European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre

Publication of a vacancy for the function of Executive Director

(Temporary Agent – Grade AD 14)

COM/2022/20080

(2022/C 221 A/01)

 

We are

The European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre (hereafter ‘the Centre’) was established by Regulation (EU) 2021/887 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) (hereafter ‘the Regulation establishing the Centre’). In accordance with the Article 3 of that Regulation, the mission of the Centre, and the related Network of National Coordination Centres, is to:

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strengthen leadership and strategic autonomy of the European Union (‘EU’ or ‘the Union’) in the area of cybersecurity by retaining and developing the EU’s research, academic, societal, technological and industrial cybersecurity capacities and capabilities necessary to enhance trust and security in the Digital Single Market, including by retaining and developing the confidentiality, integrity and accessibility of data;

—	support EU technological capacities, capabilities and skills in relation to the resilience and reliability of the infrastructure of network and information systems, including critical infrastructure and commonly used hardware and software in the Union;

—	increase the global competitiveness of the Union’s cybersecurity industry, ensure high cybersecurity standards throughout the Union and turn cybersecurity into a competitive advantage for other Union industries;

—	undertake these tasks in collaboration with the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and the Cybersecurity Competence Community, as appropriate.

—	in accordance with the legislative acts establishing the relevant programmes, in particular Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe Programme, use relevant Union financial resources in such a way as to contribute to the mission mentioned above.

This mission is translated into objectives and tasks of the Centre, which are specified respectively in Articles 4 and 5 of the referred Regulation.

The Centre will be made up of 53 staff and will manage a budget of about EUR 200 000 000 (2).

We propose

We offer a senior manager position to lead a multidisciplinary team of professionals called to support a key priority area for the future of the EU.

The Executive Director shall be responsible for operations and for the day-to-day management of the Centre and shall be its legal representative. The Executive Director shall be accountable to the Governing Board of the Centre and perform her or his duties with complete independence within the powers assigned to her or him. The Executive Director shall be supported by the staff of the Centre.

In particular, the Executive Director shall carry out the following tasks in an independent manner:

—	implement the decisions adopted by the Governing Board;

—	support the Governing Board in its work, provide the secretariat for its meetings and supply all information necessary for the performance of its duties;

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after consultation with the Governing Board and the Commission, and taking into account the input of the National Coordination Centres and the Cybersecurity Competence Community, prepare and submit for adoption to the Governing Board the Agenda of the Centre; in accordance with the Agenda, adopt the draft multiannual work programme and the draft annual work programme of the Centre, including the calls for proposals, calls for expressions of interest and calls for tenders needed to implement the annual work programme and the corresponding expenditure estimates as proposed by the Member States and the Commission;

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prepare and submit for adoption to the Governing Board the draft annual budget, including the corresponding establishment plan referred to in point (l) of Article 13(3) of the Regulation establishing the Centre, indicating the number of temporary posts in each grade and function group and the number of contract staff and seconded national experts expressed in full-time equivalents;

—	implement the annual work programme and the multiannual work programme and report to the Governing Board thereon;

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be responsible for administrative, financial and staff matters, including the implementation of the Centre budget, taking due account of advice received from the Internal Auditing Function, within the limits of the decisions referred to in points (e), (l), (t), (u), (v) and (w) of Article 13(3) of the Regulation establishing the Centre;

—	approve and manage the launch of calls for proposals, in accordance with the annual work programme and administer the grant agreements and decisions;

—	approve the list of actions selected for funding on the basis of a ranking list established by a panel of independent experts;

—	submit the draft annual accounts and balance sheet to the internal auditing function, and subsequently to the Governing Board;

—	establish and ensure the functioning of an effective and efficient internal control system and report any significant change to it to the Governing Board;

—	ensure effective communication with the Union’s institutions and report, upon invitation, to the European Parliament and to the Council;

—	perform any other tasks entrusted or delegated to her or him by the Governing Board.

The full list of tasks is laid down in Article 17 of the Regulation establishing the Centre.

We look for (selection criteria)

In accordance with Article 16 of the Regulation establishing the Centre, the Executive Director shall be a person with expertise and a strong reputation in the areas where the Centre operates. Accordingly, the selected candidate shall fulfil the following criteria:

Management skills:

—	Experience in successfully setting up and managing teams, programmes and projects, notably in an international and multidisciplinary environment.

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Experience in the management of financial resources, notably in a European and/or international environment. Experience in the management of financial resources in the fields of research and innovation, information and communication technology and/or cybersecurity, and in relation to open calls for proposals, would be an asset.

—	Ability to design and implement strategic vision in the domains relevant for the Centre, in view to deliver on the priorities as defined by the Governing Board, and to mobilise the support of stakeholders.

Specialist skills and experience:

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A good understanding of key cybersecurity issues, such as strategic, regulatory, policy, operational, technical, research, innovation and industrial matters, at national, European and international level. Knowledge of cybersecurity links to relevant information and communication domains (such as future networks, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, etc.) would be an asset.

—	A good understanding of roles, responsibilities and cooperation mechanisms in the field of cybersecurity in the EU.

—	Experience in research, development, innovation and uptake in relation to information and security technologies. In this regard, specific experience on cybersecurity would be an asset.

—	Experience in cybersecurity communication contexts including crisis communications. Experience in cybersecurity awareness raising and in cybersecurity community support activities would be an asset.

—	A good understanding of the EU Institutions, Bodies and Agencies, as well as the ability to efficiently interact with them and with Member States’ competent authorities.

Personal qualities:

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Excellent oral and written communication skills and proven ability and experience to communicate effectively and efficiently, orally and in writing, with both specialised and non-specialised interlocutors and audiences, and to cooperate with relevant stakeholders as well as to represent the Centre in external fora.

—	Excellent interpersonal, decision-making, organisational and negotiation skills as well as the ability to build trusted working relationships with stakeholders relevant to the Centre.

Candidates must (eligibility requirements)

Candidates will only be considered for the selection phase on the basis of the following formal requirements to be fulfilled by the deadline for applications:

—	Nationality: candidates must be a citizen of one of the Member States of the European Union.

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University degree or diploma: candidates must have: — either a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is 4 years or more; — or a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least 1 year when the normal period of university education is at least 3 years (this 1 year’s professional experience cannot be included in the postgraduate professional experience required below).

—	Professional experience (3): candidates must have at least 15 years postgraduate professional experience at a level to which the qualifications referred to above give admission. At least 5 years of that professional experience must be in the area of the activities of the Centre.

—	Management experience: at least 5 years of the post-graduate professional experience must have been gained in a high-level management function (4) relevant for this position.

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Languages: candidates must have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the EU (5) and a satisfactory knowledge of another of these official languages. Selection panels will verify during the interview(s) whether candidates comply with the requirement of a satisfactory knowledge of another official EU language. This may include (part of) the interview being conducted in this other language.

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Age limit: candidates must be able to complete, at the deadline for application, the full mandate of 4 years (see also the first footnote in the section on conditions of employment) before reaching the retirement age. For temporary staff of the European Union, the retirement age is defined as being the end of the month in which the person reaches the age of 66 years (see Article 47 of the Conditions of Employment of other Servants of the EU (6)).

Selection and appointment

In accordance with Article 16 of the Regulation establishing the Centre, the Executive Director shall be appointed by the Governing Board from a list of candidates proposed by the Commission, following an open, transparent and non-discriminatory selection procedure

To establish this shortlist, the European Commission organises a selection in accordance with its selection and recruitment procedures (see the Document on Senior Officials Policy (7)).

As part of this selection procedure, the European Commission sets up a pre-selection panel. This panel analyses all applications, proceeds with a first eligibility verification and identifies candidates having the best profile in view of the selection criteria mentioned above, and who may be invited for an interview with the pre-selection panel.

Following these interviews, the pre-selection panel draws up its conclusions and proposes a list of candidates for further interviews with the European Commission’s Consultative Committee on Appointments (CCA). The CCA, taking into consideration the conclusions of the pre-selection panel, will decide on the candidates to be invited for an interview.

Candidates who are called for an interview with the CCA participate in a full-day management assessment centre run by external recruitment consultants. Taking account of the results of the interview and the report of the assessment centre, the CCA establishes a shortlist of candidates it considers suitable to exercise the function of Executive Director of the Centre.

Candidates on the CCA shortlist will be interviewed by the Member(s) of the Commission responsible for the Directorate-General in charge of the relations with the Centre (8).

Following these interviews, the European Commission adopts a shortlist of the most suitable candidates, which will be communicated to the Governing Board of the Centre. The latter may decide to interview the candidates before appointing the Director from among the candidates on the Commission shortlist. Inclusion on this shortlist does not guarantee appointment.

Candidates may be required to undergo further interviews and/or tests in addition to those indicated above. They could also be required to deliver a statement before the relevant committee(s) of the European Parliament.

The selected candidate should hold, or be in the position to obtain, a valid security clearance certificate from his/her national security authority. A personal security clearance is an administrative decision following completion of a security screening conducted by the individual’s competent national security authority in accordance with applicable national security laws and regulations, and certifying that an individual may be allowed to access classified information up to a specified level. (Note that the necessary procedure for obtaining a security clearance can be initiated on request of the employer only, and not by the individual candidate).

Until the personal security clearance has been granted by the Member State concerned and the clearance procedure completed with the legally required briefing from the European Commission’s Security Directorate, the candidate will not be able to access EU Classified Information (EUCI) at the level of CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL or above, nor attend any meetings at which such EUCI is discussed.

Equal opportunities

The European Commission and the Centre apply a policy of equal opportunities and non-discrimination in accordance with Article 1d of the Staff Regulations (9). Applications that could contribute towards more diversity, gender equality and overall geographical balance are welcome. The Regulation establishing the Centre specifically sets out that in the implementation of the Regulation, shortlists should comprise several candidates, with the aim of ensuring gender balance. Applications from female candidates are particularly encouraged.

Conditions of employment

The salaries and conditions of employment are laid down in the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants.

The successful candidate will be engaged by the Governing Board of the Centre as a Temporary Agent at grade AD 14 (10). She/ he will be classified depending on the length of her/his previous professional experience in step 1 or step 2 within that grade.

She/he will be appointed for an initial mandate of 4 years, with a possible prolongation for a maximum another 4 years.

Applicants should note the requirement under the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants for all new staff to complete successfully a nine-month probationary period.

The place of employment is Bucharest. The Director is expected to regularly travel to Brussels, especially during an initial period after her/his appointment.

Independence and declaration of interests

Before taking up his/her duties, the Director will be required to make a declaration of commitment to act independently in the public interest and to declare any interests, which might be considered prejudicial to his/her independence.

Application procedure

Before submitting your application, you should carefully check whether you meet all eligibility requirements (‘Candidates must’), particularly concerning the types of diploma, high-level professional experience as well as linguistic capacity required. Failure to meet any of the eligibility requirements means an automatic exclusion from the selection procedure.

If you want to apply, you must register via the Internet on the following website and follow the instructions concerning the various stages of the procedure:

https://ec.europa.eu/dgs/human-resources/seniormanagementvacancies/

You must have a valid email address. This will be used to confirm your registration as well as to remain in contact with you during the different stages of the procedure. Therefore, please keep the European Commission informed about any change in your email address.

To complete your application, you need to upload a CV in PDF format, preferably using the Europass CV format (11) and to fill out, online, a letter of motivation (maximum 8 000 characters). Your CV and your letter of motivation may be submitted in any of the official languages of the European Union.

Once you have finished your online registration, you will receive an email confirming that your application has been registered. If you do not receive a confirmation mail, your application has not been registered!

Please note that it is not possible to monitor the progress of your application online. You will be contacted directly by the European Commission regarding the status of your application.

If you require more information and/or encounter technical problems, please send an email to: HR-MANAGEMENT-ONLINE@ec.europa.eu

Closing date

The closing date for registration is 6 September 2022, 12.00 noon Brussels time, following which registration is no longer possible.

It is your responsibility to complete your online registration in time. We strongly advise you not to wait until the last few days before applying, since heavy internet traffic or a fault with your internet connection could lead to the online registration being terminated before you complete it, thereby obliging you to repeat the whole process. Once the deadline for the submission of registrations has passed, you will no longer be able to introduce any data. Late registrations are not accepted.

Important information for candidates

Candidates are reminded that the work of the different selection panels is confidential. It is forbidden for candidates to make direct or indirect contact with their individual members or for anybody to do so on their behalf. All queries must be addressed to the secretariat of the relevant panel.

Protection of personal data

The Commission will ensure that candidates’ personal data are processed as required by Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council (12). This applies in particular to the confidentiality and security of such data.

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(1)  Regulation (EU) 2021/887 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2021 establishing the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre and the Network of National Coordination Centres (OJ L 202, 8.6.2021, p. 1).

(2)  Staff and budget numbers based on projections for 2023.

(3)  Professional experience is only taken into consideration if it represents an actual work relationship defined as real, genuine work, on a paid basis and as employee (any type of contract) or provider of a service. Professional activities pursued part-time shall be calculated pro rata, on the basis of the certified percentage of full-time hours worked. Maternity leave / parental leave / leave for adoption is taken into consideration if it is in the framework of a work contract. PhDs are assimilated to professional experience, even when unpaid, but for a duration of 3 years maximum, provided that the PhD has been successfully completed. A given period may be counted only once.

(4)  In their curriculum vitae, candidates should clearly indicate for all years during which management experience has been acquired: (1) title and role of management positions held; (2) numbers of staff overseen in these positions; (3) the size of budgets managed; (4) numbers of hierarchical layers above and below; and (5) number of peers.

(5)  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A01958R0001-20130701

(6)  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A01962R0031-20140701

(7)  https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/compilation-of-the-senior-official-policy-at-the-european-commission_en.pdf (only exists in English).

(8)  Unless the Member of the Commission concerned, in line with the Commission Decision of 5 December 2007 (PV(2007) 1811) and 30 September 2020 (PV(2020) 2351), has delegated this task.

(9)  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A01962R0031-20140701

(10)  The correction coefficient applicable to the remuneration and pensions of officials and other servants of the European Union for Romania is set at 68,5 % as from 1 July 2021. This coefficient is subject to an annual revision.

(11)  You can find information on how to create your Europass CV online at: https://europa.eu/europass/en/create-europass-cv .

(12)  Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39).