Maltese citizens in matters of employment by virtue of EU legislation and treaty provisions dealing with the free movement of workers; or
c. citizens of any other country who are entitled to equal treatment to Maltese citizens in matters related to employment by virtue of the application to that country of EU legislation and treaty provisions dealing with the free movement of workers; or
d. any other persons who are entitled to equal treatment to Maltese citizens in matters related to employment in terms of the law or the above-mentioned EU legislation and treaty provisions, on account of their family relationship with persons mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c); or
e. third country nationals who have been granted long-term resident status in Malta under regulation 4 of the 'Status of Long-Term Residents (Third Country Nationals) Regulations, 2006' or who have been granted a residence permit under regulation 18(3) thereof, together with family members of such third country nationals who have been granted a residence permit under the 'Family Reunification Regulations, 2007'; or
f. in possession of a residence document issued in terms of the 'Residence Status of United Kingdom Nationals and their Family Members in Malta in accordance with the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community Regulations'.
The advice of the Citizenship Unit within Community Malta Agency and the Expatriates Unit within Identity Malta Agency should be sought as necessary in the interpretation of the above provisions.
The appointment of candidates referred to at (b), (c), (d) and (e) above would necessitate the issue of an employment licence in so far as this is required by the Immigration Act and subsidiary legislation. Jobsplus should be consulted as necessary on this issue.
ii. must be proficient in the Maltese and English languages;
iii. have a warrant to practice as an advocate in Malta;
iv. must have five (5) years experience as an Advocate after obtaining the warrant;
Public officers applying for this post must be confirmed in their current appointment, unless the current appointment is in a different class/career stream or in a definite position. Reversion to previous unconfirmed appointment is not possible.
4.2 (i) Qualifications at a level higher than that specified above will be accepted for eligibility purposes, provided they meet any specified subject requirements.
(ii) Moreover, candidates who have not yet formally obtained any of the above-mentioned qualifications will still be considered. Such candidates are to submit evidence that they have been approved for the award of the qualification in question.
(iii) Furthermore, candidates who are currently following a recognised programme of study at a higher MQF level than that requested above will also be considered. Such candidates are to submit evidence that they have successfully completed the necessary ECTS/ECVETS credits, or equivalent, and attained the required MQF level, by the closing time and date of the call for applications.
4.3 Public officers holding a grade in a particular stream, and who were granted Officer in Scale status by virtue of a Grievances Unit decision in the same scale as that of a higher grade in that stream, are eligible to apply for grades open to officers holding such higher grade within the stream that carries the same scale as that of the Officer in Scale status.
The years of service since the effective date of appointment as Officer in Scale are reckonable for the purpose of satisfying any requisite years of service stipulated in calls for applications.
Any other eligibility requisites for the post must be met in terms of this call for applications.
4.4 Public officers who currently hold an appointment as Officer in Grade are considered on a personal basis to pertain to the class/stream of their immediately previous substantive grade, and may apply on the basis of their current scale as Officer in Grade, which must be equivalent to, or higher than, what is required by this call for applications.
The years of service since the effective date of appointment as Officer in Grade are reckonable for the purpose of satisfying any requisite years of 'service in the grade' as stipulated in calls for applications.
Any other eligibility requisites for the post/position must be met in terms of this call for applications
4.5 Applicants must be of conduct which is appropriate to the post applied for. In the case of applicants who are already in the Malta Public Service, the GP 47 is to be requested by the HR Unit of the ministry/department issuing the call for application from the Director responsible for HR where applicants are serving, while those applying from outside the Public Service must produce a certificate of conduct issued by the Police or other competent authority not earlier than one (1) month from the date of application and state whether they have ever been in Government Service, giving details.
4.6 Applicants must be eligible to take up their due appointment, in terms of 4.1 to 4.5 above, not only by the closing time and date of this call for applications but also on the date of appointment.
4.7 Applicants are obliged to immediately inform the selection board (if result has not yet been published, in which case the application should be withdrawn by the applicant) or the HR Unit within the issuing ministry/department (if result has been published) upon any change in the status of their appointment from the date of submission of their application until the closing date, or upon being called for appointment as a result, of this call for application, as the case may be. Non-observance of this instruction may lead to disciplinary action. On its part, at the start of the interview, the selection board will request the candidate to declare any changes in status of his/her current appointment from the date of submission of application.
4.8 Prospective applicants should note the requirement to produce MQRIC recognition statements in respect of their qualifications from MQRIC, or other designated authorities, as applicable, as per provisions applicable to this call for applications (see link below).
Submission of Supporting Documents
5.1 Qualifications and experience claimed must be supported by certificates/transcripts and/or testimonials, copies of which are to be scanned and sent through the Recruitment Portal (https://recruitment.gov.mt).
5.2 Original certificates and/or testimonials are to be invariably produced for verification at the interview.
Selection Procedures
6.1 Eligible applicants will be assessed by a selection board to determine their suitability for the post. The maximum mark for this selection process is 100% and the pass mark is 50%.
6.2 Due consideration will be given to applicants who, besides the requisites indicated in paragraphs 4.1 to 4.5, have proven relevant work experience.
Submission of Applications
7.1 Applications are to be submitted, for the attention of the People Management Section, Finance and Administration Directorate, Office of the Prime Minister, through the Online Government Recruitment Portal only (https://recruitment.gov.mt). Applications are to include a Curriculum Vitae (which should include a list of qualifications held by applicant). Those applying from outside the Public Service must produce a certificate of conduct which has been issued not earlier than one (1) month from the date of application, in PDF format, which are to be uploaded through the portal. The closing date of the receipt of applications is 5.15 p.m. (Central European Time) of Monday, 12th June, 2023. A computer-generated email will be sent as an acknowledgement of the application. Further details concerning the submission of applications are contained in the general provisions referred to below.
7.2 It is the responsibility of the applicants not to leave until the last thirty (30) minutes for submission of their application.
7.3 Applications which are received after closing date and time (i.e. late applications) are not allowed.
7.4 Applicants are granted up to two (2) working days after closing date or up to two (2) working days from date of notification, whichever is the latter, to submit any incorrect or incomplete or missing documents.
Other General Provisions
8. Other general provisions concerning this call for applications, with particular reference to:
applicable benefits, conditions and rules/regulations;
reasonable accommodation for registered persons with disability;
submission of recognition statements in respect of qualifications;
publication of the result;
medical examination;
the process for the submission of petitions concerning the result;
access to application forms and related details;
retention of documents,
may be viewed by accessing the website of the People and Standards Division (https://recruitmentintra.gov.mt/generalprovisions/GeneralProvisionsEN.pdf) or may be obtained from the People Management Section, Finance and Administration Directorate, Office of the Prime Minister, Auberge de Castille, Valletta. These general provisions are to be regarded as an integral part of this call for applications.
The website address and email address of the receiving Directorate are (http://www.opm.gov.mt) and (human-resources.opm@gov.mt).
26th May, 2023
