Call for expression of interest for the selection of a Social Media and Outreach Officer - Contract agent FG III - N° OMB/CA/02/2013

The European Ombudsman

The European Ombudsman seeks fair outcomes to complaints against European Union institutions, encourages transparency, and promotes an administrative culture of service. She 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.

The European Ombudsman is an equal opportunity employer who encourages applications from qualified men and women and does not discriminate on the basis of, among others, age, disability, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

1. Purpose of the call for expression of interest

The European Ombudsman is organising a selection procedure in order to draw up a reserve list of candidates for the position of Social Media and Outreach Officer. The candidates selected at the end of the selection procedure will be placed on a reserve list consisting of a maximum of five candidates. The reserve list will be valid for two years and its validity may be extended. The Ombudsman initially intends to recruit one person from the reserve list, to begin work on 1 May 2014.

2. Place of employment

The place of employment is Brussels.

The recruited candidate may be reassigned to the European Ombudsman's office in Strasbourg and her/his tasks may involve missions within the European Union and beyond.

3. Conditions of employment

The candidate selected from the reserve list will be engaged as a Function Group III contract agent under a contract of definite duration. The contract may be renewed. From 1 January 2014, the maximum period of employment for Function Group III contract agents is six years.

4. Nature of the tasks

Under the supervision of the Head of the Communication Unit and the Deputy Head of the Communication Unit, the Social Media and Outreach Officer will be responsible for:

• Co-ordinating the European Ombudsman's social media activities:
  • Implementing and further developing the Social Media Strategy of the European Ombudsman;
  • Developing content for sharing on appropriate social media platforms;
  • Monitoring social media platforms and responding to social media postings in a consistent style;
  • Finding and implementing ways to maximise the potential benefits of social media across the range of the Ombudsman's communication activities;
  • Cooperating with other EU institutions, the European Network of Ombudsmen, and the Ombudsman's other key stakeholders to increase the impact of the Ombudsman's social media activities;
  • Presenting the Ombudsman's social media activities at internal and external events;
  • Systematically exploring developments in the field of social media to ensure that the Ombudsman makes the most effective use of new tools as they emerge.
• Contributing to the European Ombudsman's other communication activities:
  • Drafting dynamic, high-quality content in English for the Ombudsman's online and offline publications and other outreach activities;
  • Actively contributing to the Ombudsman's outreach activities including events, visits, and media work.

5. Eligibility

The procedure is open to candidates who, on the closing date for the submission of applications, fulfil the following conditions.

(a) Minimum conditions

Candidates must:

• possess citizenship of the European Union;
• enjoy full rights as a citizen;
• have fulfilled any obligations imposed on them by the relevant laws on military service;
• possess a level of education which corresponds to a level of post-secondary education attested to by a diploma, or a level of secondary education attested to by a diploma giving access to post-secondary education.

(b) Specific conditions

(i) Knowledge and experience required

• Good general knowledge of the EU institutions and administration;
• Proven professional experience of at least three years in the field of communication, including proven experience of at least one year working with social media in an EU institution, body, office, or agency. This social media experience must:

(a) Have been the sole or main task carried out throughout the year in question;
(b) Have taken place in the last two years.

(ii) Skills

• Excellent communication skills;
• Excellent ability to write succinctly, creatively, and with impact in English;
• Excellent judgement;
• Ability to adapt to an international and multicultural environment;
• Ability to work in a team and to support other colleagues in their tasks;
• Ability to cope effectively with a changing work/institutional environment.

(iii) Languages

• Given the nature of the tasks, mother-tongue equivalent knowledge of English as well as the satisfactory knowledge of another official language of the European Union is required;
• Knowledge of additional official languages of the European Union would be an advantage.

6. Deadline for submitting applications

Applications[1] must refer to the call for expression of interest ref: OMB/CA/02/2013 - Social Media and Outreach Officer and must be sent by registered mail to the address indicated below by 17 January 2014 at the latest:

European Ombudsman's Office
Personnel, Administration, and Budget Unit
Call for expression of interest OMB/CA/02/2013
1, avenue du Président Robert Schuman
CS 30403
67001 Strasbourg Cedex
France

Applications must include:

a) A duly filled in application form, which can be found on the European Ombudsman's website at the following address: http://ombudsman.europa.eu;

b) a letter explaining the candidate's reasons for applying;

c) a copy of the candidate's curriculum vitae in English (preferably a Europass CV: http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu);

d) a copy of a document proving the applicant's citizenship;

e) a copy of the diploma which satisfies the requirements set out in Section 5(a) of the present call for expression of interest;

f) copies of evidence of professional experience (such as a contract or a signed attestation by the employer) for each position, clearly indicating the starting and finishing dates, the job title, and the exact nature of the duties carried out.

g) a numbered list of all the supporting documents.

The copies mentioned above do not need to be certified. Since the documents will not be returned to the candidates, the submission of original documents should be avoided.

Incomplete applications will be excluded from the selection.

7. Procedure

a) The date of posting of the application shall be 17 January 2014 at the latest. Applications posted after 17 January 2014 shall be deemed inadmissible.

b) Applications sent within the closing date will be examined by the Selection Committee to be appointed by the European Ombudsman in order to determine whether candidates fulfil (and have submitted the required evidence that they fulfil) the first and the fourth of the minimum conditions for eligibility set out in Section 5(a) of this call for expression of interest. Candidates who do not fulfil (or who have failed to submit the required evidence that they fulfil) these minimum conditions, shall be excluded. Only the candidate who will actually be recruited will be asked to provide information confirming that she or he fulfils the second and the third of the minimum conditions for eligibility.

c) Eligible applications will be assessed by the Selection Committee on the basis of candidates' qualifications and professional experience, in order to draw up a shortlist of the most suitable candidates.

d) The candidates on this shortlist will be invited to an interview and written test, in order for the Selection Committee to evaluate the candidates' profile, knowledge and skills and to draw up a reserve list of a maximum of three laureates[2].

Candidates will receive an acknowledgement of receipt of their applications. Those candidates whose applications are deemed to be inadmissible or who do not fulfil the minimum conditions for eligibility will be informed as soon as possible.

Candidates whose applications are admissible and who fulfil the minimum conditions for eligibility will be informed about whether their name has been included in the shortlist of the most suitable candidates as soon as such a shortlist has been drawn up.

Shortlisted candidates will be informed about whether their name has been included in the reserve list as soon as such a reserve list has been drawn up.

Strasbourg, 18/12/2013

Emily O'REILLY