Contract Agent FG IV – Security Officer – Security Operations and Accreditation - EEAS Headquarters job n° 435441

We are

The European External Action Service (EEAS), which supports the work of the High Representative in defining and implementing an effective and coherent foreign policy of the European Union. The EEAS supports his tasks of conducting the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy and chairing the Foreign Affairs Council. It also supports the High Representative in his capacity of Vice President of the Commission. The EEAS works in close cooperation with Member States, the Council and relevant services of the European Commission.

Within the Security and Corporate Services Directorate (RM.SCS), HQ Security and EEAS Security Policy Division’s (SCS3) mission is to protect EEAS Staff, visitors, premises and physical assets in Brussels, as well as to protect classified information relevant to the EEAS, by putting in place appropriate security measures and procedures.

We propose

The position of Security Officer – Security Operations and Accreditation in the HQ Security and EEAS Security Policy Division - contract agent FGIV as per article 3b of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS) ^[1].

Place of employment: EEAS Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium

POST AVAILABLE: immediately

WE LOOK FOR:

A dynamic, proactive and highly motivated colleague with very good communication and organisational skills and with a developed sense of service. He/she will be entrusted with the following main tasks:

• Ensure the application of the EEAS Security Rules to guarantee the protection of personnel, property and / or facilities, operations and / or materials.
• Contribute to the management of the deployment of human and physical resources to meet the necessary requirements concerning the protection of EEAS staff and visitors, assets, infrastructure, information, including EU Classified Information (EUCI).
• Contribute to the development of procedures and guidelines related to Security Operations and Accreditation, including access control.
• Produce, among others, procedures for the operational management of the security deployment and systems (mainly human deployment, access control, intrusion detection and camera surveillance), also bearing in mind counter-intelligence measures.
• Produce, among others, procedures for the allocation of access rights to the EEAS premises as well as to EUCI (including to secured/restricted areas) for EEAS staff and visitors, also bearing in mind counter-intelligence measures.
• Contribute to the management of operational and contractual aspects related to the private security guarding force.
• Contribute to the EEAS security risk management.
• Maintain regular contacts and exchange information with the corresponding relevant security services and departments in other EU Institutions, host nation and Members States.
• Ensure effective communication and cooperation both within the Division and with other EEAS services.
• Contribute to draft and/or deliver regular, short and ad hoc presentations/briefings to enhance EEAS security culture.
• Assist the Head of Sector in carrying out activities related to the Sector.

Legal basis

The vacancy is to be filled in accordance with the conditions stipulated under the CEOS, in particular Article 82 thereof.

Subject to having passed the CAST exam, the successful candidate will be offered a contract agent position (Function group IV), on the basis of a contract with an initial duration of one year that may be successively renewed for a maximum duration of 6 years.

Eligibility criteria

Candidates for this contract agent IV post should:

• - (i) have passed a valid EPSO CAST in FG IV; or

- (ii) be registered in the EPSO Permanent Contract Agent Selection Tool (CAST) for FG IV (https://epso.europa.eu/en/job-opportunities/open-for-application). In that case, while the registration will render the candidate eligible for the selection procedure, the recruitment of a candidate on this vacant post will be subject to their successfully passing the CAST exam that this candidate will be called to attend.

• have completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma;
• have the capacity to work in languages of CFSP and external relations necessary for the performance of their duties. Knowledge of other EU languages would be an asset;
• be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union and enjoy full rights as a citizen.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Candidates should have:

• be fluent in English (both orally and in writing);
• have relevant education or experience in security;
• have sound knowledge and/or proven experience in the areas of drafting procedures and administrative guidelines related to the security field;
• have excellent communications skills (also in public speaking);
• have excellent writing skills;
• have an excellent capacity to create constructive working relations with national authorities, international organisations and EU Member States;
• have the capacity to perform diverse tasks accurately and with flexibility in a complex institutional environment;
• sound computer skills of standard administrative IT tools.

Furthermore,

• professional experience in EU institutions or government organisations or international organisations in dealing with security and/or security accreditation matters;
• A professional background within the domain of law enforcement (police), military or private security or equivalent;
• experience of working in a team in multi-cultural environment;
• and fluency in French.

would be considered as strong assets.

SPECIFIC CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The signature of the contract will be subject to prior favourable opinion of the Medical Service.

PERSONNEL SECURITY CLEARANCE (PSC)

The requested level of security clearance for this post is: SECRET UE/EU SECRET. A description of the EU classified information levels is available under Article 2 of the Decision ADMIN(2017) 10 on the security rules of the EEAS[2].

A valid Personnel Security Clearance (PSC)[3] allowing access to classified information, issued by the competent national authority in accordance with national laws and regulations, is mandatory at the moment of application in order to enter the selection process.

The selected candidate may still be required to obtain a new PSC for the present post in accordance with national laws and regulations and with the procedure laid down in the Decision ADMIN(2019)7 on Security Clearance Requirements and Procedures for the EEAS of 08 March 2019 and in Annex A I of the Decision ADMIN(2017) 10 on the security rules of the EEAS[4]. Until the new PSC is issued, the selected candidate may not be authorised to access EUCI at the level of CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL or above, or to participate in any meetings or workflow where EUCI is processed.

Please note that the necessary procedure for obtaining a PSC can be initiated on request of the employer only, and not by the individual candidate.

In case of failure to obtain or renew the required PSC, the AACC may take the appropriate measures in accordance with Article 3(3) of the Decision ADMIN(2019) 7 on Security Clearance Requirements and Procedures for the EEAS of 08 March 2019.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The EEAS is committed to an equal opportunity policy for all its employees and applicants for employment. As an employer, the EEAS is committed to promoting gender equality and to preventing discrimination on any grounds. It actively welcomes applications from all qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds and from the broadest possible geographical basis amongst the EU Member States. We aim at a service which is truly representative of society, where each staff member feels respected, is able to give their best and can develop their full potential.

Candidates with disabilities are invited to contact CONTRACTAGENTS-HQ@eeas.europa.eu in order to accommodate any special needs and provide assistance to ensure the possibility to pass the selection procedure in equality of opportunities with other candidates.  If a candidate with a disability is selected for a vacant post, the EEAS is committed to providing reasonable accommodation in accordance with Art 1d.4 of the Staff Regulations.

Application and selection procedure[5]

Please send your CV and cover letter (with your EPSO CAST number) to

SECURITY-RECRUITMENTS@eeas.europa.eu

Deadline for sending application: 14 December 2023 at 18.00 (CET).

Candidates shall draft their CV using the Europass CV , which can be found at the following internet address: http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/documents/curriculum-vitae.

Late applications will not be accepted.

The selection panel will make a pre-selection on the basis of the qualifications and professional experience described in the CV and motivational letter, and will produce a shortlist of eligible candidates who best meet the selection criteria for the post. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be informed about the outcome of the pre-selection phase.

The candidates who have been preselected will be invited for an interview by a selection panel.

The selection panel may decide, in addition to the interview, to organise written tests, either for all pre-selected candidates or to the best ranked ones, after the interview. The content of such written tests will be defined by the selection panel and may include, but not be limited to, multiple choice questions, open questions and/or topics for a short essay.

Pre-selected candidates shall be invited to sit the CAST exam before or after the interview stage by the selection panel (in accordance with the eligibility criteria set out above).The panel will recommend a shortlist of candidates for a final decision by the Authority Authorised to Conclude Contracts of Employment (AACC). The AACC may decide to interview the candidates on the final shortlist before taking this decision.

If, exceptionally, on the date of recruitment, the successful candidate has not yet had the opportunity to pass the tests necessary to obtain the CAST, the latter will be engaged on condition that he obtains the CAST within six months of taking up his duties. Failure to obtain the required CAST will give the EEAS the right to terminate the employment contract.

It is recalled, that the selection procedure may be terminated at any stage in the interest of the service.

In the interest of the service, after identifying the candidate that best fulfils the requirement of the post as set out in the vacancy notice, the AACC may also establish a reserve list of candidates. These candidates shall be informed that the reserve list shall remain valid for a period of one year from when it is established and that it may be used to fill the same post or an equivalent post in the EEAS having the same job profile.

[1]      Staff Regulations of Officials (SR) and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS). For reference, see

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1570023902133&uri=CELEX:01962R0031-20190101 The privacy statement is available on the Europa website: (http://eeas.europa.eu/data_protection/rights/index_en.htm) and on the EEAS Intranet: (https://intranet.eeas.europa.eu/page/eeas-work/data-protection/privacy-statements ).

[2]    OJ C 126, 10 April 2018, p.1.

[3]    The ‘Personnel Security Clearance’ is defined under point 2 of Annex A I of the Decision ADMIN(2017) 10 on the security rules of the EEAS as “a statement by a competent authority of a Member State which is made following completion of a security investigation conducted by the competent authorities of a Member State and which certifies that an individual may, provided his ‘need-to-know’ has been determined, be granted access to EUCI up to a specified level (CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL or above) until a specified date; the individual thus described is said to be ‘security cleared’.”

[4]    OJ C 126, 10 April 2018, p.1.

[5] Your personal data will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, as implemented by ADMIN(2019)8 Decision of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The privacy statement is available on the Europa website: (http://eeas.europa.eu/data_protection/rights/index_en.htm) and on the EEAS Intranet:

(https://intranet.eeas.europa.eu/page/eeas-work/data-protection/privacy-statements).