06 februarie 2012

Notice of vacancy OMB/01/2012

Heads of Complaints and Inquiries Units in the European Ombudsman’s Office - permanent posts open to officials of all the institutions in accordance with Article 29(1)(b) of the Staff Regulations

Category and grade: Head of Complaints and Inquiries Unit AD 9 - AD 13 (2 posts).

Place of employment: Strasbourg - These posts might be reassigned to Brussels in the interest of the service.

These posts will involve missions to other working places of the Institutions, mainly to Brussels and Luxembourg. They may also involve missions to countries in or outside the European Union.

The European Ombudsman

The European Ombudsman seeks fair outcomes to complaints against European Union institutions, encourages transparency and promotes an administrative culture of service. He aims to build trust through dialogue between citizens and the European Union and to foster the highest standards of behaviour in the Union's institutions.

Our guiding principles: Integrity, fairness, accountability, dialogue and service.

Nature of the tasks

Head of Complaints and Inquiries Units

The Complaints and Inquiries Units consist of lawyers whose main responsibilities are to analyse the complaints received by the European Ombudsman and to conduct inquiries under the supervision of their Head of Unit and one of the two Directors.

The responsibilities

The officials appointed will be responsible for the leadership and management of one of the four Complaints and Inquiries Units within the European Ombudsman’s Office. This role includes responsibility for:

● Organising the Unit, including the assignment of tasks and the supervision of the work of the various legal officers under his/her responsibility;

● Ensuring, under the supervision of the Director, the consistency and co-ordination of the work of the legal officers in the unit;

● Developing internal procedures and instructions both in relation to complaints and inquiries;

● Analysing and dealing with complaints lodged with the European Ombudsman, as well as own-initiatives inquiries;

● Providing advice on legal questions and co-ordinating legal studies and research;

● Contributing to the development of the European Ombudsman’s policies and objectives;

● Enhancing the European Ombudsman’s relations with citizens, the EU institutions and ombudsmen in the Member States, including representing the institution at certain public events;

● Contributing to the European Ombudsman’s communication strategy, including drafting certain sections of the Annual Report;

● Carrying out specific tasks, at the European Ombudsman’s request.

Qualifications, experience and knowledge required

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

● At least 10 years of professional experience after having obtained the above-mentioned qualifications, of which at least 10 years in the legal field. Periods of postgraduate studies attested to by a diploma may be considered relevant professional experience for either the general or the specific experience required. Professional experience at supervisory level, especially in the legal field, would be an advantage;

● Good general knowledge of European affairs;

● Thorough knowledge of European Union law, including public administrative law, as well as of the case-law of the Court of Justice;

● Thorough knowledge of English and of a second language of the European Union. Knowledge of other official languages of the European Union would be an advantage.

Skills

● Excellent legal and administrative skills;

● Excellent management skills;

● Very good writing and communication skills;

● Ability to cope effectively with a changing environment;

● Ability to work in a team, including the capacity to lead and motivate;

● Commitment to a culture of service towards citizens and institutions.

Deadline for submitting applications

Application dossiers[1] must refer to notice of vacancy No OMB/01/2012 and must be sent to the following e-mail address:  career@ombudsman.europa.eu by no later than 9 March 2012:

Applicants should include in their application dossiers:

a) the duly filled in application form, which can be found on the European Ombudsman's website at the following address: http://ombudsman.europa.eu or which may be obtained by calling the following telephone number: +33.3.88.17.23.94;

b) a letter explaining their reasons for applying;

c) a copy of their curriculum vitae in English (preferably a Europass CV: http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/); and

d) copies of their three most recent staff reports[2];

e) a document proving that the applicant is an EU official and indicating his/her current grade and function group.

Strasbourg, 06/02/2012

P. Nikiforos Diamandouros