HR Assistant

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 post-secondary education attested by a diploma or a level of secondary education attested by a diploma giving access to post-secondary education, and appropriate professional experience of at least three years.

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.

For diplomas awarded in non-EU countries, a NARIC recognition is required: https://www.enic-naric.net/

Qualifications/diplomas awarded until 31/12/2020 in the United Kingdom are accepted without further recognition. For diplomas awarded after this date (from 01/01/2021), a NARIC recognition is required.

For native English speakers, your ability to communicate in another EU language will be tested during the selection process. To assess your foreign language levels, see: https://europa.eu/europass/en/common-european-framework-reference-langu…

Only applications meeting all essential selection criteria will be assessed.

(1) Professional

Candidates will be required to demonstrate the following qualifications:

• a University degree (or equivalent academic qualification) in Human Resources, Social/Political sciences, (Organisational) Psychology, Public/Business Administration, or other related field;
• at least nine (9) years of professional experience in an international environment, including at least six (6) years of experience directly relevant to the tasks described under section "5. DUTIES";
• proven knowledge of and experience in managing selection and recruitment procedures, preferably in an EU Institution, Agency or Body;
• familiarity with financial and procurement procedures linked to HR activities;
• strong skills and experience in file and database management, including with tools for the digitalisation of HR processes (i.e. e-recruitment, HR information management systems, etc.);
• excellent ICT skills with proficient knowledge of MS Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint);
• very good command of both written and spoken English.

(2) Personal

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

• ability to work in a team;
• proactivity, reliability and capacity to work under pressure with little supervision;
• strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• excellent interpersonal skills;
• customer service, results-orientation and strong motivation;
• flexibility and innovativeness;
• discretion, confidentiality and tact;
• genuine commitment to the Agency's objectives.

B. Desirable

The following will be considered an advantage:

• familiarity with the EU Staff Regulations (SR) and Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS);
• professional experience in an organisation operating within the domain of Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).

We are looking for a highly skilled, autonomous and enthusiastic HR professional. The successful candidate will join a small but dynamic and dedicated HR team covering the full spectrum of HR activities and will have opportunity for professional growth.

Under the supervision of the Head of HR Unit, the jobholder will assist with the day-to-day HR operations, covering relevant administrative functions and duties along the employee lifecycle. Overall, the jobholder will provide support and contribute to the correct and effective implementation of HR processes, in accordance with EDA procedures and regulations and towards the achievement of the Agency's objectives.

More specifically, the HR Assistant will be responsible for/contribute to the following activities:

Talent acquisition

• liaise with hiring managers to identify staffing needs and draft vacancy notices;
• contribute to the availability of human capital through planning, organising and managing selection procedures from beginning to end (i.e. selection panels, vacancy publications, CV screening, interview invitations, participation in interviews and drafting panel reports) in accordance with established rules and procedures;
• plan, coordinate and organise written tests and assessment centre examinations in collaboration with EDA's relevant external contractors and handle the relevant administrative processes;
• establish and maintain electronic records of the selection procedures in accordance with agreed standards;
• provide selection panels with expert advice on selection processes, procedures and assessment methods;
• prepare and manage job offers;
• maintain and update the recruitment reserve lists;
• coordinate and manage EDA's annual traineeship programme, including the assessment of needs, recruitment process, onboarding, follow up and offboarding;
• act as focal point for interim staff matters, build/maintain relationships with external recruitment agencies, and handle the administrative process for hiring interim staff in accordance with the European Commission's (DG HR) framework contract.

HR Administration

• provide an excellent and swift service to all staff on HR/administrative matters;
• prepare certificates and other administrative documents upon request;
• participate in the development, drafting, implementation and follow-up of relevant HR policies, implementing rules, procedures and internal guidelines, ensuring that they are up-to-date, legally compliant and duly communicated to staff;
• oversee the functioning of HR information management systems (i.e. electronic workflows, internal databases, applications, etc.), contribute to the designing of HR IT tools in the field of recruitment and participate in their testing;
• ensure that HR files are up-to-date and well managed (i.e. general folder management, shared mailboxes, restricted and/or common SharePoint spaces);
• manage and update HR document templates and follow-up on the execution of the retention policy of HR documents.

Talent attraction / Employer branding

• source and attract qualified candidates through various channels;
• liaise with the Media & Communication team on activities for the external promotion of EDA vacancies and EDA as an attractive employer, as well as on internal communication activities (e.g. information to staff, intranet etc.);
• contribute to the external representation of EDA on HR matters in meetings, job fairs, conferences and other fora.

The jobholder may take on additional tasks as required in the interest of the service. Duties may evolve according to the development of the EDA’s structure and activities, and the decisions of EDA management.

Candidates must submit their application electronically solely via the EDA website. Applications by any other means (hard copy or ordinary e-mail) will not be accepted. Applications must be submitted no later than midnight. Candidates are reminded that the on-line application system will not accept applications after midnight (Brussels time, GMT+1) on the date of the deadline.

When applying, candidates from Ministries of Defence or other governmental entities are encouraged to inform their national administration.

A selection panel will be appointed. Please note that the selection panel's internal proceedings are strictly confidential and that any contact with its members is forbidden.

Each application will be screened based on the requirements of the job profile stated in the vacancy notice. The most suitable applicants will be called for an interview and a written test. Candidates may also be requested to take part in an assessment centre, participating in a number of individual and group activities related to the competences required for the post.

If recruited, you will be requested to supply documentary evidence in support of the statements that you make for this application. Do not send any supporting or supplementary information until you have been asked to do so by the Agency.

Please note that once you have created your EDA profile, any correspondence regarding your application must be sent or received via your EDA profile. For any prior enquiry, please refer to the FAQ (Frequently asked questions) section, or send an e-mail to recruitmenteda [dot] europa [dot] eu (recruitment[at]eda[dot]europa[dot]eu).

The HR Assistant 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 AST5.

The pay for this position consists of a basic salary of 5.672,78€ 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. For further information on working conditions please refer to: https://eda.europa.eu/jobs/what-we-offer

Failure to obtain the requisite security clearance certificate before the expiration of the probationary period may be cause for termination of the contract.

Candidates are advised that part of the recruitment process includes medical analyses and physical check-up with the Agency’s Medical Adviser.

Applications are invited with a view to establish a reserve list for the post of HR Assistant at EDA. This list will be valid until 31/12/2025, and may be extended by decision of the Chief Executive. During the validity of the reserve list, successful candidates may be offered a post in EDA according to their competences in relation to the specific requirements of the vacant post. Inclusion on the reserve list does not imply any entitlement of employment in the Agency.