JOB DESCRIPTION

WE ARE

The European External Action Service (EEAS) supports the High Representative in the exercise of her mandate to conduct and implement an effective and coherent Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), to represent the EU and to chair the Foreign Affairs Council.

It also supports the High Representative in her capacity as Vice-President of the Commission with regard to her responsibilities within the Commission in the external relations field, including the coordination of other aspects of the EU’s external action. The EEAS works in close cooperation with the EU Member States, the General Secretariat of the Council, the services of the Commission and the Secretariat General of the European Parliament.

WE PROPOSE

The EEAS is launching a Call for expression of interest in view of establishing a reserve list as Secretary contract agent (CA) FGII as per article 3b of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (hereafter, the “CEOS”)^[1].

This reserve list will serve to fill future vacancies as Secretary or Secretary (floater):

• Jobholders as Secretaries will be assigned to a Division of the EEAS to provide secretarial and administrative support.
• Jobholders as Secretaries (floaters) will be assigned for short periods to different services of the EEAS to provide secretarial and administrative support. The different assignments provide unique opportunities to get an insight into the work of the EEAS and to broaden professional experience and skills. The duration of each assignment varies from one month to several months, and is frequently of 2-3 months. This position requires the candidate to acquire competencies in a wide range of areas in order to provide the required support. It takes time and considerable resources to acquire this flexibility and it is therefore necessary, in the interest of the service, for the selected candidate to remain on the post of floater for a minimum of 2 years. Without prejudice to exceptional situations or for duly justified reasons, the selected candidate will be considered as eligible for other CA FGII posts in the EEAS only after having served at least 2 years as a floater.

PLACE and DATE OF EMPLOYMENT

‎EEAS Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium

Post available: reserve list 

LEGAL BASIS 

The vacancy is to be filled in accordance with the conditions stipulated under the CEOS, in particular Article 82 thereof. In case of recruitment, the successful candidate will be offered a contract agent position (Function group II), on the basis of a contract with an initial duration of one year that may be successively renewed up to a maximum duration of six years[2], subject to the maximum duration of engagement by the EEAS allowed under successive limited duration contracts of different types[3].

WE LOOK FOR

A dynamic, flexible and proactive colleague with good communication and organisational skills with a developed sense of service to be able to support the Divisions.

This person should be able to quickly adapt to new working environments and be a good team-player. The successful candidate should have good computer skills with a sound knowledge of the standard IT applications and administrative procedures. He/she will be entrusted with the following main tasks:

• provide efficient secretarial support;

• carry out various administrative tasks such as diary-keeping, filtering telephone calls, filing and ordering supplies, dealing with correspondence;

• document management: registration of incoming and outgoing correspondence, including in Ares;

• organise missions of staff using MIPS application;

• organise meetings and events;

• co-ordinate the creation, keeping up to date and retrieval of  documents and data in the appropriate files or IT databases;

• ensure the preparation of briefing files, speeches, etc;

• co-ordinate and authorise translation requests.

Eligibility criteria[4]

Further to the conditions set out in Article 82 of the CEOS, candidates must:

• have passed a valid EPSO CAST in a valid function group for this post, or be registered in the EPSO Permanent CAST in a valid function group for this post (https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/contract-staff-selection-procedures-always-open-registration). In the latter case, while the registration will make the candidate eligible for the selection procedure, the recruitment of a candidate on this vacant post will be subject to his/her successfully passing the CAST exam;

• have a level of post-secondary education attested by a diploma or a level of secondary education attested by a diploma giving access to post-secondary education and appropriate professional experience of three year;

• have the capacity to work in the languages of the CFSP and external relations (English and French) necessary for the performance of their duties;

• be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union and enjoy full rights as a citizen.

Selection criteria

Candidates should have:

• Proven experience in the secretarial field. Experience in the field of external relations will be an asset;

• sound computer skills (MS Office) and good knowledge of standard administrative procedures. Knowledge of  IT tools used in EU institutions  (ARES, MIPS, Sysper2, Syslog, CIS-Net, LegisWrite, e-Greffe, RUE) will be an asset;

• ability to perform multiple tasks and adjust to changing priorities and respect deadlines;

• very good knowledge of oral and written English and/or French;

• previous experience in EU institutions and/or EU Delegations would be an asset.