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Assistant to the Director

Assistant to the Director Ref.: EUISS (2019) PER 002

Contract Staff Member

Grade B5

Salary:

The salary scale of the EUISS is calculated according to that of the Coordinated Organisations to which the grade B5 makes reference.

Duration:

3 years, renewable. Indicative starting date: 1st September 2019.

Job description

The European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) is the EU Agency that analyses foreign, security and defence policy issues. With its headquarters in Paris and a liaison office in Brussels, it acts as an interface between European experts and decision-makers at all levels.

The EUISS seeks to hire an experienced Assistant to the Director, joining a highly qualified and motivated team in Paris engaged in providing relevant expertise to both EU/national officials and the wider public – through publications, seminars and other activities.

Main responsibilities

The post involves a wide range of responsibilities and may evolve over time to adjust to changing needs and workload. The Assistant to the Director will be responsible for carrying out the following tasks under the supervision of the Director and, when appropriate, the Head of Administration and Personnel:

  • monitoring and preparing the Director’s correspondence, filtering incoming telephone calls (including the Institute’s switchboard), managing the Director’s diary and welcoming visitors;
  • organising the Director’s official travel;
  • maintaining and updating the filing system;
  • updating contact lists, notably of Institute’s Board members, PSC Ambassadors, Security Policy Directors and Policy Planners;
  • managing the mailing list of the Institute’s publications;
  • preparing the annual activity report of the Institute as well as other documents for the Board of the EUISS;
  • drafting minutes of internal meetings;
  • updating the list of the Institute’s activities/events on the Intranet;
  • organising all meetings convened by the Director, including the Institute’s Annual Conference and, occasionally, assisting the Institute’s Analysts with the organisation of events of their own;
  • if required, provisionally taking responsibility for the reception of visitors to the EUISS and for incoming and outgoing post;
  • other tasks, as required.

Eligibility criteria

On the closing date for applications, candidates must fulfil all the following conditions:

  • Be a national of a member state of the European Union who enjoys full rights as a citizen attested by a recent extract from judicial records and/or certificate of good conduct;
  • Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by national law on military service;
  • Be physically fit to perform the required duties.

Education

  • Have a minimum of a post-secondary diploma in a field relevant for the post.

Professional experience

  • Minimum of five years’ relevant professional work experience in a similar role, preferably in an EU or other international organisation or institution;

Languages

  • Excellent English writing and speaking skills;
  • Good command of French.

Selection criteria

  • Excellent organisational skills, ability to prioritise and multitask;
  • Sense of initiative;
  • Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (full proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint);
  • Team spirit and good communication skills;
  • Ability to work in a small international team;
  • Discretion, tact and diplomacy;
  • A good knowledge of and interest in the EU and its institutions. Relevant work experience in similar positions in European institutions and/or agencies would be an advantage.

Procedure

All interested candidates must complete the online application form, and attach:

  • A detailed CV (with a clear indication of educational attainment and professional experience);
  • A cover letter addressed to the EUISS Director;

Applications received by email, fax or post will not be considered. Only correctly and fully completed applications will be accepted.

The deadline for submitting applications is Tuesday 9 July 2019, 14:00 CEST.

The Selection Board, chaired by the Director of the EUISS, will screen the applications and establish a shortlist of candidates to be interviewed. The interview will be completed by a written technical test, the exact nature of which will be communicated to the candidates concerned in advance.

Following the interviews and written test, the successful candidate will be offered an initial contract of three years with a nine-month probationary period.

All applicants will be informed of the results of their application by the end of the procedure.

The EUISS is an equal opportunities employer and accepts applications without distinction on the grounds of age, race, political, philosophical or religious conviction, sex or sexual orientation and regardless of disabilities, marital status or family situation.

The processing of personal data by the EUISS is governed 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) N° 45/2001 and Decision N° 1247/2002/EC. By submitting an application, the applicant consents to the processing of the personal data contained in the application form and the supporting documents enclosed therewith, in the sense of Article 5.1 (a) of the Regulation. The personal data in question is collected by the EUISS for the sole purpose of this selection process.

Complaints: Candidates have the right to address to the Director of the EUISS an administrative complaint under Article 30.1 of the EUISS Staff Regulations. The complaint must be directed against an act that adversely affects their legal status as a candidate.

Candidates also have the right to submit an appeal to the EUISS Appeals Board, under Article 30.3 and Annex X of the EUISS Staff Regulations. Appeals are not admissible before an administrative complaint has first been made.

Candidates can make a complaint to the European Ombudsman. It should be noted that, under Article 2(4) of the general conditions governing the performance of the Ombudsman’s duties, any complaint lodged with the Ombudsman must be preceded by the appropriate administrative approaches to the institutions and bodies concerned.

Should a candidate have any questions related to the current vacancy notice or the selection procedure or the procedure to follow in case they want to lodge a complaint, they should contact Human Resources using the online contact form and indicating the reference of the vacancy notice.