Administrative Agent – Operations/Directorate

Contract Agent FGIII

The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)[1] is publishing a call for applications with a view to establishing a reserve list for Contract Agents for the post of Administrative Agent – Operations/Directorate.

The registration of applications will begin on 02 August 2011 and will close on 9 September 2011 at 23:00 Eastern European Time.

1. The role of the Institute

Based in Vilnius, Lithuania, EIGE is a regulatory agency of the European Union (EU) entrusted with specific objectives related to the contribution and strengthening of gender equality.

To achieve its goals, the Institute shall collect and analyse objective, comparable and reliable information at Community level and develop appropriate methodological tools for the integration of gender equality into all Community policies. EIGE shall equally foster the exchange of good practices and dialogue between stakeholders and raise EU citizen awareness of this policy area by providing technical assistance to the Community institutions, in particular the Commission, as well as the authorities of the Member States.

In the course of its work to promote and strengthen gender equality EIGE will also strive to eliminate gender based discrimination.

2. Job profile and duties

The Administrative Agent – Operations/Directorate will assist in facilitating the co-ordination of the work of the Institute. More specifically the jobholder shall be involved in the following activities:

• contribute to the origination, planning, implementation, monitoring and follow-up of the work plan of the Operations Unit and the Directorate, coordinating and planning work processes and providing input to develop processes in order to improve the workflow;
• draft, proof-read, copy and/or prepare a variety of correspondence, reports, meeting documents, minutes, statistical or tabular data, letters, memoranda, etc. where appropriate using word processing or spread sheet applications;
• provide support in procurement procedures for colleagues who develop, launch, manage and monitor calls for tenders or proposals.
• act as financial initiating agent for operation staff missions, expert reimbursements and commitments and payments for operational budget;
• support the planning, implementation and monitoring processes of the mid term and the annual work programmes of the Institute, ensuring that all paperwork conforms to administrative and budgetary requirements;
• assist in the management of projects and processes with contractors;
• prepare, coordinate and update lists, mailing lists, files and databases related to work of the Operations Unit and the Directorate, ensuring correct and updated information;
• assist in the preparation of internal and external events (including meetings, workshops, training events, public events etc.), organised by different sections of the Operations Unit and the Directorate. This includes supporting logistics, travel/accommodation arrangements and the processes related to the financial management/reporting;
• create maintain and update files, (including project files) ensuring easy retrieval on the basis of proper filing systems and applied practices at the Institute;
• contribute to administrative monitoring and quality checks on files for signature and follow up files relating to the tasks of the Operations Unit and the Directorate;
• support the collection and preparation of materials for publication and website upload;
• maintain good contacts and coordinate actions with the Administration Unit, external stakeholders, partners and networks.

3. Qualifications and experience required

3.1 Formal requirements

To be considered eligible for selection, an applicant must meet the following formal requirements:

• a post secondary education attested by a diploma[2] or a certificate of secondary education giving access to higher education and at least three years full time professional experience, relevant to the duties concerned;
• a good command, both spoken and written, of at least two official EU languages;
• nationality of a Member state of the European Union;
• entitlement to full rights as a citizen[3];
• to have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable national laws concerning military service, and
• to be physically fit to perform duties required by the post.[4]

3.2. Selection Criteria

Eligible candidates will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

Essential

• at least three years professional experience following the award of a diploma[5];
• a high level of computer literacy and familiarity with the electronic office tools (e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, power point, e-mail, internet);
• experience of working with procurement procedures;
• the ability to communicate effectively in written and spoken English, the predominant working language of the Institute;
• the mind-set to see through to conclusion specific tasks ensuring deadlines and quality standards are met;
• the ability to work well as part of a team and with minimal supervision in conditions that require considerable flexibility;
• the ability to work in a proactive, autonomous way;
• evident interpersonal, organisational, administrative and problem solving abilities.

Advantageous

• professional experience in an EU institution or body;
• previous work experience with ABAC and/or other financial software.

4. Selection procedure and application

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.
• Due to large volume of applications, only candidates selected for the interviews will be contacted.
• Interviews will be held in English.
• During the interview session, 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. Candidates will be informed by letter whether or not they have 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 strictly 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. It is to be forwarded electronically to eige [dot] hr [at]eige [dot] europa [dot] eu. The subject title should include the vacancy reference number.

Application form (.doc, 224 KB)

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 the 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, the Institute regrets that only candidates selected for the interviews will be contacted.

5. Conditions of employment

The place of employment shall be Vilnius, Lithuania. For reasons related to the Institute’s operational requirements, the chosen candidate will be expected to take up the post in January 2012 and will be required to be available at short notice. A Contract Agent contract at a Function Group III level pursuant to the conditions of employment of other servants of the European Communities shall be offered subject to a nine month probation period. The duration of the initial contract will be three years and the initial contract may be renewed.

The pay of the Community Contract Agents consists of the basic remuneration as well as various allowances[6] depending on personal situation of the jobholder. The starting basic salary at the FG III level, before deductions and the application of the correction coefficient of 72.5% applicable to Lithuania, is €2,457.08. The salary will be paid in the local currency: LTL.

All remuneration is subject to a Community tax at source. Deductions are also made for medical insurance, pension and unemployment insurance. Salaries are exempt from national taxation.

6. Independence and 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 or her independence. Candidates must confirm their willingness to do so in their applications.

7. Equal opportunities

EIGE applies a policy of equal opportunities and accepts applications without distinction on any grounds.

8. Appeal procedures

If a candidate considers that she or he has been adversely affected by a particular decision,a complaint can be lodged 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, Svitrigailos g. 11m, Vilnius, Lithuania LT-03228.

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 him/her.

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 and 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.

Vilnius is Lithuania's capital with an estimated population of just over half a million citizens. It has impressive Baroque and Gothic architecture as well as one of Europe's largest medieval old towns, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994. A university city since the Middle Ages, Vilnius 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, it has a well developed infrastructure and ambitious future plans.

Further information is available here - http://www.lithuaniatourism.co.uk/index.php?id=333

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[1] Established by the European Parliament and of 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 required to provide a certificate from the police, indicating clean conduct.

[4] 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.

[5] 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).

[6] For example: expatriation allowance, household allowance, education allowance, dependant child allowance etc.

Relevant Documents:

Application form (.doc, 224KB)