1. The Director of Examinations and the Board of Local Public Examinations notify that a competitive selection process will be held to fill vacancies in the grade of Principal in the Malta Public Service.

Internal and external candidates will undertake the same selection process.

2.1 The salary for the post of Principal is Salary Scale 10, which in the year 2021 is equivalent to €21,267 per annum, rising by annual increments of €407.67 up to a maximum of €23,713.

2.2 A Principal will progress to Scale 9 (€22,633 x €447.33 - €25,317 in 2021) on completion of 2 years service in the grade.

2.3 Further progression to Scale 8 (€24,091 x €486.83 - €27,012 in 2021) will be made on completion of 10 years service in the grade.

2.4 Final progression to Scale 7 (€25,656 x €531.17 - €28,843 in 2021) will be effected on completion of 12 years service in the grade.

2.5 These progressions to a higher scale are always subject to satisfactory performance.

2.6 The appointment, which is subject to a probationary (trial) period of one (1) year, is on a full-time basis and is subject to the rules and regulations governing from time to time the Malta Public Service in general and involves liability to transfer for effective service delivery.

2.7 For the confirmation of their appointment, appointees must conclude their probationary (trial) period and successfully complete the induction programme as organised by the Institute for the Public Services.

2.8 Lateral applications from Public Officers in the same grade are not allowed.

2.9 Postings will be for a minimum period of two (2) years before transfers to other areas may be requested by the employees. Such postings will be subject to availability of vacancies.

2.10 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 Principal 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:

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.  Adequately proficient, both verbally and written in the Maltese and English languages (Level C1/C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages);

iii. eligible in terms of one of the following categories (a, b, or c):

a. In possession of a recognised Bachelor’s degree at MQF Level 6 (subject to a minimum of 180 ECTS/ECVET credits, or equivalent*) in subjects where the main or secondary study area is in any of the following: Public Policy/Administration, Management/Business Studies, Human Resources/Training & Development, Industrial Relations and Work, Finance/Accounts, Economics, Commerce, Social Policy, EU and International Relations, Legal Studies, Communications, Information Technology and ICT, Environmental Studies, Studies related to Agriculture/Energy Management, Statistics, Built Environment, Project Management, Procurement, Quality Management and Health Management or a recognised comparable professional qualification at MQF Level 6 in Finance or Accounts or Information Technology and ICT. Responsibility to prove relatedness of qualifications held will rest on candidates; however the final decision will be the prerogative of the People and Standards Division, subject to any contestation which may be made with the Public Service Commission; and

a pass (at least at Grade 1-5, Grade C or a comparable level) at MQF level 3, or a level 3 VET qualification, or a Secondary School Certificate and Profiling qualification at MQF level 3, in IT Office Application Skills **, unless this subject already features as a separate study unit within the course pursued at MQF level 6;

*In absence of documentary evidence as to the ECTS/ECVET credits or other system of measuring the course content, the selection board is to evaluate the submitted programme of study and determine that it is comparable to 180 ECTS/ECVET credits. The advice of the MQRIC may be sought.

** It is clarified that reference to IT Office Application Skills, covers any successfully completed course organized by the Institute for the Public Services (IPS) or at MQF level 3 accredited by ECDL Malta or the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA).

b. Public officers in the Malta Public Service in the grade of Assistant Principal upon confirmation of appointment;

c. Public officers in the Malta Public Service in the grade of Executive Officer, whose appointment has been confirmed, having a minimum of four (4) years’ satisfactory service in the grade.

iv. Public Officers applying for this post must be confirmed in their current appointment.

4.2 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.

4.3 Public Officers who currently hold an appointment as Officer in Grade with a previous substantive grade in the General Service Class 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 must be met in terms of this call for applications.

4.4 Public Officers who are confirmed in a General Service grade benefitting from a scale not corresponding to their grade, as a result of an Officer in Scale status in salary scale 13, or higher, shall be eligible to apply for the grade of Principal.

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 Public Officers who are on secondment/on loan/detailed with/deployed with/on attachment to Public Sector Organisations may also apply.

4.6 Public Officers falling under eligibility criteria 4.1 (iii) and who are appointed in the grade of Principal must prove to have successfully completed a course in IT Office Application Skills organised by the Institute for the Public Services (IPS) or at MQF level 3 accredited by ECDL Malta or the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA), in order for the appointment to be confirmed.

4.7 Qualifications at a level higher than that specified in sub para 4.1 (iii) (a) above will be accepted for eligibility purposes, provided they meet any specified subject requirements. A Master’s qualification at MQF Level 7 or equivalent, must comprise a minimum of 60 ECTS/ECVET credits or equivalent*

*In absence of documentary evidence as to the ECTS/ECVET credits or other system of measuring the course content, the selection board is to evaluate the submitted programme of study and determine that it is comparable to 60 ECTS/ECVET credits. The advice of the MQRIC may be sought.

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/ECVET credits, or equivalent, taken as part of a recognized higher MQF level program of study, as required in the afore-mentioned eligibility criteria, by the closing time and date of the call for applications.

4.8 Furthermore, candidates who have not yet obtained the qualification specified in paragraphs 4.1 (iii) (a) or else as indicated in paragraph 4.7 will still be considered provided that they submit evidence by the educational institution that they are registered for the said qualification and this will be awarded by the 30th November 2021. If the stipulated deadline for the attainment of such qualification is not met, candidates will either be disqualified from the result or the appointment will be, ipso facto, automatically terminated, as applicable. The probation period and progression entitlement (as the case may be) start to count from date of appointment.

4.9 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 Director of Examinations from the Director responsible for HR where applicants are serving, while those applying from outside the 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.

4.10 Applicants must be eligible to take up their due appointment, in terms of 4.1 to 4.9 above, not only by the closing time and date of this call for applications but also on the date of appointment.

4.11 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.

4.12 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).