1. The Director General (Operations), on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning invites applications for the post of Junior Legal Officer in the Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning.

2.1 This appointment is subject to a probationary period of twelve (12) months. 

2.2 The salary for the post of Junior Legal Officer is Salary Scale 9, which in the year 2021 is equivalent to, €22,633 per annum, rising by annual increments of €447.33 up to a maximum of €25,317.

2.3 A Junior Legal Officer will be promoted to the grade of Legal Officer in Scale 8 (€24,091 x €486.83 - €27,012 in the year 2021 ) on completion of two (2)  years service in the grade of Junior Legal Officer, subject to satisfactory performance, provided that the person has been practising for at least three (3) proven years after obtaining the Warrant of Lawyer.

2.4 A Legal Officer in Scale 8 will progress to Scale 7 (€25,656 x €531.17 - €28,843 in the year 2021) on completion of six (6) years service in the grade, subject to satisfactory performance.

2.5 The appointee will be entitled to such other benefits and subject to such other conditions and obligations as may be stipulated in any pertinent agreement between the Government of Malta and the competent Union.

2.6 The appointee must ensure that he/she operates within the framework of the Code of Ethics and of Section 6.2.3 of the PSMC, and will not carry out any form of work outside of Government employment which may be against the interest of Government and/or which may lead to a conflict of interest or interfere with the performance of his/her official duties with the Government. Private work invariable necessitates the permission of the Permanent Secretary.

2.7 Lateral applications in the same grade from public officers are not allowed.

2.8 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 positions or applications for a definite position when the officer concerned holds an indefinite appointment.

3. The job duties for the post of Junior Legal Officer may be viewed in Annex A attached to this Circular.

4.1 By the closing time and date of this call for applications, applicants must be:

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.

4.2 Qualifications at a level higher than that specified above will be accepted for eligibility purposes, provided they meet any specified subject requirements.

Moreover, candidates who have not yet formally obtained any of the above-mentioned qualifications will still be considered, provided that they submit evidence that they have been approved for the award of the qualifications in question, or successfully completed the necessary ECTS/ECVETS credits, or equivalent, taken as part of a recognised higher MQF level programme of study, as required in the afore-mentioned eligibility criteria, 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.

4.5 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).