Vacancy notice Europol/2020/TA/AD14/424

Deputy Executive Director of Europol

(2020/C 293 A/01)

 

1.   ABOUT EUROPOL

The European Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) is an Agency of the European Union (EU) located in The Hague, the Netherlands. Europol was established in 1995 by a Convention under Article K of the Treaty on European Union and set up as an entity of the Union in 2009 by Council Decision 2009/371/JHA (1). Regulation (EU) 2016/794 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) establishes Europol as an EU Agency.

Europol’s objective is to support and strengthen action by the competent authorities of the Member States and their mutual cooperation in preventing and combatting serious crime affecting two or more Member States, terrorism and other forms of crime which affect a common interest covered by a Union policy.

In order to achieve this mission, Europol currently employs 801 staff members and had a budget of EUR 165 million for the year 2020. Europol hosts a large community of law enforcement Liaison Officers from EU Member States and Third Countries in its building, which are integral part of Europol’s dynamic work environment.

Europol’s main tasks are:

—	to collect, store, process, analyse and exchange information, including criminal intelligence,

—	to notify the Member States without delay of any information and connections between criminal offences concerning them,

—	to support Member States’ cross-border information exchange activities, operations and investigations, as well as joint investigation teams, including by providing operational, technical and financial support,

—	to coordinate, organise and implement investigative and operational actions to support and strengthen actions by the competent authorities of the Member States,

—	to provide information and analytical support to Member States in connection with major international events,

—	to prepare threat assessments, strategic and operational analyses and general situation reports,

—	to develop, share and promote specialist knowledge of crime prevention methods, investigative procedures and technical and forensic methods, and provide advice to Member States,

—

to provide specialised training and assist Member States in organising training, including with the provision of financial support, within the scope of its objectives and in accordance with the staffing and budgetary resources at its disposal in coordination with the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL),

—	to cooperate with relevant Union bodies and with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), in particular through exchanges of information and by providing them with analytical support in the areas that fall within their competence,

—	to provide information and support to EU crisis management structures and missions established on the basis of the Treaty on European Union, within the scope of Europol’s objectives,

—	to develop Union centres of specialised expertise for combatting certain types of crime falling within the scope of Europol’s objectives,

—	to support Member States’ actions in preventing and combatting forms of crime which are facilitated, promoted or committed using the internet, including, in cooperation with Member States, the making of referrals of internet content.

In fulfilling these tasks, Europol works closely together with other EU Agencies, in particular Frontex, Eurojust, CEPOL, EMCDDA and ENISA. INTERPOL is also an important cooperation partner.

Equal opportunity

Europol is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications without distinction on the basis of gender, colour, racial, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, nationality, age, sexual orientation or gender identity.

We aim to create and maintain a healthy and attractive work environment that supports our colleagues in their career planning and in achieving a healthy work-life balance.

Employment at Europol is open to nationals of EU Member States. There is no nationality quota system in operation, but Europol is striving for a broad range of nationalities in order to keep a well-balanced geographical distribution among its staff members.

2.   BACKGROUND, MAIN PURPOSE AND TASKS OF THE POST

The Operations Directorate deals with the core business of Europol, improving the effectiveness and cooperation of the competent authorities in the Member States in preventing and combating serious and organised crime, as well as terrorism affecting the Member States. This requires close cooperation with both the other two Europol’s Directorates — Governance and Capabilities, the Liaison Bureaux at Europol, as well as with the competent authorities (operational directorates and entities) in the Member States.

Europol delivers a number of products and services to national law enforcement agencies to support them in their fight against international serious and organised crime, as well as terrorism.

Under Europol’s organisational structure, the Operations Directorate hosts five distinct Departments: Operational and Analysis Centre, European Serious Organised Crime Centre, European Cyber Crime Centre, European Counter Terrorism Centre and the European Financial and Economic Crime Centre.

General accountabilities for the post holder

Under the supervision of the Executive Director, the Deputy Executive Directors shall head their respective Directorate and be, pursuant to Articles 54 and 55 of the Europol Regulation, responsible for:

—	supporting and assisting the Executive Director and the Management Board in the strategic development of Europol by providing advice and expertise in their respective field of responsibilities,

—	supporting the preparation of Management Board meetings and the implementation of its decisions,

—	supporting the preparation and implementation of the multiannual programming and the annual work programme within their respective Directorates and reporting to the Executive Director and the Management Board on their implementation,

—	implementing at Directorate level the decisions made during Directorate meetings,

—	monitoring business planning and performance management within the Directorate,

—	administering the Directorate, including through the management of personnel and budgets in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations,

—	providing leadership and direction to their staff in fulfilling the tasks and objectives assigned to them,

—	promoting strong inter-Directorate cooperation,

—	maintaining strategic links in the specific crime areas at Directorate level with relevant external partners and stakeholders,

—	presenting the achievements of Europol to the media and representing Europol at external and internal meetings and conferences as required,

—	performing any other task assigned to them by the Executive Director.

Specific accountabilities for the post holder

Without prejudice to the Executive Director’s responsibility to define specific functions and duties assigned to the post, the Deputy Executive Director, will be responsible, inter alia, for:

—	leading Europol’s delivery of operational support capabilities in line with the interests and requirements of its Member States,

—	providing leadership and direction to the Operations Directorate, including the setting, implementation and delivery of policies and objectives,

—	overseeing the work of the following Departments: Operational & Analysis Centre, European Serious Organised Crime Centre, European Cyber Crime Centre, European Counter Terrorism Centre and European Financial & Economic Crime Centre,

—	planning, directing and coordinating the use of the Organisation’s resources in the delivery of the activities of the Operations Directorate, maximising effectiveness, increasing efficiency and ensuring the quality of the Directorate’s products and services,

—	ensuring the alignment of the specific operational strategies with the overarching Europol Strategy.

3.   REQUIREMENTS — ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

a.	Candidates must

—	Be a member of a competent authority in the meaning of Article 2 (a) of the Europol Regulation and a national of one of the Member States of the European Union enjoying full rights as a citizen.

—	Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable laws on military service.

—	Produce appropriate character references as to his or her suitability for the performance of the duties.

—

Be physically fit to perform the duties pertaining to the position (prior to concluding the relevant contract of employment, the successful candidate will be medically examined by one of the institution’s medical officers in order that the institution may be satisfied that the candidate fulfils the requirements of Article 12(2)(d) CEOS).

—	Produce evidence of a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the Union and a satisfactory knowledge of another language of the Union to the extent necessary for the performance of the duties.

b.	Candidates must have

—	A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is four years or more, OR

—	A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least one year when the normal period of university education is three years.

In addition to the above, at least 15 years of professional work experience gained after the award of the diploma.

4.   REQUIREMENTS — SELECTION CRITERIA

a.	Professional experience

Essential

—	At least 10 years of managerial experience, gained in the area of national law enforcement only or as partially including experience in an EU/international environment.

—	Experience in strategic planning at senior management level, preferably within an EU/international context.

—	Experience in working on a strategic level within a law enforcement organisation, preferably a police authority.

—	Experience in leading and overseeing, at national level, the coordination of large-scale investigations and major high-level operations in any field related to Europol’s mandate, preferably concerning organised crime and/or terrorism.

—	Experience in international police cooperation on both operational and strategic levels.

—	Experience in assessing the operational relevance of ongoing and potential developments for law enforcement, as well as their impact on the relevant stakeholders both at strategic and policy-making level.

Desirable

—	Experience with EU Institutions, bodies, and agencies, as well as with EU instruments and policies in the field of security, specifically when linked to Europol’s mandate.

b.	Professional knowledge

Essential

—	Sound understanding of international police cooperation at a senior management level.

—	Sound understanding of the threat posed to the European Union by serious organised crime, cybercrime and terrorism, as well as of the instruments and techniques to counter them effectively.

c.	Leadership skills and competencies

—	Developing vision and strategy — developing a compelling mission, vision and strategy that has mid- and long-term impact and can be understood and accepted by staff as meaningful for their daily work.

—	Driving performance — proactively and energetically implementing Europol’s mission, vision and strategy in such a way that Europol meets its organisational objectives.

—	Enterprising — identifying and realising opportunities for innovation that strengthen Europol’s relevance as a key actor in its field.

—	Networking — establishing effective relationships within Europol and building strategic alliances with the external environment.

—	Managing the business — demonstrating a deep understanding of the business and taking commitment to act upon these insights to secure operational excellence.

—	Inspiring people — inspiring long-term motivation and organisational loyalty by acting as a role model and by complying with the organisation’s mission and values.

d.	General management skills

—	Ability to set and revise objectives for the Directorate within the overall strategic framework and priorities of the Agency.

—	Ability to determine and focus on priorities and to monitor and evaluate the progress made towards achieving the Directorate’s and Unit/team members’ objectives set, in cooperation with the members of the team.

—	Ability to organise, assign and manage the Directorate’s work by setting challenging but realistic objectives.

—	Ability to empower staff while ensuring that they understand what is expected of them and how their work contributes to the Directorate’s objectives.

—	Ability to choose co-workers and to build strong teams with complementary strengths suited to the efficient pursuit of the Directorate’s objectives.

—	Ability to motivate members of the team to achieve the desired results and also to provide regular feedback, acknowledge success and the need for improvement in order to enable them to achieve their objectives and greatest potential.

—	Ability to develop and support career development and learning opportunities for staff.

Communication skills

—	Ability to communicate clearly and present complex subjects simply, both orally and in writing, including to staff.

—	Ability to solicit inputs from and listen to staff, partners, and stakeholders.

Interpersonal skills

—	Ability to deal with people effectively, respectfully and courteously.

—	Ability to build productive and cooperative working relationships with hierarchy and other Directorates and colleagues.

Negotiation skills

—	Ability to steer discussions and generate the best possible results without compromising productive working relationships with the other parties involved.

Living diversity

—	Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with co-workers in an international and multi-disciplinary work environment.

5.   SELECTION PROCEDURE

The legal framework of this recruitment procedure is provided for by Regulation (EU) 2016/794, the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union (3), and the Management Board Decision of 1 May 2017 adopting the Rules for the selection, extension of the term of office and removal from office of the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Directors.

The Management Board shall set up a Selection Committee composed of five members representing the Member States, which shall be determined by drawing of lots by the MB, along with a Commission representative and the Executive Director.

The tasks of the Committee shall include:

(a)	identifying all applicants who, on the basis of the criteria set out in the vacancy notice, are eligible for the post;

(b)	making an initial assessment of the applications of eligible candidates taking into account their professional qualifications, skills, experience and character references in order to decide which ones should be further assessed;

(c)	inviting shortlisted candidates to participate in a post-related selection procedure, generally including a written test and a competency-based interview (N.B.: the Committee will invite the 5 highest-scoring applicants and all applicants having a score equal to the 5th highest-scoring one);

(d)

drawing up a duly reasoned report on the applications received and the procedure followed, which shall include the list of eligible candidates indicating among them those interviewed by the Committee and a list of candidates, ranked in order of merit, who meet all the eligibility criteria and are considered to match best the selection criteria set out in the vacancy notice.

The applicants shortlisted shall undergo an assessment by an external assessment centre that will provide objective advice to the Selection Committee.

The Management Board may decide to interview the candidates on the list of the Selection Committee and any other eligible candidate interviewed by it.

On the basis of the report submitted by the Selection Committee, the Management Board shall adopt a reasoned opinion:

—	presenting the list of eligible candidates,

—	setting out a shortlist of at least three suitable candidates ranked in order of merit,

—	confirming that the applicants on the shortlist meet the relevant conditions of engagement and the eligibility criteria set out in the vacancy notice, notwithstanding the specific provisions foreseen in Article 13 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants regarding the medical examination.

The Chairperson of the Management Board shall forward the reasoned opinion, including the proposed shortlist of candidates and the full application file of each shortlisted candidate, to the Council to enable the latter to take its decision as foreseen in Article 54(2) of the Europol Regulation.

Before appointment, the candidate selected by the Council may be invited to appear before the competent committee of the European Parliament, which shall subsequently give a non-binding opinion.

Candidates who attended the selection procedure may request feedback on their performance within three months after the selection procedure. Europol will not be in a position to respond to feedback inquiries received outside this time frame.

The Selection Committee’s work and deliberations are confidential. It is forbidden for candidates to make direct or indirect contact with the members of the Selection Committee or for anyone to do so on their behalf. All enquiries or requests for information or documentation in relation to the selection procedure should be addressed to mbs@europol.europa.eu

Once the appointment has been made by the Council, every candidate who applied for the post shall receive a formal letter notifying the outcome of the procedure from the secretariat of the Selection Committee. The three-month time limit for lodging a complaint pursuant to Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations shall run from the date of notification of this letter.

6.   SALARY

Scale: AD 14

The basic monthly salary is EUR 14 837,60 (step 1) or EUR 15 461,11 (step 2).

The step in grade is determined on the basis of professional experience gained after the education required for the position and in line with applicable implementing rules.

Staff pay EU tax at source but salaries are exempt from national taxes. Compulsory deductions are made for medical insurance, pension and unemployment insurance.

Subject to the applicable conditions being met, as defined in the EU Staff Regulations (EUSR)/CEOS and further specified in the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, allowances such as expatriation allowance (16 % of basic gross salary) or foreign residence allowance (4 % of basic gross salary), household allowance, dependent child and/or education allowance may be granted.

Staff enjoy worldwide insurance coverage by the Joint Sickness Insurance Scheme (JSIS) and are insured against sickness, the risk of occupational disease and accident.

Europol offers flexible working arrangements, a comprehensive provision for annual leave as well as parental leave supporting a healthy work-life balance.

Indicative net salary sample calculation AD 14/1:

(a)	Staff member (single) in receipt of expatriation allowance (16 %): EUR 13 268,75

(b)	Staff member with two dependent children in their custody in receipt of expatriation allowance (16 %): EUR 15 821,81

The above information is indicative and for information purposes only. It is merely meant to give an indication of your possible net salary in light of the currently applicable amounts of the related allowances and the level of taxation. It has no legal value and no rights can be derived from it.

The information is based on figures applicable as of July 2019.

7.   TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Probationary period

Engagement for this position is subject to the successful completion of a probationary period of 9 months. Within this period the successful candidate will have to undergo a post-related security screening.

The contract of employment may be terminated during or at the end of the probation period in accordance with Article 14 of CEOS.

Security screening and certificate of good conduct

All candidates who have successfully passed a selection procedure are required to apply for a national ‘certificate of good conduct’ at the time an offer of employment is made. The ‘certificate of good conduct’ must be provided to Europol prior the signature of the employment contract. In case of unfavourable entries in the ‘Certificate of good conduct’ Europol reserves the right not to award an employment contract.

However, the national certificate of good conduct does not substitute a valid full Personal Security Clearance Certificate (PSCC) that must be obtained for all Europol staff at the level indicated in the Job Description. A PSCC is a certificate issued by a competent authority establishing that an individual is security cleared. It contains: the level of clearance; the date of issuance and the date of expiry. Failure to obtain the requisite security clearance before the expiration of the probationary period may be cause for termination of employment contract.

The requested level of Security Clearance for this post is: TRES SECRET UE/EU TOP SECRET.

Contract of employment

The successful candidate shall be appointed by the Council, and shall be engaged in the type of post Director, post title Deputy Executive Director, and function group AD, grade 14 pursuant to Article 2(a) CEOS and Annex I EUSR.

The initial contract will be concluded for a period of 4 years. The contract may be renewed once, and for no more than 4 years.

The place of employment will be The Hague, the Netherlands.

For further information on terms and conditions please consult the EU Staff Regulations which are available on Europol’s website www.europol.europa.eu

8.   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Independence and declaration of interests

Before taking up his or her duties, the successful candidate will be required to make a declaration of commitment to act independently in the public interest and to declare any interests, which might be considered prejudicial to his or her independence.

Statutory obligations upon leaving the service

Pursuant to Article 16 of the EU Staff Regulations, EU officials and, by analogy, temporary agents ‘continue to be bound by the duty to behave with integrity and discretion as regards the acceptance of certain appointments or benefits’ after leaving the service. Those staff members intending to engage in an occupational activity within two years of leaving the service shall inform their institution, so that it may take an appropriate decision in that respect. In cases where the intended activity is related to the work carried out by the staff member during the last three years of service and could lead to a conflict with the legitimate interests of the institution, the decision to be taken may include forbidding the staff member from undertaking it or giving its approval subject to any conditions it thinks fit. When those staff members are former senior staff members, i.e. within the Regulatory Framework of Europol the Deputy Executive Directors and the Executive Director, Article 16(3) of the EU Staff Regulations stipulates that ‘the appointing authority shall, in principle, prohibit them, during the 12 months after leaving the service, from engaging in lobbying or advocacy vis-à-vis staff of their former institution for their business, clients or employers on matters for which they were responsible during the last three years in the service.’

Privacy Notice — External Recruitment and selection process of Temporary Agents (TA) for Senior Management Posts

The purpose of this privacy statement is to inform applicants for a Senior Management Position about the gathering and use of personal data.

Purpose of the collection of data

The data submitted is processed in order to assess the suitability of candidates for a position at Europol in a TA senior management post, and to administrate the documentation related to the selection. The data collected in order to comply with this purpose are the ones required in the application form plus all data provided by the data subject in paper or electronic format.

Legal bases for processing personal data

The legal bases for the processing of personal data for temporary staff engaged pursuant to Article TA2a are:

—	Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities (Title II Chapter 3) and their implementing rules,

—	Decision of the Management Board of Europol of 1 May 2017 on the rules for the selection, extension of the term of office and removal from office of the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Directors,

—	Decision of the Management Board of Europol of 23 May 2019 on types of post and post titles in Europol,

—	Decision of the Management Board of Europol of 7 August 2020 defining the Europol posts that can be filled only by staff engaged from the competent authorities of the Member States (‘restricted posts’).

Personal data processed

The personal data collected in this process includes the following:

— Name	— Nationality
— Address	— Social media accounts
— Date/Place of birth	— Languages
— ID/passport No.	— Education record
— Gender	— Employment record
— Email address/phone number	— Financial data
— Name employer	— Civilian status
— Function

Data controller

The controller of the processing operation is the Head of the Human Resources Unit.

Recipients of the data

Recipients of the data related to the Recruitment and Selection process for the positions of temporary agents are Europol staff employed in the Administration Department dealing with HR and financial matters, the members of the Selection Committee, the Management Board Secretariat, the Executive Director and the Office of the Executive Director. Europol licenses an electronic recruitment platform from an external provider (Insight Technology Solutions Belgium Inc., Belgian Branch of Insight Direct USA Inc., Romeinsesteenweg 468, 1853 Grimbergen, Belgium). The provider and its subcontractors administer the platform on behalf of Europol and may access candidate data in case of technical queries.

The personal data of the shortlisted candidates that are members of a national competent authority applying for a restricted post will be provided to the concerned Europol National Unit with the purpose of issuing the Europol National Unit Confirmation. Access to the personal data of the shortlisted candidates applying for senior management posts may be provided to an external assessment centre provider and its subcontractors (FWC EFSA, OC/EFSA/HUCAP/2019/02, Provision of assistance with staff selection procedures and their subcontractors), to the Council of the European Union and to the competent committee of the European Parliament as described in the vacancy notice.

Data storage and retention

All documents and information provided to Europol will be kept in Europol’s files and will not be returned to the candidate. Applications of non-shortlisted candidates are kept for at least 2 full calendar years and up to a maximum of 3 full calendar years as from the year the candidates are informed about the outcome of the shortlisting.

Other data (e.g. shortlisting matrix) related to the recruitment and selection process will be kept for at least 4 full calendar years and up to a maximum of 5 full calendar years as from the year the final proposal is signed by the Executive Director.

Personal data in unsolicited applications are deleted immediately. Financial data related to the selection procedure (e.g. invoices, reimbursement requests) are kept for a period of 5 calendar years after the budget discharge, as required by the Financial Regulations.

Data stored in the e-recruitment tool might be further stored in HR electronic and paper files related to the selection procedure.

Rights as data subject

Candidates have the right to access, rectify, block and erase their personal data in accordance with the applicable data protection rules via the e-recruitment system –when possible- or via email sent to C22@europol.europa.eu

Contact in case of queries concerning the processing of personal data

In case of queries regarding the processing of personal data, please contact the data controller at C22@europol.europa.eu or the Europol Data Protection Function (DPF):

DPF, PO Box 90850, 2509LW, The Hague, email: DPF@europol.europa.eu

You also have the right of recourse at any time to the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS): edps@edps.europa.eu

MAIN DATES

Deadline for application: 16 October 2020, at 23.59 CET

Recruitment procedure: 4th Quarter 2020; 1st Quarter 2021

Starting date of employment: as soon as possible upon the end of the recruitment procedure.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Insofar as these are not altered by the specific provisions foreseen in the Rules for the selection, extension of the term of office and removal from office of the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director, please refer to the EUROPOL RECRUITMENT GUIDELINES available on Europol’s website www.europol.europa.eu for further details on the application process and the selection procedure.

CONTACT DETAILS

For further details on the application process, please contact mbs@europol.europa.eu

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(1)  Council Decision 2009/371/JHA of 6 April 2009 establishing the European Police Office (Europol) (OJ L 121, 15.5.2009, p. 37).

(2)  Regulation (EU) 2016/794 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and replacing and repealing Council Decisions 2009/371/JHA, 2009/934/JHA, 2009/935/JHA, 2009/936/JHA and 2009/968/JHA (OJ L 135, 24.5.2016, p. 53).

(3)  Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union and Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union, laid down by Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68 (OJ L 56, 4.3.1968, p. 1) and last amended by Regulation (EU) No 423/2014 of the European Parliament and the Council (OJ L 129, 30.4.2014, p. 12).