Head of Administration

The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) [1] is organising a call for applications with a view to establishing a reserve list for the post of Head of Administration.

The registration of applications begins on 11 May 2016 and closes on 13 June 2016 at 13:00 Eastern European Time.

The deadline for registration of applications has been extended to 15th July 2016 at 13:00 Eastern European Time (EET).

1. The institute

Based in Vilnius, Lithuania, EIGE is a regulatory agency of the European Union (EU) entrusted with specific objectives envisaged to contribute to, and strengthen, the promotion of gender equality.

The Institute collects and analyses comparable and reliable information at EU level and develops appropriate methodological tools for the integration of gender equality into all EU policies. It fosters the exchange of good practices and dialogue between stakeholders and raises awareness by providing technical assistance to EU institutions, in particular the European Commission and the authorities of the Member States.

In the course of its work to promote and strengthen gender equality, EIGE supports policy makers with high quality research and comparable data relevant to their work. 

2. The post

2.1 Profile

Reporting to the Director, the Head of Administration will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Institute’s Administration Unit that comprises budgeting and finance, general services, human resources, ICT, as well as procurement, ensuring that EIGE’s resources are used in the most effective and efficient manner.

The post requires well-developed managerial competencies, innovative and reliable problem solving skills, strong leadership abilities and an ability to analyse and adjust to a changing legal and political landscape.

The post-holder may also be called upon to exercise the powers of Appointing Authority and Authorising Officer when the Director is absent.

2.2 Duties

EIGE is looking to appoint a Head of Administration with a proven track record of leading and managing change while delivering high-quality administrative support with existing resources. The following broad responsibilities apply to the post:

• To support the Director in enabling EIGE’s strategic planning and annual management plans with regular reporting and sound advice on administrative and financial matters;
• To participate as part of the management team in the overall leadership and strategic development of the Institute;
• To plan and manage the Administration Unit’s work plans and objectives for each member of the team;
• To control and supervise financial transactions ensuring compliance with EU  financial rules, internal audit requirements and control standards;
• To oversee the preparation of the Programming Document/s, developing and implementing the annual administrative relevant sections in coordination with other EIGE units;
• To ensure a smooth audit process for the European Court of Auditors and in relation to the discharge procedure with the European Parliament;
• To liaise with EU institutions and agencies with a view to exchange experience and good practices.

3. Qualifications & experience required

3.1 Formal requirements

To be considered eligible for selection, an applicant must meet by the closing date of this call, the following formal requirements:

• completed a university degree [2];
• nationality of an EU Member State;
• a good command, both spoken and written, of at least two official EU languages;
• entitlement to full rights as a citizen;
• have fulfilled any obligations imposed by national laws concerning military service;
• be physically fit to perform duties linked to the post [3].

3.2 Selection criteria

Essential

• A minimum of 15 years (full-time) of proven work experience following the award of the degree, relevant to the tasks as defined under section 2 above;
• Knowledge of the EU institutional and legal framework, in particular the financial regulation and the implementing rules applicable to the budget of the European Union as well as a sound understanding of procurement standards applicable to EU institutions and agencies;
• Knowledge of the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union;
• Familiarity with the interface between administration and ICT, ensuring that the Institute is supported with an up to date  infrastructure;
• Ability to communicate and present effectively the Institute’s position at an institutional level externally and to staff internally;
• Documented experience in programme and people management;
• Very good command of English which is a predominant working language at the Institute;
• Experience and insight in strategic planning and  implementation together with decision making capacities;
• Proven interpersonal, communication, teambuilding and delegation skills combined with a service oriented and results driven mentality;
• Experience and skills in negotiation and problem solving;
• Experience and ability to advise on and carry out, organisational changes;
• Capacity to learn and evolve with the job and the needs of the organisation;
• Ability to work within a team in a multi-cultural, international and multidisciplinary environment.

Advantageous

• Managerial experience in EU or international organisations;
• Broad general knowledge of gender equality issues and policies;
• Knowledge of the European Commission’s accounting system, ABAC (Accrual Based Accounting).

4. Selection procedure

The selection procedure includes the following steps:

• Only duly completed applications submitted electronically within the deadline will be taken into consideration.
• Each duly completed application will be examined with a view to establishing that the candidate meets all eligibility criteria.
• Eligible applications will be evaluated by the appointed Selection Committee based on selection criteria defined in this vacancy notice. Depending on the number of applications received, the Selection Committee may apply stricter requirements within the selection criteria noted above.
• The best-admissible candidates will be short-listed for interview.
• Interviews and written tests will be in English.
• During the interview, the Selection Committee will examine the candidates' profiles and assess their relevancy for the post in question. On the day of the interview, candidates may also be required to undergo a competency assessment exercise.
• On the day of interview candidates will be requested to present originals and copies of documents detailing citizenship, studies and professional experience, in particular:
  • a copy of identity card, passport or other official document specifying citizenship;
  • a copy of diploma certifying a required level of academic qualifications;
  • documentary evidence of professional experience, clearly indicating starting and finishing dates.

  Copies of these documents will be retained by the Institute.

• If at any stage of the procedure, it were established that information in the application has been knowingly falsified, the candidate shall be disqualified from the selection process.
• Successful candidates will be included in a reserve list which will be valid for 12 months. The validity of this list may be extended. Each candidate will be informed by letter whether or not s/he has been placed on the reserve list. However inclusion of candidates on the reserve list does not guarantee recruitment.
• EIGE’s Director will appoint the selected jobholder from the reserve list, taking into account a gender balanced, geographically diverse organisation.

The internal proceedings of the Selection Committee are confidential and any contact with its members is strictly forbidden. Soliciting on behalf of a candidate can lead to immediate disqualification.

For applications to be valid, candidates must complete an EIGE application form available at the top of this page. It is to be forwarded electronically to eige.hr@eige.europa.eu. The subject title should include the vacancy reference number.

Applicants are requested not to attach any supporting documents at this stage, e.g. copies of ID cards, diplomas, evidence of previous professional experience, etc. Only candidates invited to an interview will be asked to present copies of these documents for verification. Applications will not be returned to candidates but will be kept on file by the Institute in line with its data protection guidelines.

Please note that the time period between the closing date for the submission of applications and the end of the process to short list candidates for the interview may take several weeks.

Due to the large volume of applications only candidates selected for the interviews will be contacted.

5. Conditions of employment

The place of employment is Vilnius, Lithuania. The job holder shall work in a multicultural environment where social dialogue between management and staff is regarded as vital. The Institute is fully computerised and working time is based around flexitime and core working hours.

An AD 11 Temporary Agent contract under Article 2(f) pursuant to the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union shall be offered, subject to a nine month probation period. The duration of the contract will be three years and may be renewed.

The pay consists of the basic remuneration as well as various allowances [4] depending on personal situation of the jobholder. The current gross basic salary of the first step in the applicable first grade, before deductions and the current correction coefficient weighting of 69.0% for Lithuania, is approximately €9,418. The applicable step in grade could be higher depending on the length of experience of the chosen candidate; the current gross basic salary of the second step in the applicable grade is approximately €9,814. Remuneration is subject to tax at source. Deductions are also made for medical insurance, pension and unemployment insurance. Salaries are exempt from national taxation.

6. Independence & declarations of interest

The job holder will be required to enter into a commitment to act independently in the public interest and to make complete declarations of any direct or indirect interests that might be considered prejudicial to his/her independence. Candidates must confirm their willingness to do so in their application.

7. Equal opportunities

The Institute applies a policy of equal opportunities in line with the formal requirements noted in section 3.1.

Applications are accepted without distinction on any grounds of age, birth, disability, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, membership of a national minority, political (or any other) opinion, property, religion, sex or sexual orientation.

8. Appeals

If a candidate considers that s/he has been adversely affected by a particular decision, s/he can lodge a complaint under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities and Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities, by writing to The Director, European Institute for Gender Equality, Gedimino Prospektas 16, Vilnius, Lithuania LT01103.

The complaint must be lodged within three months. The time limit for initiating this type of procedure (see Staff Regulations as modified by Council Regulation No 723/2004 of 22nd March 2004 published in the Official Journal of the European Union L 124 of 27th April 2004 – http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex) starts to run from the time the candidate is notified of the act adversely affecting her/him.

Pursuant to Article 195(1) of the Treaty establishing the European Community and in accordance with the conditions laid down in the Decision of the European Parliament of 9 March 1994 on the Staff Regulations and the general conditions governing the performance of the Ombudsman’s duties, published in Official Journal of the European Union L 113 of 4 May 1994, it is also possible to write to: The European Ombudsman, 1 Avenue du Président Robert Schuman, CS 30403 67001 Strasbourg Cedex, France.

Further details on appeals.

9. Protection of personal data

As the body responsible for organising the competition, the EIGE ensures that applicants’ personal data are processed as required by Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data (Official Journal of the European Communities, L 8 of 12 January 2001). This applies in particular to the confidentiality and security of such data.

Personal data shall thus be processed solely for the purpose of the selection procedure.

10. Lithuania & life in Vilnius

Lithuania is a member of the Schengen Area and it borders Latvia, Belarus, Poland and the Kaliningrad region of Russia. Its western coastline - noted for its fine beaches, dunes and majestic pines - straddles the Baltic Sea. Lithuanian summers are sunny and warm with an average temperature of +17 C. Winter is white and generally cold with average temperatures that hover around –4 C.

Lithuania's capital has an estimated population of just over 800,000 people. In addition to ample green spaces, Vilnius is beautifully situated on the banks of the river Neris. The city has impressive Baroque, Gothic, Renaissance and Russian architecture as well as one of Europe's largest medieval old towns, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994.  Vilnius has been a university city since the Middle Ages. Today, it is the centre of the country's politics, business, science, culture and entertainment and attracts an increasingly varied assortment of local and international events. In addition to hosting a number of international schools, it has a well-developed infrastructure and ambitious future plans.

Further information is available here: http://www.vilnius-tourism.lt/en/tourism.

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[1] Established by the European Parliament: Council Regulation (EC) No 1922/2006 of 20 December 2006 (OJ L 403/9 of 30.12.2006).

[2] Only qualifications issued by EU Member State authorities and qualifications recognised as equivalent by the relevant Member States authorities will be accepted.

[3] Prior to recruitment, the successful candidate will be medically examined for the purposes of Article 12(2) (d) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union.

[4] For example: expatriation allowance, household allowance, education allowance, dependent child allowance, accreditation status, management allowance (applicable after successful closure of probation), membership in the European Commission’s joint sickness insurance scheme, annual travel allowance, etc.