# CA2021081EN.01000101.xml

| 10.3.2021 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CA 81/1 |
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10.3.2021

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CA 81/1

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VACANCY NOTICE No COR/AD 14/5 BIS/21

Director (M/F) (1)

(2021/C 81 A/01)

| Directorate | Directorate for Members, Plenaries, Strategy |
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| Vacancy | AD 14 |
| Type of post | DIRECTOR |
| | Publication under Article 29§ 2 of the Staff Regulations
  Simultaneous publication under Article 29§ 1 of the Staff Regulations |
| Date of publication | 10 March 2021 |
| Deadline: | 23 April 2021 at noon (Brussels time) |

Directorate

Directorate for Members, Plenaries, Strategy

Vacancy

AD 14

Type of post

DIRECTOR

Publication under Article 29§ 2 of the Staff Regulations

Simultaneous publication under Article 29§ 1 of the Staff Regulations

Date of publication

10 March 2021

Deadline:

23 April 2021 at noon (Brussels time)

1.   Working environment

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is the political assembly having an EU institutional role based on the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union as an advisory body to the European Parliament, the Council and European Commission. Our 329 members and 329 alternates are elected Presidents of Regions, regional Councillors, Mayors and Local Councillors, democratically accountable to the citizens. They represent around 1 million regional and local elected politicians at EU level. Through the work of six commissions and plenary session, our members work and vote on political opinions on draft EU legislation, hold political debates and participate in the EU legislative process and agenda setting (2).

The Directorate for Members, Plenaries, Strategy (Directorate A) consists of four units with a total of around 50 officials and other staff members. The main tasks of the Directorate are

| — | to ensure strategic planning, horizontal coordination and foresight, |
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to ensure strategic planning, horizontal coordination and foresight,

| — | to prepare and run the meetings of the Plenary Assembly, the Bureau and the Conference of Presidents, |
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to prepare and run the meetings of the Plenary Assembly, the Bureau and the Conference of Presidents,

| — | to facilitate effective relations with other EU institutions, the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and European and national associations of local and regional authorities, |
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to facilitate effective relations with other EU institutions, the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and European and national associations of local and regional authorities,

| — | to facilitate the logistical organisation of all CoR’s statutory bodies, |
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to facilitate the logistical organisation of all CoR’s statutory bodies,

| — | to provide efficient financial, logistical and technical services to the members, the national delegations and political groups. |
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to provide efficient financial, logistical and technical services to the members, the national delegations and political groups.

| — | As of 2022, the Directorate will also manage all protocol aspects relating to official ceremonies and events as well as the CoR’s institutional correspondence. |
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As of 2022, the Directorate will also manage all protocol aspects relating to official ceremonies and events as well as the CoR’s institutional correspondence.

2.   Brief description of main responsibilities

Under the direct authority of the Secretary-General, the Director manages the Directorate for Members, Plenaries, Strategy.

In order to grant the highest degree of diversity of senior managers, in case of equal merit of several candidates applying under the same category (art. 29§ 1a), b) or 29§ 2 by descending order of priority), preference will be given to female candidates.

3.   Duties

The main tasks of the Director for Members, Plenaries, Strategy include the following:

| — | contributing to the senior management team of the institution under the leadership and responsibility of the Secretary-General; |
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contributing to the senior management team of the institution under the leadership and responsibility of the Secretary-General;

| — | providing full assistance, within the framework of the Directorate’s remits, to the work of all CoR statutory bodies: Presidency, Conference of Presidents, Plenary Assembly, Bureau and commissions; |
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providing full assistance, within the framework of the Directorate’s remits, to the work of all CoR statutory bodies: Presidency, Conference of Presidents, Plenary Assembly, Bureau and commissions;

| — | planning, organising and coordinating activities carried out by the Directorate with a view to streamlining the activities of the institution, granting a smooth organisation of statutory and non-statutory meetings; |
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planning, organising and coordinating activities carried out by the Directorate with a view to streamlining the activities of the institution, granting a smooth organisation of statutory and non-statutory meetings;

| — | providing optimal financial, logistical and technical services to the members through modern, digital tools facilitating the daily operations and ensuring their interoperability with other internal or inter-institutional systems; |
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providing optimal financial, logistical and technical services to the members through modern, digital tools facilitating the daily operations and ensuring their interoperability with other internal or inter-institutional systems;

| — | monitoring major political and institutional developments, proposing strategic initiatives relating to the European political agenda and ensuring cross-cutting and coordinated strategic planning of the decisions and activities of the CoR; |
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monitoring major political and institutional developments, proposing strategic initiatives relating to the European political agenda and ensuring cross-cutting and coordinated strategic planning of the decisions and activities of the CoR;

| — | establishing effective inter-institutional relations and coordinate with other Directorates to ensure the best possible impact of the CoR in the EU legislative process; |
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establishing effective inter-institutional relations and coordinate with other Directorates to ensure the best possible impact of the CoR in the EU legislative process;

| — | running the CoR documentation centre/library and organising the CoR foresight and research activities/studies in close cooperation with other Directorates, other institutions, think tanks, universities and other partners; |
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running the CoR documentation centre/library and organising the CoR foresight and research activities/studies in close cooperation with other Directorates, other institutions, think tanks, universities and other partners;

| — | coordinating all protocol related aspects of official ceremonies and events and organise the institutional correspondence of the institution in close cooperation with other services and the cabinets of the President and the Secretary-General; |
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coordinating all protocol related aspects of official ceremonies and events and organise the institutional correspondence of the institution in close cooperation with other services and the cabinets of the President and the Secretary-General;

| — | maintaining optimum lines of communication with the CoR members, within the framework of the Directorate’s remits and organise effective relations with the CoR’s national delegations and European and national associations of local and regional authorities; |
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maintaining optimum lines of communication with the CoR members, within the framework of the Directorate’s remits and organise effective relations with the CoR’s national delegations and European and national associations of local and regional authorities;

| — | organising the work of the CoR High-Level Groups on ‘European Democracy’ and with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities; |
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organising the work of the CoR High-Level Groups on ‘European Democracy’ and with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities;

| — | ensuring the quality of the work carried out within the Directorate; |
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ensuring the quality of the work carried out within the Directorate;

| — | ensuring internal communication within the Directorate and with the other Directorates and departments of the general secretariat; |
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ensuring internal communication within the Directorate and with the other Directorates and departments of the general secretariat;

| — | ensuring sound management of the Directorate’s financial and human resources by maximizing the impact of the institution for its main priorities; |
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ensuring sound management of the Directorate’s financial and human resources by maximizing the impact of the institution for its main priorities;

| — | carrying out the responsibilities of authorising officer by sub delegation within the established limits. |
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carrying out the responsibilities of authorising officer by sub delegation within the established limits.

4.   Eligibility criteria

The selection procedure is open to all candidates who, on the date set for the submission of applications, meet the following conditions:

| — | be a national of one of the Member States of the EU; |
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be a national of one of the Member States of the EU;

| — | enjoy full rights as a citizen and produce appropriate character references as to their suitability for the performance of the duties; |
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enjoy full rights as a citizen and produce appropriate character references as to their suitability for the performance of the duties;

| — | have fulfilled any obligations imposed on him by the laws concerning military service; |
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have fulfilled any obligations imposed on him by the laws concerning military service;

| — | be below retirement age, which, for officials and other staff of the EU, is set at the end of the month in which the age of 66 is reached; |
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be below retirement age, which, for officials and other staff of the EU, is set at the end of the month in which the age of 66 is reached;

| — | be physically fit to perform the duties — to ascertain this the successful candidate will be examined by the CoR medical officer prior to any appointment; |
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be physically fit to perform the duties — to ascertain this the successful candidate will be examined by the CoR medical officer prior to any appointment;

| — | have a level of higher education corresponding to a complete cycle of university studies ending in a degree where the normal duration of these studies is four years or more, or a level of education corresponding to a complete cycle of university studies ending in a degree followed by relevant professional experience of at least one year where the normal duration of these studies is at least three years; |
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have a level of higher education corresponding to a complete cycle of university studies ending in a degree where the normal duration of these studies is four years or more, or a level of education corresponding to a complete cycle of university studies ending in a degree followed by relevant professional experience of at least one year where the normal duration of these studies is at least three years;

| — | have a professional experience of at least 15 years in an area relevant to the position. Of the aforementioned 15 years, at least five must have been acquired in a managerial post (type of post: head of unit or equivalent and higher); |
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have a professional experience of at least 15 years in an area relevant to the position. Of the aforementioned 15 years, at least five must have been acquired in a managerial post (type of post: head of unit or equivalent and higher);

| — | have a thorough knowledge of one of the official EU languages as main language and at least a satisfactory knowledge of a second official EU language; given the nature of the duties to be performed, a good knowledge (minimum B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (3)) of English or French is required; at least a satisfactory knowledge of the other of these two languages will be considered as an asset.
  The need to recruit an official with the highest qualities of competence, performance and integrity must be balanced against the interests of the service, which require a candidate to be immediately operational and capable of communicating effectively within the institution in the course of his/her everyday work in one of the languages most used by officials and other staff of the Union as an internal working language. The testing of candidates’ linguistic knowledge during the recruitment procedure is thus a proportionate means of verifying that they possess the highest qualities for performing the duties of Director in the CoR’s working environment. A candidate having one of the above-mentioned languages as his/her main language will also be called on during the interview to express him/herself satisfactorily in an official language other than his/her main language.
  In addition, the ability to communicate effectively in other official languages of the European Union is an advantage; compliance with the requirements in terms of linguistic knowledge must be mentioned in the declaration in good faith (see point 7.1 and Annex I) and will be evaluated during the interview (see point 6). |
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have a thorough knowledge of one of the official EU languages as main language and at least a satisfactory knowledge of a second official EU language; given the nature of the duties to be performed, a good knowledge (minimum B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (3)) of English or French is required; at least a satisfactory knowledge of the other of these two languages will be considered as an asset.

The need to recruit an official with the highest qualities of competence, performance and integrity must be balanced against the interests of the service, which require a candidate to be immediately operational and capable of communicating effectively within the institution in the course of his/her everyday work in one of the languages most used by officials and other staff of the Union as an internal working language. The testing of candidates’ linguistic knowledge during the recruitment procedure is thus a proportionate means of verifying that they possess the highest qualities for performing the duties of Director in the CoR’s working environment. A candidate having one of the above-mentioned languages as his/her main language will also be called on during the interview to express him/herself satisfactorily in an official language other than his/her main language.

In addition, the ability to communicate effectively in other official languages of the European Union is an advantage; compliance with the requirements in terms of linguistic knowledge must be mentioned in the declaration in good faith (see point 7.1 and Annex I) and will be evaluated during the interview (see point 6).

5.   Initial eligibility screening and pre-selection

| 5.1. | The initial eligibility screening consists in an analysis, by the selection panel, of each file submitted to this vacancy notice in order to verify the compliance with the eligibility criteria set under point 4. The selection panel is assisted by the general secretariat. |
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5.1.

5.2.   
  Pre-selection on paper

The pre-selection stage for eligible candidates will be carried out by means of a comparative assessment of their professional experience based on the information contained in the candidates’ files.

Preference will be given to candidates possessing:

5.2.1.   Leadership skills

| — | experience in leading multicultural teams (15 staff members and more) including feedback, staff assessment and development; |
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experience in leading multicultural teams (15 staff members and more) including feedback, staff assessment and development;

| — | experience in daily supervision of the work of managers, including feedback, assessment and staff development; |
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experience in daily supervision of the work of managers, including feedback, assessment and staff development;

| — | experience in change management and modernisation of working methods related to the remits of the Directorate, digitalisation of administrative processes etc.). |
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experience in change management and modernisation of working methods related to the remits of the Directorate, digitalisation of administrative processes etc.).

5.2.2.   Negotiating and communication skills

| — | experience in communication and public relations, in animating networks and events; |
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experience in communication and public relations, in animating networks and events;

| — | experience in successfully negotiating projects involving several internal and external stakeholders of international dimension. |
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experience in successfully negotiating projects involving several internal and external stakeholders of international dimension.

5.2.3.   Knowledge and experience relevant to the nature of the duties

| — | working experience in organisation of political meetings and events, ideally acquired in an international body implying interpretation and use of voting systems; |
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working experience in organisation of political meetings and events, ideally acquired in an international body implying interpretation and use of voting systems;

| — | experience in financial, technical and logistical support to participants; |
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experience in financial, technical and logistical support to participants;

| — | knowledge of the European Union’s decision-making process and experience in the area of interinstitutional cooperation, preferably in a political environment; |
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knowledge of the European Union’s decision-making process and experience in the area of interinstitutional cooperation, preferably in a political environment;

| — | knowledge of the structure and of the functioning of the European Committee of the Regions; |
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knowledge of the structure and of the functioning of the European Committee of the Regions;

| — | experience in dealing with the administrative and budgetary procedures, as well as the legal framework, governing the activities of the European institutions and bodies; |
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experience in dealing with the administrative and budgetary procedures, as well as the legal framework, governing the activities of the European institutions and bodies;

| — | experience gained in another EU institution/body or a European/national associations of local and regional authorities or in an administration of regional or local authorities will be an asset; |
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experience gained in another EU institution/body or a European/national associations of local and regional authorities or in an administration of regional or local authorities will be an asset;

| — | experience in working with political representatives at national, regional or local level would be considered an asset; |
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experience in working with political representatives at national, regional or local level would be considered an asset;

| — | a thorough academic background and experience in foresight and research will be an asset; |
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a thorough academic background and experience in foresight and research will be an asset;

| — | experience as authoring officer by subdelegation acquired in a European institution would be considered as an asset. |
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experience as authoring officer by subdelegation acquired in a European institution would be considered as an asset.

| 5.2.4. | The preselection on paper will also be conducted in the light of the candidate’s interest to assume the duties of Director for Members, Plenaries, Strategy and his/her understanding of the future challenges that the Directorate will face, as set out in their cover letter, and his/her ideas about how to face these challenges. |
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5.2.4.

| 5.2.5. | The CoR encourages internal mobility over time; accordingly, the ability to potentially carry out other senior management responsibilities is also desirable. |
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5.2.5.

6.   Selection criteria

The selection will be carried out by means of an interview, during which the selection panel (see point 7.3.2) will pose to each candidate a number of similar questions in order to perform a comparative evaluation of the candidates being considered at this stage.

The interview will focus specifically on each candidate’s:

| — | knowledge of EU policies, the Union’s institutional setup and its working methods; |
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knowledge of EU policies, the Union’s institutional setup and its working methods;

| — | academic and foresight related background and capacities; |
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academic and foresight related background and capacities;

| — | scope of experience in working for EU institutions/bodies or for national, local and regional authorities; |
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scope of experience in working for EU institutions/bodies or for national, local and regional authorities;

| — | knowledge and understanding of the local and regional public authorities, their networks and interaction with the CoR; |
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knowledge and understanding of the local and regional public authorities, their networks and interaction with the CoR;

| — | managerial skills, ability to shape and implement new strategies, to shape the future objectives of the Directorate for Members, Plenaries, Strategy to present and explain the expected results and to cooperate actively with other Directorates; |
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managerial skills, ability to shape and implement new strategies, to shape the future objectives of the Directorate for Members, Plenaries, Strategy to present and explain the expected results and to cooperate actively with other Directorates;

| — | motivation and interpersonal skills; |
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motivation and interpersonal skills;

| — | capacity to communicate, speak in public, convince and negotiate; |
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capacity to communicate, speak in public, convince and negotiate;

| — | sense of initiative, proactivity and proven ability to drive and successfully implement change; |
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sense of initiative, proactivity and proven ability to drive and successfully implement change;

| — | ability to represent the interests of the CoR at interinstitutional level. |
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ability to represent the interests of the CoR at interinstitutional level.

For functional reasons and in order to complete the selection procedure as quickly as possible in the interest of the candidates as well as that of the institution, the interview will be held in English or French, according to the choice of the candidate. For candidates whose main language is either English or French, the satisfactory knowledge of another official language of the European Union will also be tested during the interview. In addition, the ability to communicate effectively in other official languages of the European Union will be evaluated during the interview (see point 4).

In order to grant the highest degree of diversity of senior managers, in case of equal merit of several candidates applying under the same category (art. 29§ 1a), b) or 29§ 2 by descending order of priority), preference will be given to female candidates.

7.   Progress of the procedure

7.1.   
  Submission of application files

The application files must be submitted solely via electronic means in pdf format

  not larger

  than 10 MB to the following address: Recruitment.DirA@cor.europa.eu

Candidates with a disability preventing them from presenting their application online may send their application by registered and recorded delivery to the address: Comité européen des régions, à l’attention du chef de l’unité Recrutement et carrière, 101 rue Belliard, 1040 Bruxelles, Belgique, marked ‘Confidentiel — avis de vacance — à ne pas ouvrir par le service courrier’, by the deadline mentioned in point 7.2 at the latest, with the postmark constituting proof of date. In this case, the candidates must attach a certificate issued by an authorised body to their application, recognising their status as a disabled person. They are also invited to indicate, in writing, any requirement which they consider necessary to facilitate their participation in the recruitment procedure. Any further communication between the CoR and these candidates will be carried out by post. The CoR reserves the right to ask for clarifications on the supporting documents requested below.

The application file must mention the reference of the vacancy notice (COR/AD 14/5 BIS/21) in the heading and contain:

| — | a cover letter (maximum 5 pages) in English or French, dated and signed, which should state the candidate’s interest to assume the duties of Director for Members, Plenaries, Strategy and his/her understanding of the future challenges that the Directorate will face, as set out in their cover letter, and his/her ideas about how to face these challenges; |
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a cover letter (maximum 5 pages) in English or French, dated and signed, which should state the candidate’s interest to assume the duties of Director for Members, Plenaries, Strategy and his/her understanding of the future challenges that the Directorate will face, as set out in their cover letter, and his/her ideas about how to face these challenges;

| — | an up-to-date curriculum vitae (Europass format); |
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an up-to-date curriculum vitae (Europass format);

| — | a dated and signed declaration in good faith (see form in Annex I) confirming that the eligibility conditions listed in point 4 have been met; |
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a dated and signed declaration in good faith (see form in Annex I) confirming that the eligibility conditions listed in point 4 have been met;

| — | the check-list shown in Annex II, dated and signed; |
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the check-list shown in Annex II, dated and signed;

| — | a copy of an ID document; |
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a copy of an ID document;

| — | a copy of the diploma giving access to the grade (see point 4); |
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a copy of the diploma giving access to the grade (see point 4);

| — | a copy of the supporting proofs of professional experience enabling the candidate’s experience to be verified, in accordance with the conditions set out in point 4; |
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a copy of the supporting proofs of professional experience enabling the candidate’s experience to be verified, in accordance with the conditions set out in point 4;

| — | the Annex III, dated and signed. |
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the Annex III, dated and signed.

| The respect of the eligibility criteria set out in point 4 will be checked solely on the basis of the information provided in the supporting documents. Information only provided in the CV or in the cover letter without being backed by supporting documents will not be taken into account.


  With regard to the professional experience required under point 4, copies of proofs of professional experience must be provided showing the content of the duties, the duration for which the posts were held and the level of responsibility.

  The verification of the respect of eligibility criteria regarding the linguistic knowledge required will be based on the declaration in good faith; the level of linguistic skills will be tested during the selection interview (see point 6 of the vacancy notice).

  The pre-selection of the eligible candidates will be based on criteria set out in point 5.2. The candidates are invited to highlight in their CV and cover letter each relevant aspect of their professional experience enabling the selection panel to assess the degree of correspondence with the requirements of this vacancy notice.

  When preparing the application file, it is not necessary for the copies to be certified as conforming to the original.
  Incomplete application files and files submitted after the expiry of the submission deadline or failing to observe the provisions governing the submission of application files will not be considered. Any false declaration will automatically cause the application to become null and void.

  Candidates are informed that they are not allowed to contact personally members of the selection panel or ask CoR members/alternates to do so and that doing so constitutes grounds for disqualification from the procedure. |
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The respect of the eligibility criteria set out in point 4 will be checked solely on the basis of the information provided in the supporting documents. Information only provided in the CV or in the cover letter without being backed by supporting documents will not be taken into account.

With regard to the professional experience required under point 4, copies of proofs of professional experience must be provided showing the content of the duties, the duration for which the posts were held and the level of responsibility.

The verification of the respect of eligibility criteria regarding the linguistic knowledge required will be based on the declaration in good faith; the level of linguistic skills will be tested during the selection interview (see point 6 of the vacancy notice).

The pre-selection of the eligible candidates will be based on criteria set out in point 5.2. The candidates are invited to highlight in their CV and cover letter each relevant aspect of their professional experience enabling the selection panel to assess the degree of correspondence with the requirements of this vacancy notice.

When preparing the application file, it is not necessary for the copies to be certified as conforming to the original.

Incomplete application files and files submitted after the expiry of the submission deadline or failing to observe the provisions governing the submission of application files will not be considered. Any false declaration will automatically cause the application to become null and void.

Candidates are informed that they are not allowed to contact personally members of the selection panel or ask CoR members/alternates to do so and that doing so constitutes grounds for disqualification from the procedure.

7.2.   
  Deadline for the submission of application files: 23 April 2021 at noon (Brussels time)

The candidates will receive an acknowledgment of receipt of their application file by email. Application files arriving by registered post in accordance with point 7.1 will be acknowledged by post.

7.3.   
  Scrutiny of the application files: initial eligibility screening, pre-selection and selection

| 7.3.1. | Based on a preparatory analysis carried out by the general secretariat, a selection panel will assess the eligibility of the candidates having submitted their applications within the deadline on the basis of the supporting documents requested under point 7.1. |
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7.3.1.

| 7.3.2. | The selection panel will consist of the CoR President, the first CoR vice-president and the chairs of the six political groups (or their representatives) in the CoR. The CoR Secretary-General will be involved at all stages of the selection process in order to provide the selection panel with administrative and legal support. |
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7.3.2.

| 7.3.3. | The selection panel will first verify that the eligibility conditions are met on the basis of the declaration in good faith, the cover letter, the CV and the copies of documents listed in point 7.1 of this vacancy notice. The conditions of eligibility which are checked at this stage of the procedure are listed in point 4.
  The candidates whose applications are assessed to be non-eligible will be informed thereof. |
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7.3.3.

The candidates whose applications are assessed to be non-eligible will be informed thereof.

| 7.3.4. | The applications admitted at the end of the stage described in the point above will then be subject to a pre-selection process by the selection panel assisted by the Secretary-General. This will be done on the basis of the application file. The names of the candidates who best meet the criteria established in point 5.2 of this vacancy notice will be compiled in a shortlist list consisting of a maximum of seven names.
  With a view to this pre-selection based on the files, the candidates are invited to highlight in their cover letter those aspects of their CV which correspond to the duties involved, their motivation and their views on the future challenges facing the Directorate for Members, Plenaries, Strategy. |
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7.3.4.

With a view to this pre-selection based on the files, the candidates are invited to highlight in their cover letter those aspects of their CV which correspond to the duties involved, their motivation and their views on the future challenges facing the Directorate for Members, Plenaries, Strategy.

| 7.3.5. | The shortlisted candidates will then be invited to an assessment in an ‘assessment centre’, for which the programme and methodology will be communicated in good time. This assessment will evaluate the managerial skills of the candidates (information management, tasks, people, interpersonal relations and the ability to achieve objectives). This constitutes a non-binding opinion made available to the selection panel in view of the selection interview. |
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7.3.5.

| 7.3.6. | Following the assessment centre, the same shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview with the selection panel in line with the provisions of point 6. During this process, the Secretary-General will assist the selection panel and present the results of the assessment centre. |
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7.3.6.

Following the interview, the selection panel will decide which candidate is deemed most suitable to assume the duties of Director for Members, Plenaries, Strategy. This candidate will then be proposed by the Secretary-General to the Bureau, which can invite the proposed candidate for a hearing.

The candidates who are not proposed for appointment will be informed thereof at the end of the procedure.

In accordance with the CoR’s Rules of Procedure, the appointment of any official in a grade higher than AD 12 depends on a favourable vote from the Bureau. In the event of a favourable vote, the Bureau will instruct the CoR President to sign the decision covering the appointment of the chosen candidate. In case the vote from the Bureau is not favourable, the procedure is closed without appointment of any candidate.

In the framework of this vacancy notice, the Appointing Authority will examine the possibilities of filling the vacant post in accordance with the order set out in Article 29 of the Staff Regulations: the examination of applications presented under Article 29(1)(a) (post to be filled by transfer, by appointment or by promotion), then Article 29(1)(b) (transfer between institutions), and finally, Article 29(2). This order will be observed at each of the stages set out above.

8.   Recruitment terms

If the application has been submitted under this vacancy notice, the chosen candidate will be appointed Director of the Directorate for Members, Plenaries, Strategy (grade AD 14).

Prior to recruitment, the selected candidate will need to provide an extract from the criminal record in order to demonstrate that all statutory requirements in terms of character references are met.

9.   Observations

The appointment will take place subject to sufficient funds being available.

The personal data contained in applications will be handled in accordance with European data protection legislation.

As an employer, the CoR applies a policy of equal opportunities, precluding any discrimination, and is also committed to protecting the environment.

Provisional timetable:

| Deadline for applications: | 23 April 2021 |
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| Eligibility check + shortlist: | May 2021 |
| Assessment centre: | End June/Early July 2021 |
| Interviews: | Early September |
| Recruitment date: | January 2022 |

Deadline for applications:

23 April 2021

Eligibility check + shortlist:

May 2021

Assessment centre:

End June/Early July 2021

Interviews:

Early September

Recruitment date:

January 2022

10.   Complaints

Regardless of their right to lodge a complaint under Art. 90(2) or to submit an appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Union under Art. 91 of the Staff Regulations, candidates can request an internal review of any decision of the selection panel that directly and immediately affects their status in the selection on grounds of non-compliance with the rules governing the section procedure as laid down by the vacancy notice. The request must be made by email (Recruitment.DirA@cor.europa.eu) within 5 working days from the date when the decision is notified to the candidate by email. It must indicate the decision and the grounds on which the request is based.

The selection panel will take a decision and a reasoned reply will be sent to the candidate in due course.

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(1)  Any reference in this notice to a person of the male sex shall be deemed also to constitute a reference to a person of the female sex.

(2)  For more information on the European Committee of the Regions and its five-year term political priorities, please consult the following link: https://cor.europa.eu/en/engage/brochures/Documents/Bringing Europe closer to people — The political priorities of the European Committee of the Regions 2020-2025/4325 Political Priorities Brochure.pdf

(3)  https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-1-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-global-scale

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ANNEX I

VACANCY NOTICE No COR/AD 14/5 BIS/21

DECLARATION IN GOOD FAITH

Article 29(2)

THE CANDIDATE

Last name and first name:

I declare that the information and all the documents provided in my application are both truthful and complete.

I declare on my honour that on the closing date for applications:

| i. | I am a national of one of the Member States of the EU; |
| --- | --- |

i.

I am a national of one of the Member States of the EU;

| ii. | I enjoy full rights as a citizen; |
| --- | --- |

ii.

I enjoy full rights as a citizen;

| iii. | I have fulfilled any obligations imposed on me by the laws concerning military service; |
| --- | --- |

iii.

I have fulfilled any obligations imposed on me by the laws concerning military service;

| iv. | I will provide the character references required for the performance of the duties; |
| --- | --- |

iv.

I will provide the character references required for the performance of the duties;

| v. | as far as I am aware, I am physically fit to perform the duties envisaged; |
| --- | --- |

v.

as far as I am aware, I am physically fit to perform the duties envisaged;

| vi. | I am below retirement age, which, for officials and other staff of the EU, is set at the end of the month in which the age of 66 is reached; |
| --- | --- |

vi.

I am below retirement age, which, for officials and other staff of the EU, is set at the end of the month in which the age of 66 is reached;

| vii. | I have a level of higher education corresponding to a complete cycle of university studies ending in a degree where the normal duration of these studies is four years or more, or a level of education corresponding to a complete cycle of university studies ending in a degree and followed by relevant professional experience of at least one year where the normal duration of these studies is at least three years; |
| --- | --- |

vii.

I have a level of higher education corresponding to a complete cycle of university studies ending in a degree where the normal duration of these studies is four years or more, or a level of education corresponding to a complete cycle of university studies ending in a degree and followed by relevant professional experience of at least one year where the normal duration of these studies is at least three years;

| viii. | I have a professional experience of at least 15 years in an area relevant to the position. Of the aforementioned 15 years, at least five have been acquired in a managerial post (type of post: head of unit or equivalent and higher); |
| --- | --- |

viii.

I have a professional experience of at least 15 years in an area relevant to the position. Of the aforementioned 15 years, at least five have been acquired in a managerial post (type of post: head of unit or equivalent and higher);

| ix. | I have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union as a main language and at least a satisfactory knowledge of a second official language of the European Union; |
| --- | --- |

ix.

I have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union as a main language and at least a satisfactory knowledge of a second official language of the European Union;

| x. | I have at least a good knowledge of English or French (Level B2). |
| --- | --- |

x.

I have at least a good knowledge of English or French (Level B2).

This declaration, together with the check-list, is an integral part of the application file and must be attached to my official cover letter.

I am aware:

| — | that my application will be rejected if I do not send the requested documents in accordance with the arrangements required by the vacancy notice; |
| --- | --- |

—

that my application will be rejected if I do not send the requested documents in accordance with the arrangements required by the vacancy notice;

| — | that any false declaration will cause the automatic annulment of my application. |
| --- | --- |

—

that any false declaration will cause the automatic annulment of my application.

Date:

Signature:

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ANNEX II

VACANCY NOTICE No COR/AD 14/5 BIS/21

CHECK-LIST

Article 29(2)

THE CANDIDATE

Last name and first name:

declares that the application file includes the following components (put a cross in the relevant boxes):

| | YES | NO |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1. | Copy of university diploma attesting to four years of study or more or Copy of university diploma attesting to three years of study or more and Appropriate professional experience of at least one year |

YES

NO

1.

Copy of university diploma attesting to four years of study or more or Copy of university diploma attesting to three years of study or more and Appropriate professional experience of at least one year

□

□

| 2. | Certificates covering 15 years’ professional experience, of which at least five years in a managerial position (type of post: head of unit or equivalent and higher) |
| --- | --- |

2.

Certificates covering 15 years’ professional experience, of which at least five years in a managerial position (type of post: head of unit or equivalent and higher)

□

□

| 3. | Copy of an official identity document |
| --- | --- |

3.

Copy of an official identity document

□

□

| 4. | Cover letter (five pages maximum) in English or French |
| --- | --- |

4.

Cover letter (five pages maximum) in English or French

□

□

| 5. | CV in Europass format in English or French |
| --- | --- |

5.

CV in Europass format in English or French

□

□

| 6. | Declaration in good faith, dated and signed |
| --- | --- |

6.

Declaration in good faith, dated and signed

□

□

Date:

Signature:

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ANNEX III

PROVISIONS REGARDING REQUESTS FOR REVIEW — APPEALS — COMPLAINTS TO THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN — EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES — ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS — PROTECTION OF PERSONAL DATA

REQUESTS FOR REVIEW

You can request a review if:

| — | the selection panel has failed to abide by the provisions governing the selection procedure; |
| --- | --- |

—

the selection panel has failed to abide by the provisions governing the selection procedure;

| — | the selection panel has failed to abide by the provisions governing its work. |
| --- | --- |

—

the selection panel has failed to abide by the provisions governing its work.

Please note that the selection panel enjoys a broad measure of discretion in assessing whether and to what extent your answers are correct or incorrect. It is therefore not worth contesting your marks unless there has been a manifest error in law or in fact.

You must submit your duly substantiated request within five working days of the date of dispatch of the rejection email. The address is the same as for submitting applications. The HR department will forward your letter to the selection panel members, who will examine it and reach a decision within five working days.

In the subject line of your letter, please quote:

| — | the vacancy notice number, |
| --- | --- |

—

the vacancy notice number,

| — | ‘request for review’ (‘demande de réexamen’), |
| --- | --- |

—

‘request for review’ (‘demande de réexamen’),

| — | the stage of the selection concerned (eligibility, preselection, etc.). |
| --- | --- |

—

the stage of the selection concerned (eligibility, preselection, etc.).

Please note that no request for review can be lodged after the interview.

APPEALS

At any stage of the selection procedure, if you believe that the CoR or the selection panel has acted unfairly or not respected the provisions of the vacancy notice, and that you have been disadvantaged as a result, you can lodge an administrative complaint under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union, by sending an email to the Secretary-General at the same functional address: Recruitment.DirA@cor.europa.eu

In the subject line of your letter, please quote:

| — | the vacancy notice number, |
| --- | --- |

—

the vacancy notice number,

| — | ‘complaint Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations’ (‘réclamation article 90, paragraphe 2, du statut’), |
| --- | --- |

—

‘complaint Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations’ (‘réclamation article 90, paragraphe 2, du statut’),

| — | the stage of the selection concerned (eligibility, preselection, final result, etc.). |
| --- | --- |

—

the stage of the selection concerned (eligibility, preselection, final result, etc.).

Please note that the selection panel enjoys a broad measure of discretion.

It is not worth submitting a complaint against a decision by the selection panel, as they operate completely independently and their decisions cannot be overturned by the Appointing Authority. That broad measure of discretion is subject to checks only in the event of a clear violation of the rules governing their work. In that event, a decision by the selection panel may be challenged directly before the Court of Justice of the European Union without a complaint having first been lodged under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations. An appeal can be lodged under Article 270 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 91 of the Staff Regulations with the:

| General Court |
| --- |
| Boulevard Konrad Adenauer |
| L-2925 Luxembourg |
| LUXEMBOURG |

General Court

Boulevard Konrad Adenauer

L-2925 Luxembourg

LUXEMBOURG

For details of how to submit an appeal, please consult the website of the General Court (https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/Jo2_7033/en/).

For both procedures, the time limits start to run from the date you are notified of the decision which is the subject of the appeal.

COMPLAINTS TO THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN

Like all citizens of the European Union, you may lodge a complaint with the:

| European Ombudsman |
| --- |
| 1, avenue du Président Robert Schuman |
| CS 30403 |
| 67 001 Strasbourg |
| FRANCE |
| https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/home |

European Ombudsman

1, avenue du Président Robert Schuman

CS 30403

67 001 Strasbourg

FRANCE

https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/home

Please note that complaints made to the European Ombudsman have no suspensive effect on the period of time laid down in Article 90(2) and Article 91 of the Staff Regulations for lodging complaints or appeals with the General Court under Article 270 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Similarly, please note that, under Article 2(4) of the general conditions governing the performance of the Ombudsman’s duties, any complaint lodged with the Ombudsman must be preceded by the appropriate administrative approaches to the institutions and bodies concerned.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The CoR will take care to avoid any form of discrimination during the selection. It applies an equal opportunities policy and accepts applications without any discrimination based on sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status or family situation.

Candidates with a disability are invited to indicate any special needs they may have in a sealed confidential note attached to their application. This request will be handled in complete discretion, and no record of it will be kept.

REQUESTS FROM CANDIDATES FOR ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS DIRECTLY CONCERNING THEM

Candidate have a specific right of access to certain information concerning them directly and individually.

Candidates admitted to the assessment centre and the oral interview may obtain, on request, a copy of their individual assessment report. All requests for copies can only be introduced once the selection procedure has been completed.

Requests will be dealt with in accordance with the requirement for the work of the selection panel to be confidential and in compliance with the rules on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data.

PROTECTION OF PERSONAL DATA

The CoR, as the body responsible for organising this selection, shall ensure that candidates’ personal data is processed in strict compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1), particularly as regards confidentiality and security.

The CoR Data Protection Officer provides an independent advisory function as regards the application of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 and is required to keep a central register of all the records of processing activities on personal data carried out by the institution.

Personal data will be collected and processed solely for the purpose of organising this selection and managing the result (including aspects relating to any internal or external audits or any legal proceedings relating to the selection); where relevant, certain data will be added to the personal file of successful candidates who become officials.

The recipients of the data are:

| — | the staff in charge of the recruitment procedure within the Directorate for Human resources and finance; |
| --- | --- |

—

the staff in charge of the recruitment procedure within the Directorate for Human resources and finance;

| — | the members of the selection panel; |
| --- | --- |

—

the members of the selection panel;

| — | where applicable, the Legal Service; |
| --- | --- |

—

where applicable, the Legal Service;

| — | where applicable, the internal audit service, the Court of Auditors, the disciplinary authorities, OLAF and the Court of Justice. |
| --- | --- |

—

where applicable, the internal audit service, the Court of Auditors, the disciplinary authorities, OLAF and the Court of Justice.

Candidates have a right of access, rectification, erasure and objection (email: Recruitment.DirA@cor.europa.eu) on request for the rights of access and rectification.

Candidates have access to their applications, for which they have a right of rectification:

| — | with regard to the documents demonstrating eligibility, up until the closing date for applications; |
| --- | --- |

—

with regard to the documents demonstrating eligibility, up until the closing date for applications;

| — | with regard to identity data, with no time limit. |
| --- | --- |

—

with regard to identity data, with no time limit.

Right of objection and erasure: within five working days of receipt of the request.

Documents relating to the selection procedure (including those relating to the rejected candidates) will be kept by the responsible department in the administration for five years following recruitment of the most suitable candidate (this period is justified by the need to be able to respond to a possible audit procedure).

Any documents concerning a request relating to a disability will be destroyed after the end of the procedure, unless the said request resulted in costs being incurred, in which case they will be kept for five years (this period is justified by the need to be able to respond to a possible audit procedure).

Once the retention period has elapsed, the documents will be destroyed.

Candidates’ attention is drawn to the fact that they have the option of contacting the CoR’s Data Protection Officer: data.protection@cor.europa.eu, and of contacting the European Data Protection Supervisor at any time: edps@edps.europa.eu

Received by the candidate:

| Date: | Signature: |
| --- | --- |

Date:

Signature:

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(1)  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).

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