Administrative Agent – Assistance to EU pre-accession countries

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 Administrative Agent – Assistance to EU pre-accession countries.

The Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) provides financial support to pre-accession countries aiming to help prepare for their potential future EU membership. EIGE’s IPA project aims at engaging the candidate countries in gender-equal policy making and benefiting from synergies with the EU-wide gender equality initiatives, such as EIGE’s Gender Equality Index. The project currently covers cooperation with the Western Balkan countries and Turkey.

The registration of applications will begin on 18 January 2017 and will close on 20 March 2017 at 13:00 Eastern European Time.

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.

To achieve its goals, 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 EU citizens’ awareness of this policy area by providing technical assistance to EU institutions, in particular the European Commission, as well as the authorities of the Member States.

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

The post

Profile

Under the supervision of the Head of Knowledge Management and Communications Unit and working in close collaboration with other colleagues and external contractors, the jobholder will coordinate the management and implementation of the Institute’s activities with EU candidate countries under the framework of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), aiming to support preparations for a potential accession.  

The Jobholder will be required to develop contacts, provide advice, and collaborate with partners in each candidate country, with an aim to building their capacities and engaging in EIGE’s activities.

The post demands a proactive team player who displays an excellent attention to detail, ability to manage multiple tasks and works efficiently as part of a multicultural and multidisciplinary team.

Duties

The jobholder will be involved in the following tasks and activities:

• Plan, manage and implement the Institute’s activity on pre-accession support to IPA countries within the area of gender equality;
• Maintain good relations and contact with the European Commission (DG  NEAR) and the European External Action Service (EEAS) concerning the implementation of the project and its budget;
• Together with management and relevant colleagues identify and propose areas of the Institute’s work which may be of benefit to the IPA countries;
• Manage procurement procedures and prepare Terms of Reference to contract translators, conference organisers and other relevant support for the planned activities;
• Develop and maintain regular contacts with the beneficiary institutions, and partners in the candidate countries through on-site visits and technical advice;
• Plan and monitor the budget of the project;
• Draft the required technical and financial reports and other documents (e.g. intermediate and final reports) for the project;
• Contribute with timely and qualitative information to the Institute’s reporting and planning documents;
• Respond to information requests concerning the IPA project in specific candidate countries and the Commission;
• Perform any other related tasks assigned by EIGE’s management.

Qualifications & experience required

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 education attested by a diploma[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]

Selection criteria

Essential:

• At least three years professional experience following the award of a diploma[4];
• A track record in contract or project management and programme implementation;
• Experience in institutional capacity building relevant to the post;
• Good knowledge of gender equality issues and relevant actors in this field, particularly in candidate countries;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, negotiation skills and ability to liaise effectively with people at all levels of the organisation and externally;
• A proactive and engaging approach to work; initiative, flexibility, reliability and willingness to accept responsibilities;
• Ability to work in a multinational and diverse environment;
• Fluency in English, both spoken and written.

Advantageous:

• Knowledge of the EU’s pre-accession assistance programmes;
• Knowledge of one of the languages of the pre-accession countries;
• Experience with EU public procurement and the preparation of calls for tender;
• Good knowledge of EU integration policy, the institutions of the EU and EIGE;
• Knowledge of EU decision-making procedures relevant to the pre-accession activities;
• Relevant work experience in an EU institution.

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. Following 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 in particular a copy of identity card, passport or other official document specifying citizenship.
• 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.
• The Director of the Institute will appoint the selected jobholder from the reserve list, taking into account the establishment of 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 the 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.

Conditions of employment

The place of employment is Vilnius Lithuania. EIGE operates from a modern and fully computerised office space based in the city’s Old Town.

The jobholder shall work in a multicultural environment where social dialogue is considered very important. EIGE applies a participatory approach to its work and encourages an open dialogue between management and staff. Colleagues work closely together as much of the work is organised around cross-unit project teams. EIGE’s staff engagement is among the highest in EU agencies.

Working time is based around flexitime and core working hours, as defined in the EU Staff Regulations. In addition to training opportunities, EIGE offers various support and well-being measures for staff members and their families such as contributions to schooling costs.

A contract in Function Group III under Article 3a 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 is two years. 

Remuneration of Contract Agents consists of the basic salary as well as various allowances[5] depending on personal situation of the jobholder. For information, the current gross basic salary of the first step in the applicable first grade, before deductions and the correction coefficient weighting of 69.7% for Lithuania, is approximately €2,619.87. The step in grade could be higher depending on the length of experience of the chosen candidate. Salaries are subject to tax at source but are exempt from national taxation. Deductions are also made for medical insurance, pension and unemployment insurance.

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.

Equal opportunities

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

Appeal procedures

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 ) 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.

Protection of personal data

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

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.

Vilnius is a vibrant and pleasant city, with ample green spaces.  It is beautifully situated on the banks of the river Neris, offering excellent opportunities for outdoor activities. The city is compact and safe, both for individuals and families. Vilnius 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. It 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 it attracts an increasingly varied assortment of local and international events. In addition to hosting a number of international schools, Vilnius has a well-developed infrastructure and ambitious future plans.

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

[1] Established by the European Parliament: the 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 Communities.

[4] Professional experience will be counted from the date on which the applicant acquired the minimum qualification for access to the profile in question. Only duly documented professional activity (i.e. remunerated employment or self-employment) is taken into account. Part-time work will be taken into account in proportion to the percentage of full-time hours worked. Periods of education or training and unremunerated traineeships are not taken into account Fellowships, grants and PhDs can be counted as professional experience up to a maximum of three years. Any given time period can be counted only once (e.g. if the applicant had a full-time job and did freelance consultancy work in the evenings and weekends, the days spent on the latter will not be added to the period of the former).

[5] For example: expatriation allowance, household allowance, education allowance, dependent child allowance, etc.