EEAS Call for Expression of Interest - Political assistant to the Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs – DSG.POL

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 as Vice-President of the Commission with regard to his responsibilities within the Commission in the external relations field including the coordination of other aspects of the EU’s external action. The EEAS works in close cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Council, the services of the Commission and the Secretariat General of the European Parliament.

The office of the Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs/Political Director supports the DSG in his political work, in particular the conduct of political dialogues at his level, and maintains regular contacts with relevant EEAS services, the Cabinet of the HRVP, as well as EU institutions and Member States.

WE PROPOSE

The position of Political Assistant to the Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs/Political Director involves supporting and coordinating the work of the DSG, and maintaining an overview of the work of the EEAS in all relevant policy areas under his responsibility.

LEGAL BASIS

The vacancy is to be filled in accordance with the conditions stipulated under the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS) (1), in accordance with EEAS Decision ADMIN(2015)20 on the engagement and use of temporary agents.

The successful candidate will be offered a contract as Temporary Agent under Article 2(b) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants (CEOS) at the grade of AD07 for a 4-year duration, renewable for another 2 years.

WE LOOK FOR ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Candidates must meet all of the following general and specific conditions on the closing date for online applications:

• Be a national of one of the EU Member States and enjoy full rights as a citizen;
• Meet any obligations imposed on him or her by the laws concerning military service;
• Provide the appropriate character references as to his suitability for the performance of his duties;
• Have the capacity to work in languages of the CFSP (English and French, in writing and orally). Both languages are required in the performance of the duties. The command of one language must be at minimum C1 level (Language 1 — thorough knowledge) and the command of the other one must be at minimum B2 level (Language 2 — satisfactory knowledge).
• possess a level of education
  1. which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is four years or more, OR
  2. which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and relevant professional experience of at least one year when the normal period of university education is at least three years.
• have gained at least 6 years full time professional experience. This experience must have been gained after obtaining the four-year diploma or after obtaining the three-year diploma and the one year relevant professional experience;

SELECTION CRITERIA

Candidates should:

• have an excellent ability to maintain diplomatic relations and to ensure representation, communication in a complex, multicultural environment;
• have an excellent capacity to create constructive working relations with national authorities, international organisations and EU Member States;
• have strong drafting, communication and analytical skills combined with sound judgement;
• have in-depth knowledge of external relations, internal policies and the functioning of the European Union;
• have strong experience and knowledge of CFSP and CSDP-related issues;
• have a proven track record of negotiation skills;
• have a solid understanding the multilateral system and the United Nations;
• have at least 2 years' proven, pertinent experience in external relations;
• have a minimum of 3 years’ experience in multilateral and/or bilateral negotiations;
• have at least 3 years' proven experience in the field of nuclear non- proliferation.

Furthermore:

• experience of working in an Embassy, a Delegation (or equivalent in an international organisation);
• experience of working in a team in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural environment;
• experience of negotiations would be considered assets.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURE (2)

The selection procedure will take place in three different and successive steps:

1. Expression of Interest

Expressions of interest should be sent by e-mail to the following functional mailbox:

POL@eeas.europa.eu

For the purposes of the e-mail application, this post will appear under the subject of the email:

“EoI: Political assistant - DSG.POL/2024-EoI-HQ (AD)-TA2b-AD07- JN 430201 – NAME APPLICANT”

Such an expression of interest must be accompanied by:

• An updated Curriculum vitae. Candidates are invited to use the "Europass" CV format (https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/documents/curriculum-vitae) for their applications.
• A letter of motivation (maximum 2 pages) in either English or in French.

Expressions of interest/applications may be submitted until 02/02/2024 at 12.00 midday (CET - Brussels' time).

2. Pre-selection

The selection panel will make a pre-selection on the basis of the qualifications and the professional experience described in the CV and motivation letter.

3. Selection

The candidates who have passed the pre-selection step will be invited for an interview so that the selection panel can evaluate these candidates objectively and without prejudice based on their qualifications, professional experience and linguistic skills. Additional specific written or oral tests might be organised by the panel.

For correspondence concerning the selection procedure, please use the following email address (the e-mail must have in the subject the following title: “2024-EoI-HQ (AD)- TA2b-AD07- 430201”:

EEAS-HQ-APPLICATIONS-AD@eeas.europa.eu

SPECIFIC CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

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 Annex A of the Decision ADMIN(2023) 18 on the security rules of the EEAS3. The selected candidate should hold, or be in the position to obtain, a valid Personnel Security Clearance (PSC)4 issued by the competent authority of the Member State concerned.

Candidates who do not already have a valid PSC will be required to go through the security clearance vetting procedure of their Member State to obtain this clearance 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(2023) 18 on the security rules of the EEAS. Until the PSC is issued by the competent authority of the Member State concerned, the selected candidate will 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 authority authorised to conclude contracts of employment (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 opportunities 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.

If pre-selected, candidates with disabilities are invited to contact us at EEAS-HQ- APPLICATIONS-AD@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 and recruited, the EEAS is committed to appropriate measures in order to accommodate his or her special needs to the working place or working conditions in accordance with Art 1d(4) of the Staff Regulations.

APPOINTMENT

The selected candidate will be recruited as temporary agents under Article 2(b) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants (CEOS), in accordance with EEAS Decision ADMIN(2015) 20 on the engagement and use of temporary agents.

The selected candidate will be required to undergo a medical fitness examination in accordance with Article 13 of the CEOS.

In case of positive results on the medical fitness examination and after assessment of the PSC conditions, the candidate will be offered a contract as Temporary Agent, Grade AD07 for a duration 4 years renewable only once for another 2 years.

All member of the temporary staff shall serve initially a nine-month probationary period in accordance with Article 14 CEOS.

PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: Brussels, Belgium

POST AVAILABLE: immediately

CONTACT: Isabell POPPELBAUM, Political assistant to the DSG Tel: +32 2584-4634

Email: isabell.poppelbaum@eeas.europa.eu

The closing date for submissions is 02/02/2024 at 12.00 midday (CET - Brussels' time).

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

2 Your personal data will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EC) 2018/1725. The privacy statement is available on EEAS webpage: http://eeas.europa.eu/data_protection/rights/index_en.htm

3       OJ C 263, 26 July 2023, p.16.

4       The ‘Personnel Security Clearance’ is defined under point 2 of Annex A I of the Decision ADMIN(2023) 18 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’.”