Statistician

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 Statistician.

The registration of applications will begin on 29 November 2016 and will close on 16 January 2017 at 13:00 Eastern European Time. The deadline has been extended to 10 February 2017, 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 citizen 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 strives to eliminate gender discrimination.

The post

Reporting to the Head of Operations and working in close collaboration with other colleagues, the jobholder will enhance the research and analytical capacity of the Unit.

The post requires a very good understanding of social statistics, knowledge and experience in data collection and production of statistics, in addition to applying advanced methods of statistical analysis to large data sets, experience in research management, analytical skills and excellent drafting abilities.

Duties

The responsibilities of the post include the following responsibilities and tasks:

• design and implement research activities and projects focused on various areas of gender equality;
• produce high quality, policy relevant comparative analyses based on sex-disaggregated data and gender statistics;  work with large international/EU/national datasets, assess the quality of data from a gender equality perspective and make proposals for data quality improvement;   
• assess the quality of existing indicators and develop new indicators which are relevant to measure progress in gender equality;
• compile comparative statistical data for publication and dissemination, in particular, in areas such as the follow up on the Beijing Platform for Action, the Gender Equality Index and EIGE’s database on gender statistics;
• contribute to the drafting of policy relevant  research reports, briefing notes and responses to enquiries;
• initiate and maintain statistical information exchanges with relevant national/international/EU institutions and data providers;
• assist the Institute in the organisation and coordination of meetings, workshops, seminars and network cooperation in the field of gender equality;
• follow the latest research and statistical developments, including methodologies, in the area of gender equality at national and European levels as well as globally.

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

• at least three years of professional experience gained after the award of the relevant qualification and at a suitable level corresponding to performance of tasks as defined in section 2;
• proven record of work with micro-data using statistical software (e.g. Excel, SPSS and/or Stata). 
• proven record of work with secondary data sources (both administrative and surveys), using large international or European datasets, such as EU-LFS, EU-SILC, PIIAAC etc. for searching, finding and analyzing social statistics and indicators, particularly gender statistics.
• ability to explain and (visually) present statistics and study results to non-experts,
• substantiated by a reference in the applicant’s CV to publications and/or reports/policy papers that she/he has contributed to;
• at least two years practical experience and excellence in preparing, implementing and/or supporting comparative research projects;
• very good understanding of EU policies and key issues related to gender equality;
• very good command of English which is the predominant working language at the Institute;
• evident organisational skills, including the ability to manage priorities, work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

Advantageous:

• professional experience of producing gender statistics and indicators on gender equality;
• work experience in EU or international organisations;
• knowledge of financial and procurement rules and procedures applicable to EU institutions and bodies;
• previous exposure to international and/or multicultural /multilingual environment.

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, in particular a copy of identity card, passport or other official document specifying citizenship, which 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.
• 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 available on 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 card. 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 shall be Vilnius, Lithuania. For reasons related to the Institute’s operational requirements, the chosen candidate will be expected to be available at short notice. A contract in Function Group IV under Article 3a 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 contract will be one year and may be renewed for a further year.  

The pay of a Contract Agent consists of the basic remuneration as well as various allowances[4] depending on personal situation of the jobholder. For information, the current gross basic salary before deductions and the correction coefficient weighting of 69.7% for Lithuania, starts at approximately €3,353. A higher grade within the function group could apply depending on the length of experience of the chosen candidate. Remuneration will be paid in € (Euro). Salaries are subject to tax at source but are exempt from national taxation. Deductions are also made for medical insurance, pension and unemployment insurance.

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

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 and accepts applications without distinction on any grounds.

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.

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.

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 Lithuania's capital with an estimated population of just over half a million citizens. 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.

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