11.2.2016

Official Journal of the European Union

CA 52/1

VACANCY NOTICE No CDR/AD14/6BIS/2016

concerning a post of

DIRECTOR (M/F)

at the Directorate for Communication

Publication under Article 29(2) of the Staff Regulations

Simultaneous publication under Article 29(1) of the Staff Regulations

(2016/C 052 A/01)

Type of post:	Director
Grade:	AD 14

2. Working environment

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is the political assembly having an EU institutional role based on the Lisbon Treaty. Its members vote on political opinions in the preparation of the European Union legislation, which allows the views of regional and local authorities to be heard when European Union policies are being devised and legislation drafted. It is an advisory body to the European Parliament, the European Council and European Commission that was created in 1994. Its consultative role allows its 350 members and 350 alternates, and through them the regional and local authorities they represent, to take part in the EU decision-making process.

The Directorate for Communication consists of three units with a total of around 45 officials and other staff members. The main responsibilities include raising public visibility about the work and achievements of the CoR by using various communication tools (media relations, digital communication including web-based communication and social media, conferences and events and publications). The Directorate is articulated as follows:

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Unit D.1 ‘Press officers and relations with media’: this unit works closely with the two Directorates for Legislative Work and focuses on raising the visibility of the CoR Members’ activities through drafting and publishing press releases, articles, editorials and op-eds and establishing strong relations with press and media.

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Unit D.2 ‘Events’: this unit organises a wide variety of events and conferences, both in Brussels and at local level, related to the activities of the CoR, with particular focus on its political priorities and its ongoing consultative work. The unit has already developed a strong partnership with local and regional authorities and is increasingly teaming up with the other EU Institutions for common events at local level.

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Unit D.3 ‘Social and digital media, publications’: this unit is in charge of digital communication, via an editorial team which processes and adapts the contents delivered by the other units in this Directorate, and by the Members and policy directorates for web-based communication and social media purposes. Publications on core activities of the CoR are also conceived and produced by this unit.

3. Brief description of main responsibilities

The Director organises, supervises and monitors the work of the Directorate for Communication under the direct authority of the Secretary-General.

4. Duties

The duties of the Director consist in particular of raising the public visibility of the CoR by:

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developing and implementing a communication strategy for the institution, aimed at supporting the CoR’s mission to influence EU policies and legislation, articulating the needs and priorities of local and regional authorities and highlighting the work of the CoR Assembly and of its consultative commissions,

—	strengthening relations with journalists from European, national and sub-national media, and boosting the web-based communication and social media activities as key aspects of the above strategy,

—	supporting the CoR’s statutory bodies, the President and other CoR political leaders or members, in anticipating and reacting to the EU policy agenda as it evolves from week to week, giving visibility to the CoR policy areas and proposals,

—	providing support to the communication activities directly managed by the secretariats of the political groups established within the CoR,

—	developing communication actions in partnership with stakeholders relevant for CoR key policy areas,

—	organising, coordinating, managing and supervising the work of the directorate units,

—	contributing to the senior management decision making, under the lead of the Secretary-General,

—	managing and developing the directorate’s human resources,

—	planning, managing and reporting on the financial resources attributed to the directorate, including reliable project budgeting and risk analysis,

—	carrying out the responsibilities of authorising officer by sub-delegation within the established limit,

—	maintaining and further developing relations with the other EU institutions and representing the CoR in interinstitutional bodies.

5. Eligibility criteria

The selection procedure is open to all candidates who, on the date set for the submission of applications, meet the following conditions:

—	be a national of one of the Member States of the EU,

—	enjoy full rights as a citizen and produce appropriate character references as to their suitability for the performance of the duties,

—	have fulfilled any obligations imposed on him by the laws concerning military service,

—	be below retirement age, which, for officials and other staff of the EU, is set at the end of the month in which the age of 66 is reached,

—	be physically fit to perform the duties — to ascertain this, the successful candidate will be examined by the CoR medical officer prior to any appointment,

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have a level of higher education corresponding to a complete cycle of university studies ending in a degree where the normal duration of these studies is four years or more, or a level of education corresponding to a complete cycle of university studies ending in a degree followed by relevant professional experience of at least one year where the normal duration of these studies is at least three years,

—	have a professional experience of at least 15 years in an area relevant to the position, at least five of which in the area of communication as a main activity. Of the aforementioned 15 years, at least five must have been acquired in a managerial post,

—	have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union and at least a satisfactory knowledge of another official language of the Union to the extent necessary for the performance of the duties,

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for reasons linked to the interest of the service, at least a satisfactory knowledge of English or French is required to carry out the duties of Director. In view of the nature of the duties to be carried out, this requirement is necessary in order to strike a balance between the need to ensure the recruitment of an official possessing the highest levels of competence, performance and integrity, and the interests of the service, which requires the candidate to be immediately operational and capable of communicating effectively within the institution as part of his/her daily work in one of the languages most used as an internal lingua franca by the officials and staff of the Union. Testing the linguistic knowledge of candidates during the recruitment procedure is therefore a reasonable way of verifying this aspect of the candidates’ ability to carry out the duties of Director of the Directorate for Communication in the working environment of the CoR and the joint services which it shares with the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

A candidate whose main language is English or French will also be called on to express him/herself satisfactorily during the interview in another official language of the European Union, which must be different from the main language.

In addition, the ability to communicate effectively in other official languages of the European Union is an advantage; compliance with the requirements in terms of linguistic knowledge must be mentioned in the declaration in good faith (see point 8.1) and will be evaluated during the interview (see point 7).

6. Initial screening criteria

6.1.

Initial screening of the eligible candidates will take the form of a comparative assessment of their professional experience on the basis of the information provided in the application file and backed by supporting documents (see below point 8.1).

Preference will be given to candidates possessing:

6.1.1.

level of knowledge and experience commensurate with the type of work:

—	a thorough and demonstrated understanding of the media and how journalists work,

—	good media contacts,

—	proven track record demonstrating successful ability to tackle up-to-date communication challenges, to adopt innovative strategies, to manage effective tools as well as to test new creative solutions,

—	knowledge of strategic matters linked to the EU communication strategy,

—	knowledge of the policies of the European Union, particularly in areas relating to local and regional authorities,

—	knowledge of budgetary procedures as well as the legal framework governing the activities of the European institutions.

6.1.2.

leadership qualities:

—	ability to inspire teams and to work effectively with staff having a diverse range of professional skills and academic knowledge,

—	ability to manage an international, multilingual and multicultural organisational structure efficiently, involving mastery of management methods and the ability to lead teams,

—	evidence of having operated as leading change manager, notably in modernising communication strategy and organisation,

—	ability to manage the activities of a department in a cost-effective manner

6.1.3.

negotiation and communication skills:

—	demonstrated negotiation skills,

—	excellent ability to communicate publicly and a thorough sense of media relations,

—	excellent interpersonal skills.

6.2.

The initial screening of candidates will also be based on their motivation to carry out the duties of Director for Communication, as well as on their views on the future challenges facing the Directorate, as set out in their cover letter.

6.3.

The CoR encourages internal mobility over time; accordingly, the ability to potentially carry out other senior management responsibilities, such as in the areas of statutory bodies, consultative work and the management of relevant budgetary and human resources, is also desirable.

7. Selection criteria

Selection will be carried out by means of an interview, during which the selection board (see point 8.3) will pose to each candidate a number of similar questions in order to perform a comparative evaluation of the applicants being considered at this stage.

The interview will focus specifically on each candidate’s:

—	knowledge and understanding of the media,

—	ability to shape and implement new strategies, to shape the future objectives of the Directorate for Communication and to present and explain the expected results,

—	ability to represent the interests of the CoR at interinstitutional level,

—	interpersonal skills.

During this interview, the selection board will also focus on assessing managerial skills, the ability to communicate, accessibility and openness, the ability to negotiate and the general interests of the candidates.

For functional reasons and in order to complete the selection procedure as quickly as possible in the interest of the candidates as well as that of the institution, the interview will be held in English or French, according to the choice of the candidate. For candidates whose main language is either English or French, the satisfactory knowledge of another official language of the European Union will also be tested during the interview (see point 5). In addition, the ability to communicate effectively in other official languages of the European Union will be evaluated during the interview (point 5).

8. Progress of the procedure

8.1. Submission of application files

The application files must be submitted solely via electronic means in pdf format not larger than 10 Mb to the following address: Recruitment.DirD@cor.europa.eu

Candidates with a disability preventing them from presenting their application online may send their application by registered and recorded delivery to the address: Comité européen des régions, à l’attention du chef de l’unité Recrutement et carrière, 101 rue Belliard, 1040 Bruxelles, Belgique, marked ‘Confidentiel — avis de vacance — à ne pas ouvrir par le service courrier’, by the deadline mentioned in point 8.2 at the latest, with the postmark constituting proof of date. In this case, the candidates must attach a certificate issued by an authorised body to their application, recognising their status as a disabled person. They are also invited to indicate, in writing, any requirement which they consider necessary to facilitate their participation in the recruitment procedure. Any further communication between the CoR and these candidates will be carried out by post. The CoR reserves the right to ask for clarifications on the supporting documents requested under point 8.1.

The application file must mention the reference of the vacancy notice (CDR/AD14/6BIS/2016) in the heading and contain:

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a cover letter (maximum 5 pages), dated and signed, which should state the motivation of the applicant, give evidence of his/her proven track record in the fields referred to under point 6.1 and also set his/her vision on the way to shape the CoR communication strategy and to execute his/her role as Director,

—	an up-to-date curriculum vitae (Europass format),

—	a dated and signed declaration in good faith (see form in Annex 1) confirming that the eligibility conditions listed in point 5 have been met,

—	the check-list shown in Annex 2, dated and signed,

—	a copy of one of the candidate’s official identity documents,

—	a copy of the diploma giving access to the grade (see point 5),

—	a copy of the supporting professional certificates enabling the candidate’s experience to be verified, in accordance with the conditions set out in point 5. The certificates must clearly express the duration for which the posts were held and, where possible, the level of responsibility.

The assessment of eligibility and initial screening criteria set out in points 5 and 6.1 will be solely based on the information provided in the application file, including in the declaration in good faith, as far as this information is backed by supporting documents. Information only provided in the CV or in the cover letter without being backed by supporting documents will not be taken into account.

With regard to the professional experience required under point 5, copies of professional certificates must be provided showing the content of the duties, the duration for which the posts were held and the level of responsibility.

The verification of the respect of eligibility criteria regarding the linguistic knowledge required will be based on the declaration in good faith; the level of linguistic skills will be tested during the selection interview (see point 7 of the vacancy notice).

When preparing the application file, it is not necessary for the copies to be certified as conforming to the original.

Incomplete application files and files submitted after the expiry of the submission deadline or failing to observe the provisions governing the submission of application files will not be considered. Any false declaration will automatically cause the application to become null and void.

Candidates are informed that they are not allowed to contact personally members of the selection board and that doing so constitutes grounds for disqualification from the procedure.

8.2. Deadline for the submission of application files: 10 March 2016 at 12.00 noon (Brussels time)

The candidates will receive an acknowledgment of receipt of their application file by email. Application files arriving by registered post in accordance with point 8.1 will be acknowledged by post.

8.3. Scrutiny of the application files: eligibility, initial screening and selection

A selection board made up of the CoR President, the First Vice-President and the CoR Political Group Chairs, or their representatives, will assess the eligibility of applications, carry out the initial screening and the selection as described in the following subparagraphs. During this process, the selection board will be administratively assisted by the Secretariat-General.

8.3.1. Eligibility criteria

Based on a preparatory analysis carried out by the Secretariat-General, the selection board will assess the eligibility of the candidates having submitted their applications within the deadline on the basis of the supporting documents requested under point 8.1.

The candidates whose applications are assessed to be non-eligible will be informed thereof.

8.3.2. Initial screening

The selection board will then carry out an initial screening of eligible applications on the basis of the application file including the cover letter and the CV. The names of the candidates which best meet the criteria set out in point 6.1 to 6.3 will be placed on a shortlist consisting of a maximum of seven names.

With a view to this screening, candidates are invited to highlight in their cover letter the aspects of their CV which correspond to the duties involved, their motivation and their views on the future challenges facing the Directorate for Communication.

The non-shortlisted candidates will be informed.

8.3.3. Selection

The shortlisted candidates will be invited to an assessment centre. They will be informed of the programme and methodology in due time. The purpose of this assessment will be to evaluate their managerial skills (handling of information, tasks, people and interpersonal relationships, and ability to achieve goals). The result of the assessment will be non-binding and is intended to provide the selection board with additional input in connection with the selection interview.

After the assessment centre, the candidates will be invited to a selection interview conducted by the selection board in the presence of the Secretary-General, in accordance with the provisions of point 7 above.

Following the interviews, the selection board will decide which candidate is deemed most suitable to assume the duties of Director for Communication. This candidate will then be proposed by the Secretary-General to the Bureau, which can invite the proposed candidate for a hearing.

The candidates who are not proposed for appointment will be informed thereof.

In accordance with the CoR’s Rules of Procedure, the appointment of any official in a grade higher than AD 12 depends on a favourable vote from the Bureau. In the event of a favourable vote, the Bureau will instruct the CoR President to sign the decision covering the appointment of the chosen candidate. In case the vote from the Bureau is not favourable, the procedure is closed without appointment of any candidate.

In the framework of this vacancy notice, the Appointing Authority will examine the possibilities of filling the vacant post in accordance with the order set out in Article 29 of the Staff Regulations: the examination of applications presented under Article 29(1)(a) (post to be filled by transfer, by appointment or by promotion), then Article 29(1)(b) (transfer between institutions), and finally, Article 29(2). This order will be observed at each of the stages set out above.

9. Recruitment terms

If the application has been submitted under this vacancy notice, the chosen candidate will be appointed Director of the Directorate for Communication (grade AD 14).

10. Observations

The appointment will take place subject to sufficient funds being available.

The CoR will ensure that candidates’ personal data will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 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 Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data (1).

As an employer, the CoR applies a policy of equal opportunities, precluding any discrimination, and is also committed to protecting the environment.

11. Complaints

Regardless of their right to lodge a complaint under Article 90(2) or to submit an appeal to the Civil Service Tribunal under Article 91 of the Staff Regulations, candidates can request an internal review of any decision of the selection board that directly and immediately affects their status in the selection on grounds of non-compliance with the rules governing the selection procedure as laid down by the vacancy notice. The request must be made by email (Recruitment.DirD@cor.europa.eu) within 10 calendar days from the date when the decision is notified to the candidate by e-mail. It must indicate the decision and the grounds on which the request is based.

The selection board will take a decision and a reasoned reply will be sent to the candidate in due course.

(1) OJ L 8, 12.1.2001, p. 1.

ANNEX I

ANNEX II