JOB DESCRIPTION

ESMA is organising a selection procedure to identify suitable candidates for the position of Head of Human Resources Unit within the Resources Department and constitute a reserve list.

The Resources Department is responsible for the Authority’s human, financial and physical resources and support functions. The Department is structured in three Units: Corporate Services (CPS), Finance & Procurement (FIP) and Human Resources (HR).

The Human Resources Unit plays a central role in supporting the organisation’s strategic objectives by delivering efficient and forward-looking human resource management. It is committed to fostering a culture of engagement, nurturing talent, and aligning its purpose with ESMA’s broader mission and values. In response to expanding mandates, recruitment and onboarding will be an essential focus for ESMA in the coming years, with efforts to attract talents from underrepresented groups and regions. The HR Unit is also advancing competency-based recruitment and strategic resource planning to ensure the organisation is equipped with the right skills and expertise across all functions in a timely and efficient manner. Talent development remains a priority, with initiatives promoting internal mobility, secondments, and exchange programmes with EU institutions and NCAs, alongside a robust offering of training and learning opportunities, delivered both onsite and through e-learning platforms. The HR Unit actively supports staff wellbeing and work-life balance through dedicated initiatives and enhanced feedback mechanisms. Diversity and inclusion continue to be a key focus through a range of activities designed to cultivate a workplace where diversity is valued as a driver of innovation and inclusion is embedded in everyday practice. In parallel, the Unit continues to drive the digitalisation of HR processes, reinforcing operational efficiency and improving the employee experience.

As part of its ongoing modernisation and transformation efforts, the HR Unit advances on its strategic initiatives and key policy frameworks, including the People strategy, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy, competency framework, and digitisation roadmap. These pillars are central to ESMA’s organisational development, and as such, they form core components of the Head of HR Unit’s role and overall responsibilities.

For more information, please consult ESMA’s departments and organigramme.

• Strategic overview of the role:

As ESMA takes on a greater role and enters a new phase of strategic expansion, driven by new supervisory mandates under existing legislation, the establishment of the Savings and Investments Union, and the prospect of additional responsibilities – the Head of Human Resources Unit will assume a central role in shaping and supporting organisational transformation, ensuring the capacity to deliver on increasingly complex mandates.

Following this direction, the Head of HR will be expected to drive forward some of the main strategic priorities:

• Drive the organisational adaptation by aligning HR policies, procedures, and structures with ESMA’s evolving operational and strategic needs.
• Support implementation of the strategic goals by driving talent management initiatives, including workforce planning, capability development, and leadership cultivation.
• Design and implement a comprehensive employee branding strategy to attract and retain high-calibre professionals, in view of anticipated recruitment.
• Represent ESMA externally in HR-related matters, engaging with EU institutions, national competent authorities (NCAs), sister agencies, and prospective talents to promote ESMA as an employer of choice and ensure alignment with broader institutional HR practices.

This strategic dimension of the role is essential to enabling ESMA to remain agile, attractive, and effective as it continues to expand its responsibilities within the European regulatory landscape.

Reporting to the Head of Resources Department, the Head of Human Resources Unit is responsible for:

• Management areas:

• Define the Unit’s vision, goals, objectives and priorities, coordinating as necessarily with other Units and Departments across all ESMA;
• Lead and manage the financial and human resources of the Unit to ensure an efficient, collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing environment; and ensure fair allocation of tasks;
• Represent the Unit and ESMA at relevant internal and external meetings to support and

promote the Authority’s decisions, proposals and values in the area of HR;

• Act as the main channel for the exchange of information between senior and middle

management of the Authority and the staff members of the Unit;

• Develop and foster strong strategic relations with: partner EU institution (DG FISMA) and

relevant Commission Services (DG HR); ESAs sister agencies in particular with their HR functions; other relevant stakeholders and EU HR networks (e.g. within the European Network of Agencies – EUAN);

• Accomplish any other tasks assigned by the Head of the Department and/or Executive Director.
  • Specific areas of responsibility:
• Oversee, manage and continuously improve the full Employee life-cycle:

o Workforce planning: staff budgeting, planning and execution of the                     establishment

plan;

o     Talent attraction and selection: recruitment planning, competencies based selection;

o     Talent onboarding, individual entitlements, personnel, and payroll administration;

o     Performance management: annual appraisal and reclassification processes,

feedback loop;

o     Talent development: learning and development programmes and initiatives;

o     Talent care and retention: wellbeing, employee relations, staff survey, social

dialogue, case management, and litigation-related responsibilities ; o Project management across HR initiatives;

o     Provision of comprehensive support to all staff in HR-related matters.

• Drive the implementation of ESMA People Strategy, ESMA Diversity Equity and

Inclusion Strategy, as well as of lean and efficient HR processes,                             policies and

technologies in line with related business needs and best practices;

• Support ESMA’s management on staff planning, providing advice and data to ensure the efficient use of human resources aligned with organisational goals and within the budget;
• Ensure effective preparation, implementation and monitoring of HR planning and

budgeting, in line with sound financial management principles and as                     supported by

existing planning tools and systems (ANAPLAN);

• Launch and oversee procurement procedures and monitor the implementation of contracts related to HR services, as necessary;
• Promote continuous professional development of ESMA’s staff through effective competency management, learning interventions, and coaching, to foster timely availability of staff with the necessary skills and expertise;
• Oversee the sound administration of HR staff management processes, including job descriptions, objectives setting, performance, leave and absence management;
• Ensure proactive, transparent and clear communication with ESMA’s staff on HR-related topics;
• Monitor and optimise the HR management systems, including the development and implementation of digital tools to enhance HR operations;
• Liaise with the Staff Committee, ensuring timely consultation on HR policies and procedures by constructive dialogue;
• Promote equity, diversity and inclusion across the organisation as part of ESMA’s culture;
• Perform any other tasks in the area of competence as assigned by line management.

 

• Professional qualifications and other requirements
• Eligibility criteria

To be considered eligible, candidates must satisfy all the eligibility criteria listed below, by the deadline for submitting applications:

• have at least a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of four years attested by a diploma³, and after having obtained the diploma, twelve years of proven professional experience⁴ (both must be acquired in a field corresponding to the nature of the duties covered by the job description);

OR

have at least a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of three years attested by a diploma, and after obtained the diploma, thirteen years of proven professional experience (both must be acquired in a field corresponding to the nature of the duties covered by the job description);

• be a national of a Member State of the European Union or the EEA (Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland);
• enjoy full rights as a citizen⁵;
• have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable laws concerning military service;
• have a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the European Union⁶ and a satisfactory knowledge⁷ of another language of the European Union, and
• be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post⁸.
• Selection criteria

Applications which fulfil the above Eligibility criteria (part 3.1) will be assessed and scored against the Essential requirements (part 3.2.1). Candidates who do not meet all the Essential requirements (part 3.2.1) will be excluded from the selection process.

Candidates who meet all the Essential requirements (part 3.2.1) will be scored against the Advantageous requirements (part 3.2.2).

Within this comparative evaluation of applications, the 15 candidates who obtain the highest scores, will be invited first for a written test⁹ (1^st part of the selection procedure).

Consequently, the candidates, who reach a minimum score of 60% for the written tests, will then be invited for interviews with the Selection Board (2^nd part of the selection procedure).

• Essential requirements

1. At least ten (10) year experience in Human Resource function in the public and/or private sector;
2. At least two (2) years of experience in a managerial role within Human Resources, involving the oversight of both personnel and associated financial resources (please specify duration, size of the team(s), and number of direct/indirect reports);
3. Solid experience in planning, managing and supervising the execution of staff-related budgetary expenditures;
4. Proven experience in setting priorities, planning and utilising resources efficiently to deliver results;
5. Demonstrated expertise in developing HR-related policies and procedures, and in coordinating their implementation across the organisation;

(Please specify the complexity of the work, your contribution and roles/level of responsibility).

• Advantageous requirements

1. In-depth knowledge and experience in applying the EU Staff Regulations and their Implementing rules;
2. Experience in the HR dimensions of change management, governance, and organisational development at both strategic and/or operational levels, particularly in a fast-growing organisation;
3. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to demonstrate resilience and steer discussions toward optimal outcomes, while maintaining collaborative relationships with stakeholders at all levels, both internally and externally.

(Please specify the complexity of the work, your contribution and roles/level of responsibility).

• Supplementary requirements

1. Strong analytical skills and ability to develop a strategic vision for the Unit and its contribution to the broader organisation’s objectives (leadership skills);

Tests and/or interviews may be performed remotely.

1. j) Ability to lead, motivate and develop the potential of teams with multinational and multidisciplinary backgrounds (management skills);
2. k) Ability to build productive and cooperative working relationships with multiple internal and external stakeholders (interpersonal skills);
3. l) Ability to communicate clearly and present complex subjects simply, both orally and in writing, including to the members of the team (communication skills), and
4. m) Ability to work under pressure and deliver high quality work under very tight timelines.

Candidates invited for interviews and written tests will be assessed against all selection criteria (parts 3.2.1 & 3.2.2 & 3.2.3).

The candidates who receive at least 60% of the maximum points in both the written tests and interviews will be included in the reserve list of suitable candidates.

All candidates on the reserve list will be invited for a one-day assessment centre and will be interviewed by the Executive Director and one member of the Selection Board.

The established reserve list may be used for the recruitment of a similar post depending on the needs of ESMA. Please note that inclusion in the reserve list does not guarantee recruitment.

The Selection Board’s work and deliberations are strictly confidential and any contact with its members is strictly forbidden. Any contact made by the candidates or third parties in order to influence the Members of the Selection Board in relation to the selection constitutes grounds for disqualification from the selection procedure.

• How to apply

To be considered, applications must be submitted via ESMA’s e-Recruitment tool and received by 23:59:59 CET on the closing date. Submissions by other means will not be accepted. We recommend submitting your application well in advance of the deadline to avoid potential issues due to increased activity on the recruitment platform.

All sections of the application form must be completed in English. For instructions on completing the application, please refer to the Candidates Guidelines.

Following the submission of the application candidates will receive an automatic email acknowledging receipt of the application. Please note that all correspondence will take place via email, therefore please ensure that the email address linked to your account is accurate and monitored regularly.

Applicants will be assessed on the basis of the eligibility and selection criteria specified in the vacancy notice (as explained in part 3) and these must be met by the deadline for submitting applications.