Call for expression of interest n° OMB/10/2009 for the recruitment of a Legal Officer having Slovak as main language

CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
N° OMB/10/2009
for the recruitment of
A LEGAL OFFICER HAVING
SLOVAK AS MAIN LANGUAGE
GRADE AD 5 to AD 12

1. Vacancy

The European Ombudsman has decided to open a selection procedure to fill a future vacant position of Legal Officer in his Office. The person selected may be recruited to occupy a temporary post in the European Ombudsman's establishment plan.

• If the selected candidate is an official of the European Communities, recruitment shall occur by means of secondment, in accordance with Article 37(a) of the Staff Regulations for officials of the European Communities and with the grading rules adopted by the European Ombudsman.
• If the selected candidate is not an official of the European Communities, recruitment shall be made at grade AD 5 by way of a temporary contract, in accordance with Article 2(a) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities and with the grading rules adopted by the European Ombudsman.

2. Location of the post

The post is assigned to the European Ombudsman's offices in Strasbourg. The post could be re-assigned to Brussels in the interests of the service. The person recruited will have to go on mission to other working places of the institutions. He/she may also be called to go on mission to other countries in or outside the European Union.

3. Equal opportunities

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

4. Nature of functions

• Legal work involving the analysis of complaints submitted to the European Ombudsman
• Drafting and proposing notes and decisions for the European Ombudsman's signature, as well as other legal documents relating to his inquiries and correspondence with citizens.
• Contributing to the drafting of the European Ombudsman's annual report.
• Assisting the European Ombudsman in the preparation of his external activities or representing the institution at certain public events.

5. Eligibility

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

(a) General conditions

Under Article 12, paragraph 2, of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities, candidates who are not officials of the European Communities must:

• be nationals of one of the Member States of the European Union;
• enjoy their full rights as citizens;
• have fulfilled any obligations imposed on them by the laws on military service.

(b) Specific conditions

(i) Qualifications

• a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years attested to by a diploma in the legal field.

(ii) Knowledge/skills  required

• a good general knowledge of European affairs;
• a thorough knowledge of Community law, including public administrative law, as well as of the case-law of the Community courts;
• an ability to adapt to an international and multicultural environment;
• knowledge of three official languages of the European Union, including a mother tongue equivalent knowledge of Slovak. A thorough knowledge of English is required in order to facilitate the daily work and drafting of legal texts in this language. The knowledge of more than three official languages would be an advantage.

(iii) Skills

• excellent legal skills;
• very good writing and communication skills;
• ability to cope effectively with a changing environment;
• ability to work in a team;
• commitment to a culture of service towards citizens and institutions;
• strong organisational skills.

6. Submission of applications

Application dossiers[1] must refer to the call for expression of interest N° OMB/10/2009 and be sent to the address below by registered mail on or before 29/01/2010, the closing date for applications:

European Ombudsman's Office
Administration & Personnel Unit
Selection N° OMB/10/2009
1, av. du Président Robert Schuman
CS 30403
67001 Strasbourg Cedex
FRANCE

Candidates must give full details of their citizenship, studies, research, professional experience and other qualifications on their application. They should also compile and enclose with their application a list of the accompanying supporting documents, which should be numbered.

In order to be considered valid, applications must include:

(1) The application form to be filled in, which can be found on the European Ombudsman's website at the following address http://ombudsman.europa.eu (or upon request using the following telephone number + (33)3.88.17.23.94);

(2) A letter stating the reasons for applying;

(3) A copy of the applicant's curriculum vitae, including his/her contact details;

(4) A copy of a document proving the applicant's citizenship;

(5) Copies of diplomas. The diploma which satisfies the requirements set out in Section 5(b)(i) of the present Call for expression of interest should be mentioned separately on the application form;

(6) Copies of evidence of professional experience (if applicable), clearly indicating the start and finishing dates and the exact nature of the duties carried out, establishing that candidates possess the qualifications and the knowledge required;

(7) In the case of officials, copies of their three most recent staff reports[2];

(8) A numbered list of all the supporting documents required above.

The copies mentioned above do not need to be certified.

7. Procedure

(a) Applications posted after 29/01/2010 shall be deemed inadmissible.

(b) Applications sent on or before the closing date will be examined by a Selection Committee (appointed by the European Ombudsman) to determine whether candidates fulfil (and have submitted the required evidence that they fulfil) the minimum conditions for eligibility set out in section 5 of this Call for expression of interest. Candidates who do not fulfil (or who have failed to submit the required evidence that they fulfil) the minimum conditions, shall be excluded.

(c) Eligible candidates will be assessed by the Selection Committee, on the basis of their qualifications and professional experience, in order to identify those who appear to be the most suitable for the post in question. These candidates shall be invited to interview.

(d) Following the interviews, the Selection Committee will evaluate the candidates' profiles, knowledge and skills in order to choose the most suitable for the post.

Candidates will be informed of the status of their application after each of the above-mentioned stages of the procedure.

Strasbourg, 15 December 2009

P. Nikiforos DIAMANDOUROS 

[1] The processing of personal data by the European Ombudsman is governed by 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 the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data, OJ 2001 L 8, p. 1. By submitting an application for a post within the European Ombudsman's Office, the applicant is understood, in the sense of Article 5(d) of the Regulation, to have given his/her consent to the processing of the personal data contained in the application and the supporting documents enclosed therewith. The personal data in question are collected by the European Ombudsman's Office for the sole purpose of the present selection procedure. Applicants have a right to access and to rectify their own personal data kept by the European Ombudsman's Office.

Personal data concerning unsuccessful applicants shall be destroyed two years after the post has been filled. Applications handed in for the present selection procedure shall not be taken into consideration for future selections.

Personal data concerning the successful applicant shall be kept by the European Ombudsman's Office and might be transferred to other Community institutions for administrative purposes.

[2] If fewer than three reports have been prepared, the official shall send copies of all those available.