Head of Unit - Knowledge Management & Communications

The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)[1] is organising a call for applications with a view to establishing a reserve list for a Head of Unit – Knowledge Management & Communications.

The registration of applications will begin on 6 May 2021 and will close on 10 June 2021 at 13:30 Eastern European Time.

The Institute

EIGE is a decentralised agency of the European Union (EU) based in Vilnius. It has a central role to address the challenges of promoting and strengthening equality between women and men across the EU.

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 supports policy-makers with high quality research and comparable data relevant to their work and actively communicates the findings to relevant stakeholders.

The post

Profile

Reporting to the Director and working in close collaboration with other management and non-management colleagues, the jobholder will enhance the knowledge management and communications capacity of the Institute.  

The post is responsible for a team of around 15 agents encompassing the communications, stakeholder relations and knowledge management functions. The unit is responsible for a broad range of activities, including the Resource and Documentation Centre (RDC), event management, online communications, media relations and production of publications.  

Essential to success in this role is the ability to work with a wide range of people, with sensitivity and integrity and to demonstrate a collaborative approach in developing and leading the Unit.

Duties

The post-holder will assume the following main duties:

• leading the Unit’s strategic planning and monitoring activities in close coordination with both the Operations Unit and the Administration Unit;
• leading and supervising the priorities for, and sustaining the motivation of, a diverse multidisciplinary team;
• communicating effectively the results of EIGE’s work to a variety of audiences (including policymakers, civil society organisations, international partners, media and other relevant stakeholders), drawing on a broad experience in gender equality matters;
• developing and maintaining effective relations with key media and other communications intermediaries;
• planning and coordinating EIGE’s activities with EU presidencies in the frame of its multi-annual work programme strategy;
• developing and maintaining relations with key stakeholders at EU and national levels in support of EIGE’s communication activities and initiatives;
• managing knowledge management processes, such as the production of publications, translations and monitoring the impact of EIGE’s work;
• overseeing related procurement, financial procedures and related contracts in compliance with EU regulations as well as planning, monitoring and overseeing the implementation of EIGE’s annual budget allocation to the areas of responsibility pertaining to this post.

Qualifications and experience required

Formal requirements

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

• have a university degree[2] which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is four years or more, or have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least one year when the normal period of university education is at least three years;
• have a good command, both spoken and written, of English and at least one other official EU language;
• be a national of a Member State of the EU;
• enjoy full rights as an EU citizen;
• have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the national laws concerning military service, and
• be physically fit to perform duties.[3]

Selection criteria

Essential:

• At least 12 years professional experience gained after the award of the relevant qualification of which six years were acquired in positions which reflect the duties as defined in Section 2, preferably in an International or EU Institution, Agency or Body.
• Good understanding of the workings of the European Union, including the decision making processes, policies and procedures.
• Experience with managing communication teams and implementation of EU wide communications projects
• Proven record of work with mainstream European media relevant to the Institute’s principal area of competence and an established network of media contacts.
• Excellent written English, which is the Institute’s predominant working language.
• Notable diplomatic, presentation and communication skills.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills, including the ability to apply appropriate leadership in order to manage priorities, work under pressure and maintain effective communication with colleagues at all levels of the organisation.

Advantageous:

• A qualification in communications, journalism, European studies or other relevant degrees;
• Experience of managing public affairs in complex working environments at EU or international level.
• Knowledge of financial and procurement rules and procedures applicable to EU institutions and bodies.
• Good understanding of EU policies and priorities related to gender equality
• Experience in working in a multicultural 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. As part of the interviewing procedure, candidates may also be required to undergo a competency assessment exercise and language test.
• 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 a candidate 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 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.

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. An AD 10 Temporary Agent contract under Article 2f 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 of the Temporary Agents consists of the basic remuneration as well as various allowances[4] depending on the 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 76.6% for Lithuania, is approximately 9,117 EUR. The applicable grade could be higher depending on the length of experience of the chosen candidate. Remuneration will be paid in EUR. 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 jobholder 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 their 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.

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

Appeal procedures

If a candidate considers that they have 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 Union and Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union, by writing to:

The Director,

European Institute for Gender Equality,

Gedimino Prospektas 16,

Vilnius,

Lithuania LT01103.

The complaint must be lodged within three months as from notification of the decision. 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.

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

As the body responsible for organising the competition, the EIGE ensures that applicants’ personal data are processed as required by Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC. 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 has an estimated population of just over 550,000 people. In addition to ample green spaces, it is beautifully situated on the banks of the river Neris, offering excellent opportunities for outdoor activities. 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. The city centre of Vilnius is compact, clean and safe. In addition to hosting a number of international schools, Vilnius has a well-developed infrastructure and ambitious future plans.

The city is easy to get around, has a good standard of living and an excellent working environment. EIGE’s premises are situated in the Europe House on the main thoroughfare of Vilnius City, Gedimino Prospektas, with easy access to amenities, both leisure and educational. 

Further information is available at https://www.govilnius.lt/ and https://investlithuania.com/why-lithuania/lifestyle.

 

[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] Before recruitment, the applicant 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, management allowance (after successful completion of probation), household allowance, education allowance, supplementary education allowance, dependent child allowance, etc.