Advertising a Job
The process and procedures for advertising a position depends on the category of job. There are separate process for the advertising of teaching, SNA, other non-teaching roles, and leadership and management posts.
Boards must follow the correct advertising and recruitment procedures.
Teaching Posts
Teaching Posts – refer to circular 0020/2012
Educationposts.ie is the designated websites for the advertising of teaching posts.
A teaching post, which it is anticipated will be vacant for a period of 24 weeks, shall be advertised and filled through a formal recruitment process (CL 0020/2012)
Special Needs Assistants
A Board of Management must not advertise a standard SNA vacancy without first ensuring that In the first instance, all existing part-time SNAs (other than substitute SNAs) have been offered a full-time position in accordance with the relevant circular that sets out the supplementary assignment arrangements for SNAs, subject to any exceptions stipulated therein
All standard SNA vacancies and cover SNA vacancies (i.e. Maternity Leave, Career Break, job-sharing replacement, Sick Leave, unpaid leave replacements etc.) of 24 weeks or more must be advertised on one of the following websites
List of Websites:
Any Education and Training Board website.
SNA vacancies may also be advertised locally as required/deemed necessary.
The advertisement for the SNA position should include any specific competencies/requirements to meet the special education needs of the students.
All appointments (other than substitute or cover vacancies) are subject to the conditions outlined in the circular letter- Recruitment of Special Needs Assistants – Supplementary Assignment Arrangements
Chaplain
Boards should follow the same process as applies to the advertising of a teaching post. Educationposts.ie and educationcareers.ie are the designated websites for the advertising of teaching posts.
In the case of school chaplains paid by the State, these posts are regarded as teaching posts. Accordingly, new appointees to chaplain positions must be appropriately qualified teachers and registered with the Teaching Council.
The appointment of a Chaplain is governed by the agreement reached at the Conciliation Council for Teachers in 2014, which sets out the composition of the selection board for chaplaincy appointments, the contract and the list of duties of chaplains. School Chaplain appointments are permanent appointments, subject to a one-year probationary period.
Boards are advised to contact ACCS before advertising and appointing a Chaplain. The Chaplain’s Summary document provides details of the required Selection Committee for a Chaplain appointment.
For qualifications, the contract refers to a Chaplain as a “duly qualified person” but does not define this term. ACCS advice is that it is a matter for the Board of Management to determine the qualifications required for the post, in addition to the requirement that the appointee must be a registered teacher.
Boards are advised to contact ACCS for guidance before advertising and appointing a Chaplain.
Career Guidance
Boards should follow the same process as applies to the advertising of a teaching post. Educationposts.ie and educationcareers.ie are the designated websites for the advertising of teaching posts.
Guidance Counsellor Qualification Requirements
In accordance with Department of Education guidelines and circulars, a person appointed to work as a guidance counsellor teacher in the post-primary sector must hold dual qualifications:
· a post-primary teaching qualification recognised by the Teaching Council; and
· a guidance counselling qualification recognised by the Department of Education.
Further details are set out in Standards and Qualifications for Working as a Guidance Counsellor in Ireland 2025-2026
Leadership and Management Posts
Leadership and Management posts include Assistant Principal I, Assistant Principal II and Programme Coordinator, Senior Cycle Redevelopment Co-ordinator, Senior Cycle Level 1/II Programme Co-ordinator post and Assistant Principal posts in Adult Education.
Boards should follow the procedures set out in Circular Letter 0003/2018 when advertising and appointing to these posts.
A detailed guide and appointment templates for Leadership and Management posts are available to Boards in the Leadership and Management section (HR) of the ACCS website. These can be accessed by clicking the relevant link.
Key points for Boards
Confirm whether the post is an Assistant Principal I, Assistant Principal II, Programme Coordinator, Senior Cycle Redevelopment Co-ordinator or Senior Cycle Level 1/II Programme Co-ordinator post.
Ensure the advertisement sets out the minimum experience and eligibility requirements.
Specify the closing date and the relevant marking scheme.
State that the appointee will become part of the school’s leadership and management team.
Ensure the roles and responsibilities reflect the leadership and management needs and priorities of the school.
Clearly state where the post is an acting-up post.
What the advertisement should include
The advertisement should specify:
the minimum experience and eligibility requirements;
the closing date for receipt of applications;
the level of the post, i.e. Assistant Principal I or Assistant Principal II;
that the appointee will become part of the leadership and management team in the school;
that the roles and responsibilities of the post will be based on the leadership and management needs and priorities of the school and will be commensurate with the level of the post;
that the post is an acting-up post, where relevant; and
the relevant marking scheme.
Template advertisements are available for schools and should be used where relevant. Link to Guide and appendices in the Leadership and Management section
Duration of advertisement display and closing date for applications
Note: the duration of the advertisement display is different for permanent posts and acting-up posts.
Permanent posts
The advertisement must be displayed on the staff noticeboard(s) in the school for a period of not less than 5 school days, i.e. days on which the school is in operation for pupils. Five school days means five full school days.
However, it is advisable to display the advertisement until the closing date has passed. For this reason, the advertisement should be displayed for not less than 10 school days. Ten school days means ten full school days.
Where the school is closed due to an unexpected event, such as a snow day, that day should not be counted and the period for display of the advertisement and the closing date should be extended accordingly.
If an advertisement is posted before a school closure, such as a mid-term break, that period must be discounted when determining the number of days for which the advertisement should be displayed.
Principals may also choose to alert staff to the advertisement through normal whole-staff communication channels, such as email, staff intranet or staff newsletter.
The advertisement should specify the closing date for receipt of applications, which should not be earlier than 10 school days after the initial date of posting of the notice in the school.
Acting-up posts
In the case of acting-up posts, the closing date for receipt of applications should not be earlier than 5 school days after the initial posting of the notice in the school.
It is advisable that the advertisement states that late applications will not be accepted under any circumstances and that it is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that the application is received on time.
Principal and Deputy Principal Posts
Publicjobs.ie is the designated website for the advertising of permanent Principal and Deputy Principal appointments.
Each school is required to set up an account to advertise on publicjobs.ie. The lead in time for advertising is usually two weeks
Boards/Principals should email externaladverts@publicjobs.ie if they are looking to be set up with an account for advertising on the publicjobs.ie website.
Once an account has been set up their External Adverts team will provide guidance documentation for the new system, following which log-in details will be provided.
Acting Principal an Deputy Principal appointments:
Contact ACCS where an acting Principal or Deputy Principal position arises
Bus Escort
Bus Escorts/School Transport Escort Scheme
Director of Adult Education
A Director of Adult Education may be established in a school offering a part-time adult education programme with a minimum of 1,500 enrolment hours, based on the preceding academic year. Boards are advised to check with the Allocations Section in the Department of Education & Youth to confirm whether the appointment may proceed, the appropriate category of post and the relevant reduction in teaching hours.
Circular Letter 46/00, which relates to self-financing part-time Adult Education programmes, includes a reference in section 11 to the appointment procedures for the post of Director of Adult Education. Please note that appointments to the post of Director of Adult Education must be made from applicants within the school and in accordance with the normal procedures for appointment to a Deputy Principal post.
The Selection Committee composition for a community or comprehensive school should apply, in line with the arrangements for a Deputy Principal or teacher appointment.
Boards are advised to contact ACCS for further documentation.