1. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Finance invites applications for the post of Customs Officer in the Customs Department, in the Ministry for Finance.
Terms and Conditions
2.1 This appointment is subject to a probationary period of six (6) months.
2.2 The salary for the post of Customs Officer, entering into the grade under the eligibility provisions of paragraph 4.1(iii)(a) is Salary Scale 14, that is, €14,928 per annum, rising by annual increments of €316.83 up to a maximum of €16,829 for a traineeship period of two (2) years, which shall also cover a course of MQF Level 5, as directed by the Customs Department. Following the successful completion of this course, officers will be placed in Salary Scale 12, that is, €17,026 per annum, rising by annual increments of €354 up to a maximum of €19,150.
2.3 Persons entering the grade of Customs Officers under the provision of paragraph 4.1(iii)(b) will be placed in Salary Scale 12 and shall actively participate in training as identified by the management from time to time.
2.4 A Customs Officer will progress to Scale 10 (€19,331 x €407.67 - €21,777) after five (5) years in Salary Scale 12 and subject to satisfactory performance.
2.5 Customs Officers, whose conditions of work are stipulated in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding and Agreement of the Customs Class, are also entitled to a Flexibility Allowance, which in the year 2018, is of €5,035.51 per annum.
Duties
3. The duties of Customs Officer include:
a) performing clerical duties related to Customs Offices;
b) protecting EU and national revenue;
c) assisting in the examination and release of, and spot-checks on targeted cargo mainly based on risk management;
d) submitting of reports to superior officers;
e) informing one’s superiors regarding any potential problems or difficulties as soon as these become apparent;
f) ensuring that the public is given an efficient and cordial service;
g) performing legal duties and assisting the Office of the Attorney General in civil and commercial court cases as well as assisting the Police during prosecution in criminal cases involving the Customs Department;
h) admitting to pratique, clearing outwards and rummaging vessels, yachts and aircraft;
i) carrying out currency checks on outgoing and incoming passengers;
j) clearing passengers, examining and releasing luggage;
k) carrying out surveillance and intelligence work related to non-observance of EU and National Customs and Excise Legislation and Regulations;
l) assisting in the implementation phase of IT projects, providing user and operations IT support and coordinating the office automation within the Department;
m) carrying patrols in and outside Customs areas;
n) operating electronic surveillance equipment;
o) handling of sniffer dogs;
p) attending to European Commission meetings, seminars, workshops, working visits and courses, as well as at other national and international bodies as required, both locally or abroad;
q) working on a shift basis including Sundays and public holidays as may be required;
r) using executive powers to enforce Local/EU Customs rules and regulations;
s) searching vehicles entering / leaving Customs areas;
t) effecting body searches when necessary in Customs ports/areas in terms of Customs regulations;
u) performing special duties when attached to particular sections (such as the Enforcement Unit) within the Customs Department;
v) driving the Department’s motor vehicles with relation to his/her direct duties; and
w) any other duties according to the exigencies of the Public Service as directed by the Principal Permanent Secretary, the Permanent Secretary (MFIN) and the Director General (Customs).
Eligibility Requirements
4.1 By the closing time and date of this call for applications, applicants must be:
(i) (a) citizens of Malta
The advice of the Department of Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs within the Identity Malta Agency should be sought as necessary in the interpretation of the above provisions.
(ii) able to communicate proficiently both orally and in writing, in the Maltese and English languages;
(iii) (a) in possession of an MQF Level 4 qualification in related areas;
OR
(b) Senior Customs Assistants who have at least five (5) years satisfactory service.
(iv) With regards to the requirements at para 4.1 (iii) above, applicants are informed that the list of areas considered relevant to the position may be obtained from ([email protected]).
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 recognized MQF Level programme of study, as required in the afore-mentioned eligibility criteria or higher, 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 Applicants must be of conduct which is appropriate to the post applied for (applicants who are already in the Malta Public Service must produce a Service and Leave Record Form (GP 47); 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).
4.5 Applicants must be eligible to take up their due appointment, in terms of 4.1 to 4.4 above, not only by the closing time and date of this call for applications but also on the date of appointment.
4.6 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 Documentation
5.1 Qualifications and experience claimed must be supported by certificates and/or testimonials, copies of which should be attached to the application.
5.2 Original certificates and/or testimonials are to be invariably produced for verification at the interview.
Selection Procedure
6.1 The selection of candidates will be in two stages:
Part 1: A general ability test, which will consist of a fully automated computer-based test, whereby applicants will be tested in verbal, numerical and abstract ability on the basis of their response to an established set of questions. Candidates must obtain a 50% rating to pass the test. The general ability test will be conducted by the Director of Examinations and the Board of Local Examinations.
It is to be noted that applicants who have already performed the computer-based general ability test in the calls for applications formerly issued may opt:
(a) Not to sit for the said test and therefore to retain the mark obtained at the time, subject to the minimum pass mark, as mentioned above
Or
(b) Sit for the test again, in which case the best mark out of the two should be taken into consideration.
Part 2: An interview (maximum 100 marks, pass mark 50), for which only candidates who obtain a pass mark in the general ability test will be allowed to proceed to the structured interview. The interview will be conducted by a selection board established by the Ministry for Finance.
The overall pass mark is 60% of the maximum marks allotted, that is, 60% of 200 marks, comprising the marks given in the general ability test and interview.
6.2 Due consideration will be given to applicants who, besides the requisites indicated in paragraphs 4.1 to 4.3, have proven relevant wowork experience.
6.3 Serving Public Officers in the grade of Senior Customs Assistants will be entitled to a credit of 3 marks for each year of service as Senior Customs Assistant, Customs Assistant and in the previous grade of Customs Guard, up to a maximum of 15 marks as part of the total final mark of the examination.
6.4 The final order of merit of successful candidates will be determined by the total marks gained in the general ability test and in the interview. In the case of candidates who obtain the same number of marks, precedence will be determined in accordance with the established procedures.
6.5 The result of the general ability test will remain valid for three (3) years. The final result will remain valid for two (2) years from the date of publication.
6.6 The general ability test will be conducted by the Director, Examinations, and the Board of Local Public Examinations. The Board of Local Public Examinations will have the power to deal summarily with any candidate who, while the general ability test is in progress, is found guilty of misconduct or any breach of the instructions issued for the guidance of candidates.
6.7 The Board of Local Public Examinations reserves the right to annul the general ability test if any irregularity is detected in connection therewith. Such annulment may be in respect of the whole examination even if the detected irregularity is in respect of only one subject or a particular stage of the examination.
6.8 The Director (Examinations) will publish the result of the general ability test which will be exhibited on the notice-board of the Department of Examinations, The Mall, Floriana, and the Examinations Centre, Victoria, Gozo.
6.9 Notification of the issue of the result for the general ability test will be issued: (i) on the website of the Department of Examinations, which may be accessed from (exams.gov.mt) and (ii) via email and SMS alert to candidates who submit a valid mobile phone number and an email address with their application. Notification of the issue of the final result will be issued on the website of the Ministry of Finance and via SMS alert.
6.10 Since the general ability test is fully automated, the Public Service Commission will not enter into the merits of the marks achieved in the general ability test. Petitions to the Public Service Commission may be made only with regard to the interview. Petitions have to reach the Commission within ten (10) working days from the date on which a notification appears on the website of the Ministry of Finance.
6.11 After the publication of the result of the general ability test, the successful candidates will be asked to attend for an interview which will be conducted by a selection board.
6.12 The final order of merit will be published by, and exhibited on the notice boards of, the Ministry of Finance and Department of Customs which is issuing the call for applications.
6.13 A notification of the issue of the final result will (i) appear on the website of the Ministry for Finance which is issuing the call for applications and (ii) be sent via SMS alert to candidates who underwent assessment and who submitted a valid mobile phone number and an email address with their application.
Submission of Applications
7.1 Candidates are to apply through the Recruitment Portal of the Ministry for Education and Employment (https://edurecruitment.gov.mt/). Applications, together with (i) a detailed curriculum vitae (Europass format) showing qualifications and experience; (ii) a copy of their identity card; (iii) an up-to-date Service and Leave Record Form (GP 47) in case of Public Officers; (iv) a Certificate of Conduct in case of non-Public Officers; (v) scanned copies of qualifications including transcripts where applicable and (vi) an examination fee of €9.30 (non-refundable) are to be submitted online on (https://edurecruitment.gov.mt/) from Monday, 14th May, 2018, till noon (Central European Time) of Friday, 25th May, 2018.
Prospective applicants are strongly advised not to wait until the last day to submit their application since heavy internet traffic or a fault with the internet connection could lead to difficulties in submission.
Applicants are to ensure that after the submission of their application, a copy of the receipt of payment received through an email, is to be kept for future reference. Applicants are deemed to have applied by the closing date and time, only if they are in possession of this receipt.
7.2 Applications received after the specified time limit will not be considered.
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; and
- retention of documents,
may be viewed by accessing the website of the People and Standards Division (https://publicservice.gov.mt/en/people/Pages/PeopleResourcingandCompliance/FormsandTemplates.aspx or may be obtained from [email protected]). 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 Section are (https://mfin.gov.mt) and ([email protected]).
Nomenclatures denoting the male gender include also the female gender. 11th May, 2018
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