Before applying, please read carefully the Guide for Candidates attached to this recruitment notice.
The Guide is an integral part of the recruitment notice and helps to understand the rules governing selection procedures and how to go about applying.
CONTENTS
A. JOB DESCRIPTION AND ELIGIBILITY
B. PROCEDURE
C. APPLICATIONS
ANNEX: GUIDE FOR CANDIDATES IN SELECTION PROCEDURES ORGANISED BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
A. JOB DESCRIPTION AND ELIGIBILITY
The European Parliament has decided to open the procedure for filling a temporary staff member post (AD 11).
The profile sought is that of management administrator in Brussels.
The contract will be concluded for an indefinite period. Recruitment will be at grade AD 11, first step, the basic salary for which is EUR 10 764.11 per month. This salary is subject to Community tax and to the other deductions provided for by the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union. It is exempt from national tax. The step at which the successful candidates are recruited may be adjusted in accordance with their professional experience. Moreover, in certain circumstances allowances will be paid in addition to the basic salary.
The European Parliament is an equal opportunities employer and accepts applications without discrimination on any ground such as gender, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status or family situation.
The successful candidate will be attached to the Director of the Cabinet of the Secretary-General and provide the director with assistance and strategic advice in all areas of responsibility, including in connection with the central services. The successful candidate will be directly involved in day-to-day issues and strategic projects. In addition, the successful candidate will be responsible for the development and implementation of objectives, action plans and work programmes, will participate in numerous internal and external meetings, and will draft minutes, notes and opinions.
To that end, excellent knowledge of the European Parliament and proven experience in a cabinet at political or senior management level in a European institution and of interinstitutional cooperation are required. Very good knowledge of the functioning of European political groups and parties would be an asset. The successful candidate will need strong editorial and analytical skills, as well as very good coordination and communication skills. The successful candidate must be sufficiently flexible to cope with a fluctuating workload.
The successful candidate will also be responsible for relations with the Belgian national and regional authorities at administrative and political level in Parliament’s various areas of activity. That responsibility will involve cooperation, including at the highest level, conducted mainly in French and Dutch.
Frequent travel between Parliament’s places of work and flexible hours are to be expected.
The main duties will include the following:
– advising senior management in the department’s areas of responsibility, tracking all the department’s work, passing information up and down the management chain, facilitating interdepartmental relations;
– managing relations with the Belgian authorities;
– drawing up high-level studies and opinions for Parliament’s political and administrative authorities;
– taking responsibility for specific questions (multidimensional technical, administrative, legal, financial, budgetary and other studies);
– in the context of the policies implemented by Parliament, running medium- and long-term projects;
– heading the preparation of the Annual Work Programme for the central services;
– dealing with sensitive matters;
– helping to prepare and implement the department’s budget (budget management, public procurement, etc.);
– accompanying or representing senior management at various internal and external meetings; leading or attending administrative meetings.
These duties call for the following:
- forward-planning skills;
- the ability to react appropriately to events;
- a meticulous approach;
- communication skills;
- confidentiality/discretion;
- a diplomatic approach.
On the closing date for applications, candidates must meet the following criteria:
(a) General criteria
In accordance with Article 12(2) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union, you must:
– be a national of one of the European Union’s Member States,
– enjoy full rights as a citizen,
– have fulfilled any obligations imposed on you by the laws on military service,
– be able to produce the appropriate character references as to your suitability for the performance of your duties.
(b) Specific criteria
(i) Qualifications required
Candidates must have:
or
Diplomas, whether issued in a Member State or in a non-EU country, must be recognised by an official body of an EU Member State, such as the ministry of education.
The selection committee will take account of the differences between the Member States’ education systems. Examples of the minimum qualifications required are given in the table included in the Guide for Candidates.
The professional experience required under the second indent will not be taken into account when evaluating the professional experience required under point A.3(b)(ii).
(ii) Professional experience required
In addition to the qualifications required under point A.3(b)(i), you must have acquired at least fifteen years of professional experience relevant to the duties specified in section A.2, including at least seven years in an international environment.
(iii) Knowledge of languages
Candidates must have a thorough knowledge (level C1 minimum) of one of the European Union’s official languages (language 1): Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish or Swedish,
and
a thorough knowledge (level C1 minimum) of French (language 2). Language 2 must be different from language 1. If language 1 is French, a satisfactory knowledge (level B2 minimum) of one of the European Union’s 23 other official languages is required.
Knowledge of Dutch would be an asset.
Please note that the minimum levels required above apply to each area of linguistic aptitude (speaking, writing, reading, listening) referred to on the application form. These abilities correspond to those specified in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (https://europa.eu/europass/select-language?destination=/node/1375).
The language 2 option for this selection procedure (French) has been laid down in the interests of the service and reflects the skills required to perform the duties involved. The person recruited must be able to understand the tasks to be carried out, address problems and communicate effectively with people inside and outside Parliament in this language.
Knowledge of Dutch would be an asset as it is one of the main administrative languages of the Belgian authorities (at national and regional level).
In addition, in the interests of equality of treatment, and in accordance with Article 12(2)(e) of the CEOS, all candidates are required to have a satisfactory knowledge of a second language. In the case of candidates who have French as their first official language, the second language must be a language other than French.
B. PROCEDURE
The procedure is based on qualifications and tests.
If you
the selection committee will assess your application in the light of the specific eligibility criteria.
If you meet the specific eligibility criteria, the selection committee will admit you to the selection procedure.
It will base its decisions solely on the information given on the application form and substantiated by supporting documents.
On the basis of a marking grid laid down in advance, the selection committee will assess the qualifications of candidates admitted to the selection procedure and draw up a list of the 12 best candidates, who will be invited to the written test. The selection committee will invite any candidates tied for the final qualifying place.
In assessing the candidates’ qualifications, the selection committee will take particular account of the following aspects (to be substantiated by supporting documents enclosed with the application file):
Marking: 0 to 20 points.
Written test
a) Drafting test in French, based on a set of documents, to test your ability to perform the duties set out in section A.2 and your drafting and summarising skills.
Maximum time allowed: 3 hours.
Marking: 0 to 40 points (pass mark: 20).
This computer-based test will be held remotely.
The six candidates who obtain the highest number of points in the written test will be invited to the oral tests, provided they have achieved the pass mark.
Oral test
b) Interview with the selection committee in French to assess, taking account of all the information contained in your application file, your suitability to perform the duties set out in Section A.2. The selection committee will also test the language you specified as language 1 (or language 2 if your language 1 is French), and may decide to test your knowledge of Dutch if you specified it on the application form.
Maximum duration: 45 minutes.
Marking: 0 to 40 points (pass mark: 20).
This test may be organised remotely.
You will receive instructions concerning the written and oral tests in good time. The tests will take place at a specific time on a specific date. If you do not reply to an invitation, cannot be contacted by email or fail to show up for a test, you will be disqualified. You must follow the instructions to the letter. Any failure to follow the instructions or any action not consistent with the instructions will lead to your immediate disqualification.
The list of suitable candidates will contain, in order of merit, the names of the three candidates who have obtained the highest overall scores in the procedure (assessment of qualifications and tests) and have achieved the pass mark in each of the tests. The list will include any candidates tied for the final place.
You will be informed individually in writing of your results.
The list of suitable candidates will be published on Parliament’s intranet.
The period of validity of the list of suitable candidates will expire on 31 December 2026. Its validity may be extended by decision of the appointing authority. If it is extended, the candidates whose names have been included on the list will be informed in good time.
If you are offered a job, you will be required to produce the originals of all requisite documents, including diplomas and employment certificates, for verification.
Inclusion on a list of suitable candidates does not constitute either a right to, or a guarantee of, recruitment.
C. APPLICATIONS
To apply, you must have an account on the Apply4EP platform: https://apply4ep.gestmax.eu/search/index/lang/en_US. You may create only ONE account. To do so, click on the ‘Apply online’ tab at the bottom of the page.
Candidates must read the guide for candidates carefully BEFORE completing their application form.
Deadline for applications
Candidates must apply online on the Apply4EP platform at the latest by
12.00 (noon), Brussels time, on 2 September 2022.
Please DO NOT TELEPHONE to ask about this selection procedure.
An acknowledgement of receipt will automatically be sent to you as soon as your application form has been validated.