Notice of vacancy CONS/AD/176/22

(2022/C 70 A/01)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Department	ORG.2.A
Place of work	Brussels, Justus Lipsius Building
Title of post	Head of Unit — Deputy Head of Protocol
Function group and grade	AD 9
Security clearance required	EU SECRET
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS	28 February 2022 – 12:00 noon (Brussels time)

We are

The General Secretariat of the Council (GSC) assists the European Council and the Council of the EU and their preparatory bodies in all fields of their activities. It provides advice and support to members of the European Council and the Council and to their Presidents, including legal and policy advice, coordination with other institutions, drawing up of compromises and drafting, as well as all the practicalities that are necessary for the smooth preparation and running of the European Council and the Council.

Directorate-General ‘Organisational Development and Services’ (DG ORG), is responsible for the overall strategic management of organisational development and services in the GSC. The Directorate-General currently consists of five Directorates (Human Resources, Protocol and Meetings, Buildings and Logistics, Finance, and Safety and Security).

The Protocol and Meetings Directorate (ORG.2) provides first-rate services (event management, protocol, suitable meeting rooms and technology, catering services, administration of delegates’ travel expenses) required to host high-level meetings, both in Brussels, Luxembourg and elsewhere in the world. Its mission is to respond rapidly and flexibly to provide all the services needed to host official meetings and events.

The Directorate is also responsible for protocol, logistics and travel arrangements for the President of the European Council and his Cabinet in Belgium and abroad.

The directorate is currently composed of around 200 persons and four Units: ‘Protocol’, ‘Meetings’, ‘Catering’ and ‘Support’, and has an annual budget of over EUR 100 million.

The Protocol Unit is responsible, under today’s unique and challenging geopolitical situation, for all protocol arrangements of the European Council and the Council, ranging from bilateral summits in Brussels, to ceremonies to accredit third country ambassadors, to meals at ambassador level and up to Head of State and Government, in Brussels or elsewhere, and to the participation of the EU in high-level events abroad. The unit is composed of three protocol teams dealing with: incoming visits and high-level events; protocol meals and receptions; and missions by the President of the European Council and his cabinet outside GSC premises. In addition, there is an office responsible for the reception desks and the switchboard.

We propose

Under the authority of the Director of ORG.2 Protocol and Meetings and Head of Protocol, you will lead, support and motivate a committed unit of about 30 staff working in a dynamic and challenging environment.

You will be required to manage the unit and organise its activities and resources in a way that enables it to be reactive and flexible, and to provide services required — outside regular working hours when needed.

You are expected to invest in staff development and take measures to enable them to excel at their work.

You will ensure effective communication and cooperation within the unit, with other GSC services and with external stakeholders.

You will be in charge of the organisation of bilateral summits, ceremonies to accredit third country ambassadors, signing ceremonies, protocol gifts. You will manage all incoming protocol visits (at ambassador level or higher) to the European Council, the Council as well as to senior officials of the GSC. In addition, you will be in charge of protocol arrangements around multilateral summits, high-level meals, receptions and ceremonies. You will also be in charge of the organisation of the missions of the President of the European Council and his cabinet outside GSC buildings.

You will manage the office responsible for the reception desks and the switchboard of the GSC.

You will manage the budget lines related to protocol items such as gifts, flowers and medals as well as certain types of catering; and will ensure implementation of the contracts in this area.

You will ensure that the GSC disposes of adequate and updated data about its own protocol activities as well as, as needed, about Member States and third countries. You will ensure that complete and organised files are kept about protocol events in compliance with data protection records.

As Deputy Head of Protocol, you will assist and/or replace the Head of Protocol, when needed, to provide Protocol support to the President of the European Council or to the European Council anywhere in the world, depending on the event.

You will be able to plan and organise work in a flexible manner, subject to working hours and the needs of the service. Atypical working hours will regularly apply in relation to running complex or high-level events. Planning of leave and absences must be aligned with the calendar of events. The operational nature of the post requires frequent physical presence and is not compatible with regular telework. You and your staff will benefit from the GSC’s flexible working arrangements, including occasional teleworking.

This position entails regular travel for missions, usually outside the EU. Availability may be required at short notice and outside regular working hours.

We look for

We are looking for a manager with a strong sense of diplomacy and a solid geopolitical overview, which are key competences for the job.

Strong interpersonal skills and intercultural sensitivity are required, including the capacity to establish and maintain professional relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders from all over the world.

Sound knowledge of EU policies and institutions is required. Experience as a national diplomat, including postings abroad, would be an asset.

Experience in organising large-scale events with the participation of high-level political representatives and knowledge of protocol rules would be an asset.

Service orientation, anticipation, immediate reactivity and creativity in problem solving are essential for the job, like for all staff in the Directorate.

The future head of unit will demonstrate resilience, coupled with flexibility and ability to adapt at short notice. Strong organisational and communication skills are essential.

All GSC managers are expected to advise their hierarchy and stakeholders, manage their staff and financial resources, and represent the GSC. These expectations are set out in the GSC horizontal manager’s profile (1).

Furthermore, the jobholder will need to possess:

—	leadership skills and the ability to give guidance, to motivate and to empower staff in a multicultural and diverse environment with a strong emphasis on staff development, and the ability to promote diversity and inclusion;

—	the ability to listen and respond actively to stakeholder views and needs, and to guide them towards constructive outcomes;

—	the ability to engage in open dialogue with staff to create a constructive and positive working atmosphere, to actively foster innovation and to listen to their ideas on new approaches, novel working methods and applying the latest technologies;

—	the ability to facilitate collaborative work on cross-cutting projects and issues, including with staff from other units, and to ensure coherence in different strands of work that cut across the entire organisation;

—	the ability to plan proactively, including on staffing, finance, budget and logistics; and to prioritise, coordinate and organise work across a considerable number of parallel activities;

—	the ability to take responsibility for their own and their team’s performance, as well as for decisions taken, acting as a role model and managing own development;

—	the ability to manage change and support staff through change;

—

the ability to represent the unit internally and the GSC in interinstitutional discussions.

Given that the GSC has a policy of mobility for its managers, who are expected to have broad experience, candidates should be willing and able to work in different areas of activity during their careers at the GSC.

RECRUITMENT POLICY

Applicants must meet the following requirements at the time of applying:

General conditions

—	be nationals of one of the Member States of the European Union;

—	enjoy their full rights as citizens;

—	have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the laws concerning military service.

Specific conditions

—	hold a university degree (2);

—	have at least 12 years of relevant professional experience. Proven experience in leading teams is also required;

—

given that English and French are used extensively for communication within the GSC and with other institutions, an excellent knowledge of one of the two languages and a good knowledge of the other is required. Knowledge of other official languages of the EU as well as non-EU languages would be an asset.

NB:

(1)

This post requires security clearance allowing access to classified documents (EU SECRET level). Candidates applying for the post must be prepared to undergo security screening under Council Decision 2013/488/EU (3). Appointment to the post will only take effect on condition that the selected candidate has obtained a valid security clearance certificate. A candidate without security clearance will be offered a temporary contract until the result of the security clearance procedure is obtained.

(2)	The successful candidate must be prepared to follow the GSC management training.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

In choosing the successful candidates the Appointing Authority shall be assisted by an advisory selection board. The advisory selection board will be supported by an assessment centre, run by external recruitment consultants. The reports established by the assessment centre for the same type of post will cease to be valid 2 years after the date on which the relevant exercises took place or upon termination of the framework contract between the GSC and the assessment centre in question — whichever date is the earliest.

The advisory selection board will initially evaluate and compare the qualifications, experience and motivation of all the applicants applying for the same post, on the basis of their applications. Based on that comparative assessment, the advisory selection board will shortlist those candidates who, in its opinion, are most suitable to be invited to a first interview. As this first selection is based on a comparative assessment of the applications, the fulfilment of the requirements of this vacancy does not guarantee invitation to the first interview. From among the interviewed candidates, the advisory selection board will select candidates to attend the assessment centre, as well as a second interview with the advisory selection board.

The provisional planning of the selection is as follows:

—	it is expected that candidates selected for the interviews will be informed in the first half of March 2022;

—	the first interviews are foreseen to take place by mid-March 2022;

—	the assessment centre is expected to take place in the second half of March 2022;

—	the second round of interviews is foreseen for the first half of April 2022.

NB: The above schedule is purely indicative and in particular subject to the implications of the restrictive measures put in place to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

LEGAL BASIS

This post is published in all institutions of the European Union and outside the institutions, in conformity with Article 29, paragraphs (1) and (2) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union (4).

REMARK

Given that this post has been designated as sensitive, the staff member occupying it may, after a period of 5 years in the post, be obliged to change post.

HOW TO APPLY

The closing date for applications is 28 February 2022 at 12:00 noon (Brussels time).

Applications will be accepted by email only and must be sent to: applications.management@consilium.europa.eu (5) no later than the closing date and time. Late applications will not be considered.

The email address indicated above must be used for any correspondence concerning the selection procedure (the email must have in the subject the following title: CONS/AD/176/22).

Before submitting their application, candidates should carefully check whether they meet the requirements listed above under ‘Recruitment policy’, in order to avoid automatic exclusion from the selection procedure.

In order to be valid, the application file must include the following documents in pdf (NB: locked, password protected or electronically signed documents are not accepted):

(a)

the application form duly completed and dated (file to be named ‘XXX (YOUR FAMILY NAME) — Application form.pdf’); to download the electronic application form (EN or FR), click on the appropriate link below or copy/paste it into your browser (6):

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/53249/gsc-application_form_senior_management_en.docx

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/53248/gsc-application_form_senior_management_fr.docx

(b)

a detailed curriculum vitae (7), in English or French, preferably in the Europass format (http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu), covering the applicant’s entire career, listing, inter alia, the applicant’s qualifications, language knowledge, experience and current duties (file to be named ‘XXX (YOUR FAMILY NAME) — CV.pdf’);

(c)	a motivation letter, in English or French (file to be named ‘XXX (YOUR FAMILY NAME) — Motivation letter.pdf’);

(d)

grouped in one pdf document, copies of diplomas certifying education and copies of documents and certificates relating to professional experience. It is not sufficient to simply send the curriculum vitae mentioned under (b). Supporting documents must have been issued by a third party (file to be named ‘XXX (YOUR FAMILY NAME) — Supporting documents.pdf’).

Failure to include these documents will make the application invalid.

All supporting documents referred to under (d), must be numbered in sequence (Annex 1, 2, etc.) and grouped as mentioned above.

Applications that arrive by post, or via cloud-based data storage solutions or file-share platforms will not be considered.

The successful candidates will be asked to provide the originals of the aforementioned documents.

Candidates will receive an email acknowledging receipt of their application. However, technical difficulties related to the transmission of emails can never be completely eliminated. Therefore, if no email that acknowledges receipt of the application has been received, candidates are encouraged to contact applications.management@consilium.europa.eu. Since the advisory selection board will begin its work shortly after the closing date for applications, any necessary verifications as to the receipt of the application should be made in the week following that date.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The GSC is committed to diversity and inclusion. For more information please see the relevant statement, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/general-secretariat/jobs/diversity-and-inclusion/

REEXAMINATION OF APPLICATIONS

The procedures relating to requests for complaints, appeals and referrals to the European Ombudsman are set out in Annex I to this vacancy notice.

DATA PROTECTION

The rules governing the processing of personal data in connection with this selection procedure are set out in Annex II to this vacancy notice.

(1) https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/53279/gsc-manager-profile-en.pdf

(2) Article 5(3)(c) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union (the Staff Regulations) require applicants to have at least:

(i)	a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is 4 years or more; or

(ii)	a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least 1 year when the normal period of university education is at least 3 years.

(3) Council Decision 2013/488/EU of 23 September 2013 on the security rules for protecting EU classified information (OJ L 274, 15.10.2013, p. 1).

(4) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A01962R0031-20140501

(5) This email address is linked to a functional mailbox and can only process messages with the ‘Normal’ sensitivity option; emails sent with other sensitivity options (e.g. ‘Personal’, ‘Private’, ‘Confidential’) cannot be processed. Please therefore select the ‘Normal’ sensitivity option. Maximum size of your email must be 25 MB. If your email, together with its attachments, exceeds this maximum size, please split your attachments over a number of emails.

(6) If you need more information and/or encounter technical problems, please send an email to: applications.management@consilium.europa.eu

(7) Candidates are requested not to put photos on their CV.