EEA/AST/2008/1

Reference no. EEA/AST/2008/1 – Project Officer – Recruitment Coordination – Temporary Agent (AST4 / AST6)

The European Environment Agency (EEA) is organising an open competition with a view to recruiting a temporary agent to work in the area of personnel management and further with a view to establishing a reserve list.

The EEA is an agency of the European Union (EU) and one of the decentralised Community bodies. The EEA aims to support sustainable development and to help achieve significant and measurable improvement in Europe’s environment, through the provision of timely, targeted, relevant and reliable information to policy-making agents and the public.

The place of work will be Copenhagen, Denmark.

Job description:

The project officer shall, under the authority of the Head of Personnel management group, be responsible for recruitment coordination in the area of personnel management.

Functions and duties:

• Assist the Head of Personnel management group in the implementation of the EEA Recruitment Plans;
• Coordinate recruitment and selection procedures (ie prepare and publish internal, Inter Agency Job Market and external vacancies; prepare and publish EEA vacancies in collaboration with EPSO; manage incoming applications, manage on-line applications database and CARL database (EPSO database), manage all correspondence related to a selection procedure);
• Manage procedures in connection with selection of new members to the EEA Scientific Committee (ie coordinate the preparation of Calls for Expression of Interest, arrange for publication, including publication in the Official Journal in all EU languages, manage incoming applications, manage on-line applications database, manage all correspondence related to Scientific Committee membership calls);
• Manage procedures when launching Calls for Expression of Interest for National Experts at the EEA (ie coordinate the preparation of Calls for Expression of Interest, arrange for publication, manage incoming applications, manage all correspondence related to National Expert calls);
• Act as a focal point for candidates in respect of their applications and queries concerning recruitment;
• Draft proposals/documents/letters related to selection procedures, including replies to requests for review of Selection Committee decisions;
• Liaise with Staff Committee on their representation in selection procedures;
• Prepare decisions for the Appointing Authority regarding the nomination of Selection Committee members;
• Publication of lists of Selection Committee members;
• Act as a focal point for external Selection Committee members;
• Coordinate and organise meetings of Selection Committees, and support Selection Committee members in the organisation of evaluations and procedures;
• Organise the logistic side of the interviews (ie organising dates for selection interviews, booking meeting rooms, catering services, IT tools for written tests, providing Selection Committee members with relevant documents and reports, liaising with EEA travel service regarding candidates’ queries held up against EEA travel guidelines, taking care of candidates on the day of tests/interviews, etc.)
• Process candidates’ claim for reimbursement of travel expenses related to interviews according to EEA travel guidelines, etc. 
• Maintenance of files in order to document recruitment processes;
• Organise and coordinate follow-up interviews with the Appointing Authority;
• Organise pre-recruitment medical visits following appointment;
• Manage reserve lists and extensions hereof;
• Assist the Head of Personnel management group in the recruitment budget management and monitoring;
• Maintenance of on-line applications database, liaise with IT on the technical maintenance and further development of the database; 
• Keep internal workflow procedures and checklists up to date and assist the Head of Personnel management group in the drafting/adapting/implementing of EEA recruitment policy;
• Assist the Head of Personnel management group in the drafting of the annual recruitment work program and the annual recruitment report;
• Manage recruitment monitoring tables;
• Coordinate if applicable the activities of other HR assistants working in the field of recruitment;
• General support to Personnel management group.

ELIGIBILITY:

Formal requirements:

Candidates applying must satisfy the following general requirements on the closing date for the submission of applications:

• Citizenship of one of the Member Countries of the EEA (Member States of the European Union plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey);
• Enjoy full rights as a citizen;
• Have fulfilled any obligation imposed by law concerning military service;
• Meet the educational requirements as described under “Eligibility”;
• Have a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the EEA Member Countries and a satisfactory knowledge of a second of these languages.

Education certificates and diplomas:

• 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 professional experience of at least three years.

Range of professional experience and skills:

• A minimum of:

- For AST4: Nine years of relevant professional experience,
- For AST6: Twelve years of relevant professional experience.

• Experience from working in a European institution/agency;
• Experience from working with recruitment/selection procedures;
• Good knowledge of the Staff Regulations of the European Communities is considered an additional asset;
• High level of discretion;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Excellent knowledge of English;
• Good organisational and interpersonal skills;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
• Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office package;
• Experience from working with customized databases is considered an additional asset.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Interested candidates must apply by filling in the application form below. To the application form must be attached:

• The template CV below duly filled in, and
• A letter of motivation

Closing date for application: 12 January 2009, at 12.00 (Central European Time)

Applications sent after this date and time will be rejected.

Please ensure that you observe the following:

1. Remember to take time zones into consideration when sending your application.
2. Include both a CV using the Europass template attached below and a letter of motivation.
3. Once your application has been submitted, you will receive an automatic reply.
4. It is your responsibility to keep the automatic reply message as proof of submission of your application.
5. Should you not receive an automatic reply message, please submit your application again.
6. Please do not leave it until the last minute to submit your application. Experience has shown that the system can become overloaded as the deadline for applications approaches and you may find it difficult to submit your application in time.

CONTRACTUAL CONDITIONS:

The successful candidate will be offered a Temporary Agent contract in accordance with the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities. The selected candidate will be employed for an initial time period of four years, renewable.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:

Eligibility of candidates will be assessed according to compliance with all formal requirements by the closing date for the submission of applications.

Eligible candidates whose application shows evidence of all required competences and skills may be invited for an interview, which will be held for the most part in English. Pre-selected candidates may be asked to undergo a written test.

The list of suitable candidates is submitted to the Appointing Authority who decides on the establishment of a reserve list for the post advertised. Candidates shall note that inclusion on the reserve list does not guarantee recruitment. Recruitment will be based on availability of posts and budget.

The reserve list for this post will be valid until 31 December 2010 and may be extended at the discretion of the Appointing Authority.

Prior to contract signature, the successful candidate will be asked:

• to provide original or certified copies of all relevant documents proving his/her eligibility, including an extract from his/her police file;
• to undergo a compulsory medical examination to establish that he/she meets the standard of physical fitness necessary to perform the duties involved.

The Agency is an equal opportunities employer.

PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION:

Any personal data provided by the User shall be processed pursuant to European Regulation related to personal data protection, in particular Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movements of such data. It shall be processed solely for the purposes of the performance, management and follow-up of information requested by the User. The User shall have the right of access to his personal data and the right to rectify any such data that is inaccurate or incomplete. Should the User have any queries concerning the processing of his personal data, he shall address them to the European Environment Agency.

REQUEST FOR REVIEW:

Candidates who have not been admitted to the selection procedure will be notified by letter. The candidate may ask to have her/his application reconsidered by sending a request for review to the Chairman of the Selection Committee at the address indicated on the letter within 21 calendar days from the date of the letter of notification.