Executive Agency for Small and Medium

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME)
Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises (EASME)
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Project Officer FG III (Reserve List)
(REF.: EASME/III/2016/005)
Applications are invited for the post of Project Officer at the Executive Agency for
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME).
Type of contract
Function group and grade
Duration of contract
Maximum number of candidates
to be placed on the Reserve List
Unit
Place of employment
Deadline for application
Contract Agent
FG III
2 years (with the possibility of extension)
30
All EASME
Brussels, Belgium
09/03/2016 at 23:45, Brussels time
1. ABOUT US
The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) was established by
Commission Decision No. 2013/771/EU of 17 December 2013, repealing Decisions
2004/20/EC and 2007/372/EC. Our role is to manage programmes on behalf of the European
Commission.
Located in Brussels, the EASME has been operational since 2005 (under different mandates)
and its official lifetime currently runs until 2024 (with a possible extension of the Agency's
mandate and programmes in the future). We are international experts and specialists in
business support, innovation, energy, the environment, communication, and finance. Our
Agency has 3 departments and 8 units. Our colleagues are both European Commission
officials and professionals from the private sector.
The Agency reports to seven Directorates-General of the European Commission – Internal
Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (GROWTH), Research and Innovation (RTD),
Energy (ENER), Environment (ENV), Climate Action (CLIMA), Communication Networks,
Content and Technologies (CONNECT), Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MARE) – which remain
responsible for programming and evaluation.
More information on the EASME, please visit http://ec.europa.eu/easme.
2. PROGRAMMES MANAGED BY THE EASME
The EASME has been set-up by the European Commission to manage on its behalf:
•
Most of COSME, the EU programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small
and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), including Enterprise Europe Network (EEN);
•
Part of Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, and
in particular:
o
o
o
Part II 'Industrial leadership'
-
Innovation in SMEs
-
The Sustainable Industry Low Carbon Scheme (SILC II)
Part III 'Societal challenges'
-
The Energy Efficiency calls for proposals under the challenge ‘Secure,
Clean and Efficient Energy’
-
The calls for proposals in the fields of waste, water innovation and
sustainable supply of raw material under the challenge ‘Climate action,
Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials’
The SME instrument
•
The EU programme for the Environment and Climate action (LIFE)
•
The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)
•
The legacy of the Intelligent Energy – Europe programme and the Eco-innovation
initiative
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3. JOB DESCRIPTION
Under direct supervision of the Head of Sector, the jobholder is responsible for the
Project management, organisation and implementation of the evaluations of
applications, reception of applications selected for funding, grant procedures and
activities linked to general project management, like grant agreement and payment
preparations, reporting and support to audits and checks; all in relation to the
relevant funding programme and it's specific management.
Functions and Duties
PROGRAMME / PROCESS / PROJECT MANAGEMENT - OPERATIONAL and ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT and RESOURCES
•
Manage projects selected for funding from the selection procedure, grant preparation
up to payment preparations, reporting and support to audits and checks.
•
In collaboration with relevant services (within parent DGs) organise the evaluations
(remote) in direct contact with the expert-evaluators; contribute to selection of
evaluators and assignment of applications to them, monitor the evaluation process,
ensure the quality of the process and provide input for evaluation reports.
•
Provide feedback on the use and the quality of the expert/evaluators pool available,
the use and functioning of the relevant IT tools and databases in support of evaluation
and selection of proposals; inform of any problems encountered during the process
and/or with evaluators.
•
Provide input in order to establish award and rejection decisions in a timely manner
and in high quality.
•
Provide support to beneficiaries to ensure the smooth finalisation of the grant
preparation, including follow-up in the relevant IT tools.
•
Ensure proper information flow and timely and comprehensive reporting; contribute to
training activities of the unit, and where appropriate to other services of the agency.
4. PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
A. Eligibility criteria1
The candidates must:
1.
Have a post-secondary education attested by a diploma or a secondary education
attested by a diploma giving access to post-secondary education and appropriate
professional experience of three years (only study titles that have been awarded in EU
Member States or that are subject to the equivalence certificates issued by the
authorities in the said Member States shall be taken into consideration);
2.
Produce evidence of thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the European
Union and of a satisfactory knowledge of another EU language to the extent necessary
for the performance of the duties;
1 Articles 82 to 84 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS) and Articles 1 to 5 of the EACI Steering
Committee Decision of 18.09.2012 on the general provisions for implementing Article 79(2) of the Conditions of Employment of Other
Servants of the European Union, governing the conditions of employment of contract staff employed by the EACI under the terms of
Articles 3a of the said Conditions.
3
3.
Be a national of a member state of the European Union;
4.
Be entitled to his or her full rights as a citizen;
5.
Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable laws concerning military
service;
6.
Meet the character requirements for the duties involved;
7.
Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post2;
8.
Have successfully passed an EPSO selection and competence tests for contract agents
valid for Executive Agencies3 or have successfully passed a competition that has been
certified by EPSO in the function group of this call for expression of interest.
Note that candidates without a valid CAST can still apply for this call for expression of
interest if they have completed and validated the online application form of the Call
for Expressions of Interest for the Project/Programme officer profile in function group
III (EPSO/CAST/P/3/2015) launched by EPSO on 30/07/2015 in view to create a pool
of candidates from which the Executive Agencies can recruit.
B. Selection criteria
Essential
1.
After obtaining the qualifications mentioned in point A (2) here above, candidates
must have acquired at least two years of relevant professional experience4 in a
position with similar duties i.e. in the field of programme and project management,
administration, contract management.
2.
Very good oral and written command of English5
Advantageous
1.
Post-secondary education attested by a diploma in a field related to the profile of the
post; and/or relevant additional certification, studies and/or training;
2.
Previous professional experience of at least 1 year in a similar position within the EU
institutions;
3.
Good knowledge of the organisation, structure, working procedures and policies of
Commission services/Agencies and/or other EU institutions;
4.
Good oral and written command of French.
2 Before the appointment, a successful candidate shall be medically examined by one of the institutions’ medical officers in order that the
Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises may be satisfied that he fulfils the requirement of article 82(d) of the CEOS.
3 Candidates included in the EPSO database for contract agents, in function group III, following the CAST 2010 can only be considered
eligible in case they have successfully passed the competence test that was organised by EPSO in the summer of 2011. Candidates included
in the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) database for contract agents CAST RELEX in function group III can be considered eligible
for this post. Candidates on the COM/2/2013/GFIII contract agent pools are not considered eligible for this post.
4 Professional experience is counted only from the time you obtained the diploma and qualifications for being eligible (see point A(2) here
above). At a later stage, you will be asked to provide supporting documents confirming the length and the level of your professional
experience.
5 Spoken and written skills equivalent to level C1 or higher level pursuant to the Common European Framework of
4
Reference for Languages.
Skills and competencies essential for the post (tested during the interview)
1. Knowledge and skills relevant to the duties described in the Job description above;
2. Knowledge of the organisation, structure, working procedures and policies of
Commission services/Agencies and/or other EU institutions;
3. High motivation, strong aptitude for team work and the capacity to work
autonomously;
4. Ability to work under pressure and manage his/her responsibilities within tight
deadlines.
5. SELECTION PROCEDURE
A. Admission to the selection procedure
First, the submitted applications will be checked against the eligibility criteria (“Professional
qualifications and other requirements” - section A). Only eligible applications will be assessed
further.
B. Assessment of eligible applications
The Selection Committee will analyse the motivation letters and CVs of eligible applicants with
reference to:
•
The selection criteria ("Professional qualifications and other requirements" - section
B, under points "essential" and "advantageous")
•
The overall assessment of the quality & suitability of the application based on the
requirements of the post.
Applications which do not meet one or more of the essential selection criteria (see 4.
Professional qualifications and other requirements, B – Selection criteria, Essential) will not be
evaluated further.
Upon completion of the assessment, the Selection Committee will establish a shortlist of
candidates matching best the needs of the Agency for the functions and duties mentioned in
this Call.
C. Invitation to computer-based tests
Shortlisted candidates having applied to the Call for Expressions of Interest for the
Project/Programme officer profile in function group III (EPSO/CAST/P/3/2015) will be invited
by EPSO to sit a series of computer-based multiple choice tests (CBT) in one of its accredited
centres. Only candidates who have successfully passed these tests6 will be invited to the
interview.
Shortlisted candidates who have a CAST already will not have to sit the EPSO tests again and
will be directly invited to the interview.
D. Interview
Shortlisted candidates who have passed the CAST selection will be invited for an interview
(duration: 30 minutes, main language of the interview: English).
6 See the Call for Expressions of Interest (EPSO/CAST/P/1-4/2015) for the minimum pass marks.
5
Candidates are invited to indicate in their online application any special arrangements that
may be required if invited to attend an interview.
E. Reserve list
The Selection Committee will place on reserve list, a maximum of 30 candidates with the
highest marks achieved in the interview.
A second round of interviews may be organized before the offer of an employment.
Candidates should note that their inclusion on the reserve list does not imply any entitlement
to employment in the Agency.
The reserve list will be valid for 12 months from the date of its establishment and may be
used for other positions in the same function group. The validity of the reserve list may be
extended by decision of the Director.
6. SELECTION COMMITTEE
A Selection Committee will be appointed for this selection procedure and will be composed of
at least 4 members, including a member designated by the Staff Committee of the Agency.
The names of the Selection Committee members will be communicated to candidates upon
notification of the outcome of the assessment of eligible applications (see 5. Selection
Procedure, B - Assessment of eligible applications).
Under no circumstances should candidates approach the Selection Committee, either directly
or indirectly, concerning this recruitment. The Agency's Director reserves the right to
disqualify any candidate who disregards these instructions.
7. APPLICATION PROCEDURE
To apply for this position, candidates should submit an up-to-date detailed curriculum vitae
(Europass CV format) and a motivation letter, via our e-recruitment tool.
After a correct submission of an application, candidates will receive an automated
acknowledgement of receipt to the email account indicated in their application.
There is no obligation to submit applications in English, however documents sent in English
will greatly facilitate the work of the Selection Committee.
The Agency strongly advises not to wait until the last few days before the deadline for
applying, since heavy internet traffic or connection difficulties could lead to problems.
It is the sole responsibility of each applicant to complete ALL relevant fields of
his/her online application and to send it before the deadline for submission. Any
information or documentation provided after the deadline will not be taken into account.
The candidate will be disqualified if:
•
•
(s)he does not complete online registration by the deadline;
at any stage in the procedure it is established that information a candidate provided is
incorrect.
Candidates are invited to indicate in their online application any special arrangements that
may be required if invited to attend an interview/written tests.
Candidates without a CAST in function group III must have completed and validated
their online application form of the Call for Expressions of Interest for the Project/Programme
officer profile in function group III (EPSO/CAST/P/3/2015) (see 4. Professional qualifications
and other requirements, A.8 – Eligibility criteria).
8. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
The European Union institutions apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept applications
without discrimination on the ground of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic
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features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national
minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation.
9. APPOINTMENT AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
The selected candidate(s) will need to have a valid CAST in order to be hired (see 4.A)
On the basis of the reserve list the Director will make the offer of employment. A contract
offer, linked to the determined life of the Agency, will be made as a contract staff member, in
function group III, in accordance with the Agency's Implementing Provisions on the
employment of contract staff under Article 3a of the Conditions of Employment of Other
Servants of the European Union7, for a duration of two years, with the possibility of renewal (a
second renewal of the contract will lead to a contract of indefinite duration).
Successful candidates who are offered a contract of employment will be placed in step 1 of the
relevant grade. The precise classification in grade is done in accordance with the EASME
Implementing Rules on conditions of employment of contract staff (C/2012/4762) and will
depend on the number of years of professional experience acquired after the degree giving
access to the post. In particular, the EASME grading rules for the engagement of contract
staff in function group III are currently as follows:
Grade 8: if the person has acquired less than 7 years of professional experience;
Grade 9: if the person has acquired between 7 and 15 years of professional experience;
Grade 10: if the person has acquired 15 years of professional experience or more.
For further information on working conditions of contract staff see the web site of the
European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO).
The place of employment will be Brussels, Belgium where the Agency has its premises.
10. REQUEST FOR REVIEW
If a candidate believes a mistake has been made, (s)he may request a review of the Agency's
decision. This should be made within 10 calendar days of the date of the e-mail notifying the
candidate of the outcome of the selection procedure. The request should quote the reference
number of the selection procedure concerned. It should be for the attention of the
Chairman/Chairwoman of the Selection Committee and sent to the following address: EASMEHR-Recruitment@ec.europa.eu. The Selection Committee will review the request and will
reply to the candidate within 15 calendar days of receipt of the request.
11. APPEAL PROCEDURE
Pursuant to Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities
("Staff Regulations"), any candidate may submit to the Agency a complaint against an act
adversely affecting him/her. Any such complaint should be made to:
EASME Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
For the attention of the Director
REF: EASME/III/2016/005
COV2
B-1049 Brussels
Belgium
The complaint must be lodged within 3 months from the date on which the candidate is
notified of the act adversely affecting him/her.
7 EACI Steering Committee Decision of 18.09.2012 on the general provisions for implementing Article 79(2) of the Conditions of Employment
of Other Servants of the European Union, governing the conditions of employment of contract staff employed by the EACI under the terms
of Articles 3a of the said Conditions.
7
Should the complaint be rejected, the candidate may request judicial review of the act
adversely affecting him/her pursuant to Article 270 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the
European Union and Article 91 of the Staff Regulations, before:
The European Union Civil Service Tribunal
Boulevard Konrad Adenauer
L-2925 Luxembourg
Luxembourg
http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/Jo1_6308/
Any citizen of the European Union or any natural or legal person residing in a Member State
may direct a complaint concerning instances of maladministration to the European
Ombudsman8 pursuant to Article 228 (1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
Union:
The European Ombudsman
1, Avenue du President Robert Schuman - BP 403
F-67001 Strasbourg Cedex
France
http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/start.faces
Please note that complaints to the European Ombudsman do not have the effect of
suspending the period mentioned in Articles 90 and 91 of the Staff Regulations for lodging
complaints or submitting an appeal before the European Union Civil Service Tribunal according
to Article 270 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
12. DATA PROTECTION
The purpose of processing the data submitted by candidates is to evaluate applications in view
of possible recruitment at the Agency. The personal information requested by the Agency
from candidates will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EC) N°45/2001 of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals
with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and
on the free movement of such data. In this regard, please see the Privacy statement.
8 See also Decision 94/262/ECSC EC, Euratom of the European Parliament of 9 March 1994 on the regulations and general conditions of
performance of the Ombudsman's duties (OJ L 113, 05.04.1994), p. 15.
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