EEAS Vacancy: Administrative Agent - HQ Contract Agent FGII - job No 375420
WE ARE
The European External Action Service (EEAS) supports the High Representative in the exercise of his mandate to conduct and implement an effective and coherent Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), to represent the EU and to chair the Foreign Affairs Council.
It also supports the High Representative in his/her capacity as Vice-President of the Commission with regard to his/her 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 EU Member States, the General Secretariat of the Council, the services of the Commission and the Secretariat General of the European Parliament.
The Planning, Reporting and Compliance Division (SG.GOV.3) is responsible for the Strategic Planning and Programming (SPP) cycle, internal controls and risk management, anti-fraud, relations with the audit authorities as well as with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). It provides the secretariats to the EEAS Corporate Governance Board (CGB), Audit Progress Committee (APC) and Internal Control Committee (ICC). The Division also supports the Chief Governance Officer in enhancing the corporate governance of the EEAS through innovative, practical and legally sound solutions.
The Administrative Agent, under the guidance of the SG.GOV.3 managers, will support the Division in delivering high quality outputs of the large portfolio of crosscutting files. The SG.GOV.3 Division consists of a small team of ten in a dynamic working environment.
WE PROPOSE
The position of Administrative Agent contract agent FGII as per article 3b of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (hereafter, the “CEOS”)[1].
PLACE and DATE OF EMPLOYMENT
EEAS Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium
Post available: immediately
LEGAL BASIS
The vacancy is to be filled in accordance with the conditions stipulated under the CEOS, in particular Article 82 thereof. In case of recruitment, the successful candidate will be offered a contract agent position (Function group II), on the basis of a contract with an initial duration of one year that may be successively renewed for a maximum duration of six years[2], subject to the maximum duration of engagement by the EEAS allowed under successive limited duration contracts of different types[3].
WE LOOK FOR
A dynamic, proactive, service-oriented and highly motivated colleague with very good communication and organizational skills.
The successful candidate should be an excellent team-player, adaptable and capable to quickly embrace a dynamic working environment. The successful candidate should have good computer skills with a sound knowledge of the main IT applications and administrative procedures of the EEAS or the capacity to quickly learn them.
He/she will be entrusted with the following main tasks:
- Provide efficient secretarial support to the Division such as:
- carry out various administrative tasks such as diary-keeping, filtering telephone calls, filing and ordering supplies, dealing with correspondence;
- e-mail management: check, follow-up and organize relevant Division’s functional mailboxes;
- Keep contacts, distribution lists and mailing lists of the Division up-to-date;
- Ensure efficient document management:
- daily monitoring of the Division’s inboxes in ARES, including flag and forward important files for information and action;
- monitor assigned tasks and ensure deadlines are respected;
- registration and filing of incoming and outgoing correspondence and
- preparation and finalisation of files, including the related validation workflows;
- co-ordinate the creation, update and retrieval of documents and data in the appropriate files or IT databases;
- Organize meetings and events, also using the most recent video conference facilities;
- Draft meeting minutes / conclusions and monitor the follow-up of the decisions taken;
- Ensure that the infrastructure and logistics needs of the division are covered;
- Ensure the preparation and follow up of briefing files, speeches, etc;
- Co-ordinate requests of inputs from Headquarters and EU Delegations and consolidate them in the appropriate format and IT tool;
- Support the update of the Division’s web pages on the EEAS Intranet as well as other internal and external communication initiatives;
- Organise missions of staff using MIPS application.
Eligibility criteria[4]:
Further to the conditions set out in Article 82 of the CEOS, candidates must:
- (i) have passed a valid EPSO CAST in a valid function group for this post, OR
(ii) be registered in the EPSO Permanent CAST in a valid function group for this post (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 a level of post-secondary education attested by a diploma or a level of secondary education attested by a diploma giving access to post-secondary education and appropriate professional experience of three years;
- have the capacity to work in the languages of the CFSP and external relations (English and French) necessary for the performance of their duties;
- 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 strong service-minded attitude;
- have great time-management skills;
- have the ability to work flexibly and simultaneously with several files and under time pressure;
- be a great team player but also capable of managing independent tasks;
- be well organised with the ability to deal with multiple files in a timely and accurate manner;
- be discreet and able to handle sensitive information and files;
- have very good drafting skills combined with sound judgement;
- have excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
- have sound computer skills;
- have a sufficient knowledge of external relations, internal policies and functioning of the Union;
- be able to work to a very high level in English (both orally and in writing);
- have good knowledge of French (both orally and in writing).
Furthermore:
- work experience in a team in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural environment;
- work experience with or within other EU institutions
- knowledge of other EU languages
would be considered as assets.
CONDITIONS OF RECRUITMENT AND EMPLOYMENT
The signature of the contract will be subject to prior favourable opinion of the Medical Service.
This post is currently not identified as a post which requires Personnel Security Clearance (hereafter, the “PSC”) to access EU classified information (EUCI) in accordance with point 7 of Annex A I of the Decision ADMIN(2023) 18 on the security rules of the EEAS[5] and as implemented by Decision ADMIN(2019) 7 on Security Clearance Requirements and Procedures for the EEAS of 08 March 2019 and its implementing decisions.
Nonetheless, candidates are informed that the list of posts requiring a PSC in the EEAS Headquarters is subject to regular review and that the current post might be identified in the future as a post which requires PSC.
If required after the taking of duty, the selected candidate will need to be in a position to obtain a valid PSC issued by the competent authority of their Member State in accordance with national laws and regulations.
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.
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 EEAS.
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.
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 1(d)(4) of the Staff Regulations.
APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURE[6]
Please send your CV and cover letter (with your EPSO CAST number), in English or French via email, with reference to the Vacancy Number in the Subject field, to
Deadline for sending application: 15/10/2024 at 12.00 (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, subsequent to the interview, to organise written tests, either for all pre-selected candidates or to the best ranked ones. 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 without a valid CAST shall be invited to sit the CAST exam before or after the interview stage (in accordance with the eligibility criteria set out above).
The panel will then recommend a shortlist of candidates for a final decision by the Authority Authorised to Conclude Contracts of Employment (hereafter, the “AACC”). The AACC may decide to interview the candidates on the final shortlist before taking this decision.
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 fits the requirements 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 with the same job profile.
[1] Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union (SR) and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS).
[2] Article 8 of the Commission Decision C(2017) 6760 of 16.10.2017 on the general provisions for implementing Article 79(2) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union, governing the conditions of employment of contract staff employed by the Commission under the terms of Articles 3a and 3b thereof.
[3] Decision ADMIN(2023) 24 on the maximum duration of engagement by the European External Action Service of non-permanent staff under successive limited duration contracts of different types, and on the minimum lapse of time between successive contracts under Article 2(e) of the CEOS.
[4] All the eligibility criteria must be met on the closing date for applications to this post.
[5] OJ C 263, 26 July 2023, p.16.
[6] 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: (https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/eeas-privacy-statement-data-protection-notice-purpose-processing-personal-data-related-public_en) and on the EEAS Intranet:(https://intranet.eeas.europa.eu/page/eeas-work/data-protection/privacy-statements-dp-notices).