Seconded National Expert - EU Enlargement Policy Support

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) is organising a call for expression of interest to constitute a reserve list for Seconded National Experts (SNE) to support its work on EU enlargement policy. The successful candidate will contribute to strengthening cooperation with EU candidate countries which are observers to the work of the Agency.

The position is based in Vienna and is offered in accordance with FRA rules governing secondment.

Background

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) provides independent, evidence-based advice to policymakers, to help ensure full respect for fundamental rights across the EU, for everyone. To this end, the Agency collects and analyses information and data on a range of fundamental rights issues, provides assistance and expertise to EU Institutions and to EU Member States’ governments, raises rights awareness, communicates its findings, and strengthens cooperation and ties between fundamental rights actors.

Article 28 of the FRA Regulation details the participation of EU candidate countries, as observers, in the Agency’s work. This allows those countries to participate in its activities and networks. To date, three EU candidate countries participate in the work of the Agency as observers: Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia. Ukraine, Montenegro and Moldova have applied for this status.

EU Enlargement Context

FRA can provide relevant fundamental rights support to EU candidate countries that participate in its work as observers, given the fact that the first chapters to be negotiated with the EU candidate countries are Chapter 23: Judiciary and fundamental rights, and Chapter 24: Justice, freedom and security. As EU candidate countries work to align their legal and institutional frameworks with EU standards, the Agency supports the process by providing fundamental rights expertise, conducting research, and facilitating exchange with its existing networks.

Duties

The successful candidate(s) will be assigned to work in the Institutional Cooperation and EU Charter Unit and will be expected to carry out the following tasks:

• Follow EU legal and policy developments in the area of EU enlargement and provide advice on emerging fundamental rights issues in this context;
• Contribute to the design and implementation of FRA activities in FRA observer countries, including capacity-building initiatives and technical assistance;
• Assist in organising meetings, workshops, study visits, missions and high-level events that take place in FRA observer countries;
• Facilitate exchanges with national authorities, national human rights bodies, and civil society organisations in FRA observer countries;
• Contribute to the drafting of technical specifications for contracting external experts to provide specific expertise related to enlargement;
• Support outreach and communication efforts aimed at expanding FRA’s networks in FRA observer countries;
• Draft reports, briefings, and presentations related to enlargement and FRA’s work in the observer countries;
• Contribute to internal knowledge sharing and coordination within FRA on enlargement-related work;
• Support the collection, validation and analysis of fundamental rights data and information concerning FRA observer countries;
• Coordinate activities with EU delegations and international organisations present in the FRA observer countries;
• Actively work towards the achievement of the goals of the FRA in accordance with the Strategic Plan;
• Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities assigned by the manager.

Eligibility requirements

To be admissible for this selection, candidates must fulfil all the following conditions by the deadline for submission of applications:

General conditions

• Be employed by a national, regional or local public administration or an intergovernmental organisation (IGO), or an independent university or research organisation, which is part of the public sector (that does not seek to make profit; in other words – is not a private institution);
• Have worked for their employer on a permanent or contract basis for at least 12 months before the secondment and shall remain in the service of that employer throughout the period of secondment;
• Be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union and EFTA or a country with which the Council has decided to open accession negotiations.

Education

• A level of education corresponding to completed university studies attested by a diploma where the normal duration of studies is at least 3 years.

Diplomas and certificates awarded in EU Member States shall be taken into consideration. Diplomas and certificates awarded in non-EU countries may also be taken into consideration, provided that they are accompanied by an equivalence certificate issued by the competent authorities of an EU Member State. Any equivalence certificate shall be issued by the deadline for applications.

Language skills

• Have a thorough knowledge (level C1 in all dimensions as per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or CEFRL) of English, as this is the working language of FRA; and
• Have a satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2 in all dimensions as per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or CEFRL) of another EU language (non-applicable for SNE from non-member country).

Selection criteria

In order to admit the best-qualified and most suitable candidates to the interview and possible test phase, the Agency will screen the candidates against essential and advantageous criteria. Candidates must substantiate in their application how these criteria are met.

Essential criteria:

• Have at least 3 years of full-time professional experience of administrative, legal, policy, scientific, advisory or supervisory functions, gained after obtaining the relevant degree, at a level equivalent to the post and relevant to the tasks listed under Duties.
• Proven professional experience of working on EU enlargement policies;
• Proven professional experience working in EU candidate countries on issues related to fundamental rights, democracy and/or the rule of law;
• A proven ability to draft high-quality analyses and policy papers related to fundamental rights, democracy and/or the rule of law in English.

Advantageous criteria:

• Demonstrated knowledge of EU fundamental rights acquis;
• Have a thorough knowledge (level C1 in all dimensions as per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or CEFRL) of one of the languages of FRA observer countries or other EU candidate countries.

In addition to the essential and advantageous criteria, candidates invited to the interview and test phase will also be assessed against the following requirements:

• Communication: communicate clearly and precisely both orally and in writing;
• Analysis and Problem-solving: ability to identify the critical facts in complex issues and to develop creative and practical solutions;
• Working with Others: work cooperatively with others in teams and across organisational boundaries and respect differences between people; create a sense of team spirit by encouraging shared goals and exchange of knowledge and experience;
• Prioritisation and Organisation: ability to prioritise the most important tasks, work flexibly and organise own and others’ workload efficiently;
• Quality and Results: take personal responsibility and initiative for delivering work to a high standard quality within set procedures; show clear customer orientation (internal and external); build systematic and methodical processes into projects and work of self and own team;
• Resilience: remain effective under work pressure, be flexible and adapt to a changing work environment; encourage others to do the same and adjust own and team’s approach to embrace changing circumstances.

Conditions of secondment

Seconded national experts are staff employed by a national, regional or public administration or IGO, who are seconded to FRA so that it can use their expertise in a particular field. The secondment will be subject to an exchange of letters between the Appointing Authority of FRA and the representative from the sending employer.

A seconded national expert remains in the service of their employer throughout the period of secondment and shall continue to be paid by that employer. The SNE shall be entitled to a daily and monthly subsistence allowance in line with MB Decision 2017/01.

The initial period of secondment will be for one year and may be renewed once or more, up to a total period not exceeding four years, in line with MB Decision 2017/01. The place of secondment shall be Vienna, Austria, where FRA is located.