Executive Assistant / Group Leader Support

Contract length: 5 years
Location: Stockholm
Number of candidates to be employed: 1

Is this job for you?  

You will work in the Support Group in the Scientific Methods and Standards unit. To find out more about what the unit does, visit https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/about-us/ecdcs-organisational-structure. Reporting to the Chief Scientist / Head of Unit Scientific Methods and Standards, you will be leading a team of approximately 4 people supporting the unit’s work.

In this position, you will have a wide variety of tasks that will give you the opportunity to:

• Line manage the staff of the group and lead, plan and organise the work of the team;
• Support the Chief Scientist / Head of Unit (Email and calendar management, follow-up on deliverables within deadlines, organisation of missions, etc.);
• Provide administrative and organizational support to the planning, implementation, coordination and follow up of the Unit’s activities, both internal and external; 
• Organise internal and external meetings, including logistics, budget preparation and minute taking;
• Support processes and workflows within the team and Unit, and contribute to their development and improvement;
• Act as a Focal Point for Unit-wide activities;
• Contribute to ECDC priorities by undertaking additional tasks, as needed, within your area of expertise.

What are we looking for?

Formal requirements

For your application to be considered eligible you must fulfil all the following requirements by the application deadline:

• A level of post-secondary education of at least 3 years attested by a diploma[1] and at least 6 years of professional experience[2] after that diploma; or a level of secondary education attested by a diploma giving access to post-secondary education and at least 9 years of professional experience after that diploma;
• Thorough knowledge of one of the official EU languages and a satisfactory knowledge of another official EU language to the extent necessary for the performance of your duties[3];
• Nationality of one of the EU Member States or of Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and to be entitled to your full rights as a citizen;
• To have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable laws on military service;
• Meet the character requirements for the duties involved[4]; and
• Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post.

You will need to provide appropriate documents to show that you meet all of the above criteria.

Selection criteria

For your application to be evaluated further, you will also need:

• At least 4 years, (following the award of the diploma) of recent professional experience acquired in positions relevant to the job description;
• Proven experience of working as an administrative assistant to senior management within a multicultural working environment, preferably in an EU or international organisation; 
• Proven experience in managing a team or in coordinating tasks and work areas;
• Proven experience in organising high-level meetings; 
• Proven experience in managing complex administrative work, including budget monitoring, requiring the use of independent judgment and initiative; 
• Excellent knowledge of the Microsoft Office package (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Teams and Outlook); 
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken.

Additionally, we will assess the following competencies:

• Ability to empower, motivate and lead others; 
• High level of service orientation and the ability to adapt to changing organisational needs; 
• Exceptionally well organised and methodical, attentive to details, with a high capacity to work under pressure, manage multiple tasks and meet tight deadlines;
• Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing; 
• Very high level of tact, discretion and ability to handle confidential matters.

Depending on the number of applications received, the selection committee may apply stricter requirements within the aforementioned selection criteria.

Why ECDC?

You will play an active role in making a tangible difference in public health. 

At ECDC you will join a team of more than 400 colleagues with diverse backgrounds and professions who work together for the common goal of helping countries prevent and respond to outbreaks and public health threats. Every position at ECDC plays an important part, and we cooperate closely for our collective goals. 

ECDC is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all suitably qualified candidates without any distinction on grounds of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnic or social origin, religion, or belief. 

As an ECDC staff member, you will have the chance to own or support initiatives impacting the health and well-being of people in Europe. 

You will be joining ECDC at interesting times. In October 2022, the European Parliament endorsed an extended mandate that will allow ECDC to adopt a stronger role in supporting EU Member States in the prevention and control of infectious disease threats and improve European preparedness and response. This includes real-time surveillance systems, mobilising an EU Health Task Force to assist local responses in Member States and building a network of EU reference laboratories. 

What can we offer you?

We offer a competitive salary and a range of benefits, including health insurance, learning opportunities and flexible work arrangements such as flexible working hours and teleworking in the Stockholm area for part of the week.  Additionally, you can work up to 10 days a year from outside the Stockholm area.

Depending on your experience, the monthly basic salary usually starts at € 5 219,36 and may be supplemented by various allowances including, as applicable, expatriation and/or generous family allowances. Salary is exempt from national tax and instead an Agency tax is deducted. We also provide financial support when relocating to Stockholm.

Our benefits package is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and we are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive work environment that values the well-being of our employees. 

Learn more about the benefits of joining ECDC here: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/about-ecdc/work-ecdc/staff-positions/what-we-offer 

How does our selection process work?

Our selection process takes, on average, three months from the application deadline. All selection processes include a remote written test and a video conference interview; some selection processes may include additional steps.

After a candidate has been selected for the position, additional shortlisted candidates can be placed on a reserve list. The reserve list may be used when ECDC needs to fill similar positions at the same level in the future. The reserve list is valid until 31 December 2026 and may be extended.

Visit https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/about-us/work-with-us/internal-procedure-recruitment-selection for an overview of the different steps in the selection process and see the ECDC-candidate-guide.pdf (europa.eu) for a detailed explanation of the selection and recruitment process. 

When starting a new contract under the EU staff regulations, all new staff must successfully complete a probationary period of nine months.

How do you apply?

To apply for this vacancy, please create/ log in to your ECDC e-recruitment user account.

See detailed instructions on how to apply here: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/Candidate-E-recruitment-user-guide.pdf

Please submit your application well ahead of the deadline in case of technical issues and/or heavy traffic on the website. After submitting your application, you will receive an automatic email message confirming receipt of your application. Ensure that the email address you provide for your applicant account is correct and that you check your email regularly.

ECDC does not accept applications submitted after the deadline or applications submitted by email, mail or any other means.

Only candidates selected for interviews will be notified. You can see the progress of the selection process from within your e-recruitment account. 

Translations of this vacancy notice in all EU languages can be obtained by using the automatic translation function on this website.

Note: 

While this vacancy notice can be translated into all official EU languages from its English original, the language of day-to-day operations in the Agency is generally English. ECDC therefore prefers to receive the application in English.

Disclaimer: Please note that in the event of any differences in meaning or interpretation between the original English version of this content and a translation, the original English version takes precedence

We welcome your application!