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 Stakeholder Relations Officer. The registration of applications begins on 13 December 2022 and closes on 20 January 2023 at 13:00 Eastern European Time.

The Institute

Based in Vilnius Lithuania, EIGE is a decentralised 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. EIGE communicates its knowledge to its stakeholders and the general public.

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. 

The post

Profile

Reporting to the Head of Knowledge Management and Communications, the jobholder will be part of the Stakeholder Relations team and shall coordinate co-operation and build strategic partnerships with key stakeholders such as the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union (including the rotating EU Presidencies), specific EU agencies, social partners, civil society organisations and policy-makers in the EU Member States.

The post requires a good knowledge of the EU’s institutional framework and EU policy making processes in order to respond effectively to stakeholder needs concerning gender equality. As a member of the Stakeholder Relations team, the jobholder is expected to be a team player with a  strategic mindset, analytical, well organised and structured. And the jobholder is expected to have excellent presenting and communicating skills, in representing the Agency in external meetings.

While initially Brussels based, the chosen candidate needs also to be ready to relocate to Vilnius should operational exigencies require this.

Duties

The responsibilities of the post include the following:

  • Contribute to the functioning of EIGE’s Brussels office during its pilot phase until the end of 2023 and accordingly continue working in that role in case of successful completion of the pilot project.
  • Drive and implement EIGE’s stakeholder engagement activities in Brussels in close collaboration with EIGE’s headquarters in Vilnius in line with the Institute’s stakeholder engagement strategy.
  • Support EIGE’s management in strategic decision making, and facilitate close cooperation of EIGE with EU institutions and other Brussels based stakeholders.
  • Increase EIGE’s impact and visibility among EU institutions and other EU level stakeholders at relevant meetings and events through the presentation of EIGE’s evidence.
  • Select, prioritise, analyse and report on key EU policy developments relevant for the implementation of EIGE’s work programme and for the strategic planning of its research, stakeholder and communication activities.
  • Guided by EIGE’s management, explore, initiate and follow up cooperation with EU institutions and EU stakeholders with the aim to strengthen EIGE’s contribution through knowledge and expertise within EU policymaking processes.
  • Establish and sustain contacts with EU institutional stakeholders and with a range of non- institutional stakeholders, in line with EIGE’s thematic priority areas.
  • Organise and support meetings and events with EU institutions as well as EIGE consultation meetings with stakeholders.
  • Support the process of budgeting and budget implementation within the Stakeholder Relations team along with other relevant duties in the interest of the Institute as assigned by the Head of Unit.

Qualifications & experience required

Formal requirements

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

  • Completed a university degree2  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.
  • Nationality of an EU Member State.
  • A good command, both spoken and written, of at least two official EU languages.
  • Full rights as an EU citizen.
  • Fulfilled any obligations imposed by national laws concerning military service.   
  • Be physically fit to perform duties linked to the post.3

Selection criterion

Essential

  • At least six years’ professional experience4 gained after the award of the relevant qualification and at a suitable level corresponding to performance of tasks as defined in section 2.
  • A good knowledge of policy and challenges in the area of gender equality as part of the broader equality and inclusion portfolio.
  • A good understanding of the EU policy and decision-making process, actors, structures and relevant stakeholders.
  • Networking experience and of establishing cooperation and partnerships, across different sectors.
  • Experience in collecting, processing and prioritising information and communicating effectively key messages from EIGE’s research to policy-makers.
  • Ability to identify critical facts in complex policy issues and to connect these in relation to EIGE’s knowledge.
  • Experience and knowledge on trends in effective and inclusive stakeholder consultation and engagement processes with a broad range of stakeholders, also bringing in an intersectional perspective.
  • Excellent writing skills and oral presentation abilities in English (C1).
  • Excellent interpersonal, coordination, organisational, administrative and problem solving skills.
  • Ability to work in a proactive and autonomous way while ensuring accuracy.
  • Ability to manage priorities, work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

Advantageous

  • Work experience in an international or  European organisation.
  • Work experience of planning and organising impact driven conferences, fora or other events, applying new innovative and interactive formats.
  • Good knowledge of additional EU languages.

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 interviews.
  • 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 interviews, candidates will be requested to present originals and/or 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 is 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 candidate 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 on 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. Only candidates invited to an interview will be asked to present copies of 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 obligations.

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

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

Conditions of employment

While EIGE’s place of employment is Vilnius, the post will initially be Brussels based in connection with the operations of EIGE’s office there.

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 is committed to the principle of zero tolerance towards harassment at work.

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.

For reasons related to the Institute’s operational requirements, the chosen candidate will be expected to be available at short notice. An AD6 Temporary Agent contract under Article 2f pursuant to the conditions of employment of other servants of the European Union, shall be offered, subject to nine months’ probation. The duration of the contract will be three years and may be renewed.

Remuneration consists of the basic salary as well as various allowances5 depending on personal situation of the jobholder. For information, the gross basic salary before deductions is approximately €6,066 (step 1) or €6,321 EUR (step 2).6 Salaries are exempt from national taxation and subject to tax at source. Deductions are also made for medical insurance, pension and unemployment insurance.

Independence & declarations of interest

The jobholder 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.

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

Moreover, EIGE is committed to promote diversity and inclusion in its working environment and organisational culture. This includes Reasonable Accommodation for applicants with a disability.7

This post is open to nationals from the 27 European Union Member States. Currently the Institute employs staff from 19 different Member States. Candidates from Czechia, Denmark, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia and Sweden are particularly encouraged to apply since these countries are not represented.

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 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. 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

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 from Invest Lithuania.

Footnotes

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

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 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 3 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). Freelance or self-employed applicants will be asked to provide either a practising certificate (or equivalent) or a copy of the entry in the relevant trade register, or any other official document (for example a tax document) showing clearly the length of relevant professional experience.

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

The country co-efficient for Lithuania current of 87.4 will not apply for the period when the chosen candidate is based in Brussels.

See EIGE’s Director’s decision 268/2022 on Reasonable Accommodation and the reference in the application form.

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