Human Resources Officer

The European Defence Agency was established on 12 July 2004, and is governed by Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/1835 defining the statute, seat and operational rules of the European Defence Agency. The Agency has its headquarters in Brussels.

The main task of EDA is to support the Council and the Member States in their effort to improve the Union’s defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) as it currently stands and as it develops in the future.

The Agency is structured into four directorates. The Corporate Services Directorate (CSD) and three operational directorates: Industry, Synergies and Enablers (ISE); Capability, Armament & Planning (CAP); Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI).

The Agency is an “outward-facing” organisation, constantly interacting with its shareholders, the participating Member States, as well as with a wide range of stakeholders. It works in an integrated way, with multi-disciplinary teams representing all of the Agency’s functional areas, to realise its objectives. Its business processes are flexible and oriented towards achieving results. Staff at all levels need to demonstrate the corresponding qualities of commitment, flexibility, innovation, and team-working; to work effectively with shareholders and stakeholder groups, formal and informal; and to operate without the need for detailed direction.

The Corporate Services Directorate (CSD) provides critical business support to EDA operations by delivering high-quality corporate services under 5 dedicated units, namely: Human Resources; Procurement and Contract Management; Finance; IT and Information Management together with Security and Infrastructure Management. Additionally, the EDA Legal Team provides legal, data protection and institutional advice and checks to its management relating to the fulfilment of Agency objectives. The EDA Programme Manager and Corporate Projects Officer provides a leadership role in, and a focal point for, good practice in Project, Programme and Risk Management. Finally, the Record Manager is responsible for the effective and appropriate management of information produced and/or received by the organisation.

CSD processes are geared towards efficient and optimal use of resources, leveraging good practice and technological solutions while ensuring sound financial management, transparency and accountability; outward focus and commitment to continuous improvement are the hallmarks of CSD.

We are looking for highly skilled, autonomous and enthusiastic HR professional, who can bring experience and creative thinking to the development and implementation of human resources policies. The successful candidate will join a dynamic and dedicated HR team covering the full spectrum of HR activities such as selection, recruitment, learning and development, entitlements, and career management.
In cooperation with the Head of the HR Unit and under her/his supervision, the Human Resources Officer shall:

TALENT ACQUISITION (SELECTION PROCEDURES)

• support the availability of human capital through taking the lead in organising, implementing, overseeing and participating in the Agency’s selection processes and contributing to employer branding.

PLANNING, MONITORING, REPORTING

• support HR planning, decision making and reporting through providing HR metrics and tailored reports.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

• contribute to organizational development through developing, implementing and reviewing human resources policies, implementing rules, practices and procedures;
  
• provide statutory advice in support of management decision making;
  
• guide and support the other members of the unit in matters of individual rights and the interpretation of legal provisions;
  
• support organizational compliance through following up on data protection and ethics matters;
  
• ensure business continuity through deputising in absence of the Head of Unit HR.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

• provide advice and support on people management related topics such as workforce planning, performance management, staff development, staff engagement and well-being.

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

• contribute to Learning and Development policies, activities and processes;
  
• provide advice on professional development to staff.

The successful candidate may be asked to take on additional tasks as required in the interest of the service.

Duties may evolve according to development of the EDA’s structure and activities, and the decisions of EDA management.

To be considered eligible to take part in this selection procedure, on the closing date for the submission of applications candidates must satisfy all the eligibility criteria as specified below:

• be a national of a Member State participating in the Agency;
• be entitled to his/her full rights as a citizen;
• have fulfilled any obligations imposed on him/her by the laws concerning military service;
• produce the appropriate character references as to his/her suitability for the performance of his/her duties (extract from the “judicial record” or certificate of good conduct will be requested prior to recruitment);
• be physically fit to perform his/her duties;
• have a thorough knowledge (minimum level C1 oral and written) of one of the languages of the participating Member States and a satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2 oral and written) of another of these languages to the extent necessary to discharge his/her duties;
• have no personal interest (financial, family relationship, or other) which could be in conflict with disinterested discharge of his/her duties within the Agency;
• hold, or be in a position to obtain, a valid Personnel Security Clearance Certificate (national or EU PSC at SECRET UE/EU SECRET level). Personnel Security Clearance Certificate (PSCC) means a certificate issued by a competent authority establishing that an individual is security cleared and holds a valid national or EU PSC, and which shows the level of EUCI to which that individual may be granted access (SECRET UE/EU SECRET), the date of validity of the relevant PSC and the date of expiry of the certificate itself. Note that the necessary procedure for obtaining a PSCC can be initiated on request of the employer only, and not by the individual candidate;
• 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 at least three years or be a graduate of a national or international Defence College.

Only diplomas that have been awarded in EU Member States or that are the subject of equivalence certificates issued by the authorities in the said Member States shall be taken into consideration. In the latter case, the authority authorised to conclude contracts of employment reserves the right to request proof of such equivalence.

To assess your foreign language skills, see: http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/resources/european-language-levels-cefr

A. Essential

(1) Professional

The candidate will be required to demonstrate that he/she has:

• at least 6 years of professional experience in the field of HR in an international environment;
  
• university degree in HR Management, Business Administration, Law or related fields;
  
• experience in planning and designing HR strategies and developing related HR policies;
  
• experience in selection;
  
• experience in dealing with HR legal matters;
  
• knowledge of human resources best practices and the latest trends/innovation in the field;
  
• sound knowledge of the Staff Regulations and the conditions of Employment of other servants of the European Union including SNE’s rules;
  
• the capacity to work in an international environment;
  
• an excellent knowledge of written and spoken English;
  
• sound knowledge of Excel;
  
• the ability to work under pressure and to meet tight deadlines.

(2) Personal

All staff must be able to fit into the Agency’s way of working (see para. 2). Other attributes and competencies important for this post include:

• ability to work in a multicultural team;
  
• result-oriented with excellent organisational skills;
  
• ability to deal with confidential files, and to use tact and discretion when dealing with people;
  
• strong analytic, problem-solving and decision-making skills;
  
• strong motivation and willingness to perform general administrative duties;
  
• excellent communication and customer service skills.

B. Desirable

The following will be considered an advantage:

• experience in undertaking legal research/providing legal advice on HR-related matters;
  
• coaching qualifications or experience in career guidance;
  
• familiarity with the defence international environment (including CSDP);
  
• familiarity with the EDA Staff Regulations and rules applicable to SNEs on secondment to EDA;
  
• a good command of French.

The Human Resources Officer will be required to make a declaration of commitment to act independently in the Agency’s interest and to make a declaration in relation to interests that might be considered prejudicial to his/her independence.

The Human Resources Officer will be appointed by the Chief Executive.

Recruitment will be as a member of the temporary staff of the Agency for a four-year period. Renewal is possible within the limits set out in the EDA Staff Regulations. The successful candidate will be recruited as Temporary Agent, grade AD7.

The pay for this position consists of a basic salary of 6.294,84€ supplemented with various allowances, including as applicable expatriation or family allowances. The successful candidate will be graded on entry into service according to the length of his/her professional experience. Salaries are exempted from national tax, instead an Agency tax at source is paid.