Coordination and Reporting Officer

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) is organising a selection procedure to draw up a reserve list to fill a vacant post for a Coordination and Reporting Officer in the Executive Office.

Background

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) provides independent, evidence-based advice to policymakers and different stakeholders 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.

Executive Office

The Executive Office supports the Director in the effective management and strategic leadership of the Agency. It manages the Director's institutional and external engagements, drives the planning, programming and reporting cycle, and serves as the primary interface between the Director, the operational structure and key institutional interlocutors. Within the Executive Office, the Director's Affairs and External Relations provides day-to-day support to the Director and coordinates the Agency's engagement with EU institutions and national authorities.

Duties

FRA is seeking a Coordination and Reporting Officer to provide executive support to the Director, with a primary focus on the production of all significant written outputs for and on behalf of the Director, internal reporting, and the management of the Director’s external agenda and institutional communications. Working within the Executive Office, the post-holder ensures that all outputs emanating from the Executive Office are of the highest quality, coherent, and institutionally aligned.

The role also encompasses an external dimension, supporting the Director in engagement with EU institutions, bodies and agencies, national authorities, civil society and other relevant bodies. While the post-holder may contribute to thematic and policy discussions, substantive policy advice is primarily provided through dedicated policy functions within the Agency; the Coordination and Reporting Officer role supports these activities on an ad hoc basis, as required.

The role requires exceptional written communication skills in English, sound institutional judgement, excellent internal coordination skills, ability to work independently, and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously. Knowledge of other EU languages is a strong asset.

Drafting and Reporting

This is the core function of the role, the post-holder being responsible for the conceptualisation, coordination and production of all significant written outputs for or on behalf of the Director, as follows:

• Draft and coordinate briefings, background notes and speaking points for the Director in preparation for meetings, hearings and other engagements.
• Lead the conceptualisation and development of policy speeches and substantive interventions for the Director, including for high-level events, parliamentary hearings and institutional fora.
• Coordinate reporting processes across the Agency, gathering structured inputs from agency’s units, ensuring outputs are coherent, accurate and delivered on time.
• Lead the drafting and editing of the Director’s report to the Agency’s Management Board, including the synthesis of Agency-wide data, performance information and strategic messaging.
• Develop, draft and edit a range of written outputs for or on behalf of the Director, including forewords, reports, formal correspondence, media content and internal staff communications.
• Ensure consistency, accuracy and institutional alignment across all outputs emanating from the Executive Office.
• Provide information and guidance to colleagues across Agency on matters relating to the preparation of written materials for the Executive Office.

External Engagement and Stakeholder Relations

• In support of the Director’s external profile, and in close coordination with the relevant thematic sectors, the post-holder contributes to the preparation and follow-up of the Director’s outreach and engagement activities.
• Support the planning and preparation of the Director’s external engagement, including the identification of relevant stakeholders, and opportunities for outreach at EU and national level, in coordination with the responsible thematic sectors.
• Support the preparation of national-level visits and participation in high-level external events, in coordination with EU institutions, national authorities and civil society organisations as required.
• Contribute to the Director’s working relationships with national authorities, national parliaments and other relevant bodies, drawing on FRA’s existing network and focal points, without duplicating the lead role of the thematic sectors.
• Draft tailored briefing materials for the Director’s external meetings and contribute to appropriate follow-up documentation.
• Maintain an overview of outstanding commitments and action points arising from the Director’s external meetings and engagements, ensuring timely and appropriate follow-up.

Internal Coordination and Executive Support

• The post-holder supports the smooth operational functioning of the Executive Office, helping to ensure effective information flows and internal communication across the Agency.
• Support internal communication flows between the Executive Office and all other Units within the Agency, including the preparation of staff messages, updates and other institutional communications.
• Represent the Executive Office in internal working groups, task forces or inter-agency processes as required.

Thematic and Policy Contributions

• In coordination with the relevant thematic units, and on an ad hoc basis, the post-holder may also contribute to specific activities in line with the post-holder’s areas of expertise in the field of fundamental rights.
• Provide ad hoc support to policy-related processes or project management tasks as required by the Director and in coordination with the relevant thematic units.

Duties applicable to all staff

• Actively work towards the achievement of the goals of the FRA in accordance with the Strategic Plan.
• Perform any other related duties assigned by the Director in line with the requirements of the role.

Eligibility requirements

Only candidates who meet all of the following eligibility criteria by the deadline for submission of applications will be marked as eligible. Candidates who do not meet one or more criteria will not be considered further.

General conditions

• Be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union and be entitled to full rights as a citizen.
• Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the laws concerning military service.
• Meet the character requirements as to suitability for the performance of the duties involved.
• Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post.

Education

• Have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least four years attested by a diploma and, after having obtained the university diploma, at least six years of appropriate professional experience.

OR

• Have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma and, after having obtained the university diploma, at least seven years of appropriate professional experience.

Language skills

• Have a thorough knowledge (level C1) of English, as this is the working language of FRA.
• Have a satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2) of another language of the EU.

Selection criteria

In order to select the best-qualified candidates for the test and interview phase, FRA will assess the following essential and advantageous criteria.

Please note that all essential criteria are mandatory. If a candidate scores zero on any individual essential criterion, their application will not be assessed further. Therefore, it is important that all applications are accurate and clear with respect to the information given.

Essential criteria

• Extended professional experience of at least 3 years in the areas of institutional affairs, including senior-level external engagement with EU, national and/or international counterparts, and executive support.
• Demonstrated experience in drafting, within short deadlines and to an excellent professional standard, high-level written outputs in English, across a variety of formats, including reports, briefings, speeches, formal correspondence and institutional communications.
• Proven experience in leading and coordinating drafting and reporting processes involving multiple stakeholders, transposing complex information into tangible and accurate outputs.
• Proven experience in coordinating senior-level external engagement, including stakeholder management and preparation of high-level visits.
• Demonstrated sound institutional judgement and discretion, including the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information, and act with a high degree of professional integrity in complex or sensitive contexts.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the EU legal and institutional framework for fundamental rights.

Advantageous criteria

• Experience within an EU institution, agency or body, or comparable international organisation.
• Experience in the planning, organisation and coordination of stakeholder events.
• Working knowledge of one or more EU languages other than those required to meet the language eligibility requirements; knowledge of French is an asset.

In addition to the essential and advantageous criteria, candidates invited to the interview and test phase will also be assessed on behavioural competencies relevant for the position. In particular, the successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate:

• Communication: excellent interpersonal and communication skills in English, with the ability to work clearly and precisely both orally and in writing with senior management and diverse stakeholders.
• Analysis and Problem-solving: ability to identify the critical facts in complex issues and 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.
• Learning and Development: develop and improve personal skills and knowledge of the organisation and its environment; commit to coach others, share knowledge, and systematically improve working methods.
• Prioritisation and Organisation: ability to prioritise the most important tasks, work flexibly and organise own and others’ workload efficiently; excellent organisational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines and reporting obligations simultaneously.
• 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.

Engagement and conditions of employment

A contract as a member of the temporary staff will be offered pursuant to Article 2(f) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union for 3 years. The contract may be renewed.

In addition to the basic salary, staff members may be entitled to various allowances, in particular a household allowance, expatriation allowance (16% of basic salary + household allowance), dependent child allowance and education allowance. The salary is subject to a Union tax deducted at source and it is exempt of national taxation.

FRA also offers a comprehensive welfare package including pension scheme, medical, accident and occupational disease insurance coverage, unemployment and invalidity allowance and travel insurance.

Moreover, FRA has policies on teleworking and flexitime in its attempt to reconcile work and private life.

Under certain circumstances, in particular where staff members are obliged to change their place of residence in order to take up employment, the Agency may also reimburse various expenses incurred on recruitment, notably removal expenses.