VACANCY NOTICE - Secretary (Cooperation Section)

We are:

The European Union (EU) is an economic and political partnership between 27 European countries. It plays an important role in international affairs through diplomacy, trade, development aid and working with global organizations. Abroad, the EU is represented through more than 140 diplomatic representations, known also as EU Delegations, which have a similar function to those of an embassy. 

The EU Delegation to Vietnam works in close coordination with the Embassies and Consulates of the 27 EU Member States. We are a fully-fledged diplomatic mission and represent the European Union in dealings with the Vietnamese government in areas that are part of the EU’s remit.

We offer:

The post of Secretary (Local Agent Group III) in the Delegation’s Cooperation Section for a definite term contract of 2 years with possibility to be extended. The team consists of 16 people and there are occasional atypical working hours. 

Under this post, the recruited person will be attributed functions depending on the needs of the Delegation, and on the changes of these needs. The successful candidate will serve under the supervision and responsibility of the Head of Cooperation Section, providing support, expertise and assistance in cooperation activities.

Job objectives:

To assist in all aspects of administrative and secretarial work. 

The following main tasks and duties are currently required: 

• Overall assistance to the Head of Cooperation Section, and to the Deputy Head of Cooperation as needed
• Assisting in communicating with project partners, including Government counterparts, implementing partners and other stakeholders on project matters
• Arranging appointments and organising meetings and/or workshops/seminars/conferences
• Preparing mission orders and mission claims in MIPS as well as related bookings 
• Assisting the Deputy Head of Section and section staff in arranging travel and making working programme for visiting missions of EU officials and experts
• Maintaining the project database
• Doing minor translation, when required
• Drafting/Typing of correspondence
• Filing

The jobholder can be asked to support other priorities of the Delegation as defined by the Ambassador for up to 20% of his/her total working time. 

The base salary will depend on relevant and verified employment experience, typically starting from EUR1,199.00. There is a competitive benefits package, subject to certain conditions, including personal leave days and public holidays, health insurances and a retirement savings plan. 

The expected start date will be 15/06/2026. 

Minimum requirements / eligibility criteria (necessary for the application to be considered):

• University degree
• Proven working experience of at least 3 years in similar tasks 
• Proficiency in English (written and spoken) with minimum B2 level, Vietnamese C1 level (https://europass.europa.eu/en/common-european-framework-reference-language-skills)
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications

Please note that the selected candidates will have to demonstrate that they possess the necessary legal authorization to live and work in Vietnam.

Assets / selection criteria (basis for awarding points to select the best applicant):

• Having a secretarial qualification 
• Proven working experience in a similar international work environment, preferably with EU projects or EU Member States 
• Knowledge of another EU language 
• Commitment to assure quality, speed and accuracy in performing secretarial duties
• Capacity to focus on priorities and to organise work to meet deadline
• Flexibility to work under pressure and to respond quickly to new demands
• Ability to work with concentration, having teamwork skills, including listening, consulting and sharing information and ideas 
• Ability to work independently and proactively
• Ability to familiarise with EU internal processes and IT applications quickly

How to apply:

Please submit your application, consisting of a cover letter and Europass format CV (please see here for Europass template) via delegation-vietnam-vacancy@eeas.europa.eu no later than 17:30 (Hanoi time) on 20/05/2026. Only complete applications received on time via the mailbox mentioned will be considered. Kindly indicate in the email’s subject for which position you are applying.

The successful candidate will be subject to a medical check.

The process:

After the deadline for applications, the eligible applications will be admitted to the Selection by the Committee set up for this purpose. 

Depending on the number of applications received, successive phases of Selection may include shortlisting of candidates-based assessment of the information provided in the cover letter, CV, practical testing and interviews. At least 3 best candidates will be invited to the final interview.

Only candidates admitted to each successive selection phase will be contacted individually. The Delegation will use the same means of publication as for this job advertisement to inform the remaining candidates once the recruitment procedure has been completed and that a candidate has (or has not) been recruited.

The Delegation will not supply additional information or discuss the selection procedure. During the selection process, please do not contact the members of the Selection Committee, but address your questions and comments to the mailbox delegation-vietnam-vacancy@eeas.europa.eu.

Equal opportunities:

The EU is committed to an equal opportunities policy for all its employees and applicants for employment. As an employer, the EU is committed to promoting gender equality and to preventing discrimination on any grounds. It actively welcomes applications from all qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds. 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.