Publication of a vacancy for the function of Executive Director (Temporary Agent – Grade AD 14) — European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) — Vigo (Spain) — COM/2020/20050
Date: 2020-07-14
Institutions: Directorate-General for Human Resources and Security, European Commission
Subjects: European Fisheries Control Agency, Galicia, Spain, administrator, competition (EU), job vacancy, managing director, servant (EU)








CA2020231EN.01000101.xml










14.7.2020   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


CA 231/1






Publication of a vacancy for the function of Executive Director
(Temporary Agent – Grade AD 14)
European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) — Vigo (Spain)
COM/2020/20050
(2020/C 231 A/01)
 

We are

The European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA or ‘the Agency’) is an EU Agency located in Vigo, Spain, founded by Council Regulation (EC) No 768/2005 (1).
The founding Regulation was amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 (2), adjusting the mandate of the Agency to support the uniform implementation of the control system of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and by Regulation (EU) 2016/1626 (3) of the European Parliament and of the Council, extending the mandate of the Agency to European cooperation on Coast Guard functions.
In consequence of these substantial amendments and in the interests of clarity and rationality, that founding Regulation was repealed in April 2019, by the entry into force of (codified) Regulation (EU) 2019/473 (4) of the European Parliament and of the Council (hereinafter referred to as the Regulation).
The Agency employs currently about 70 members of staff and has a budget of approximately 17 million EUR for the year 2020.
Its mission and tasks are laid down in Chapter II of the Regulation and comprise, inter alia, operational coordination of fisheries control and inspection activities by the Member States and to assist them to cooperate so as to comply with the rules of the CFP in order to ensure its effective and uniform application. Equally, the Agency assists the European Commission and the Member States for the purpose of ensuring a high level of uniform and effective fulfilment of their obligations under the CFP rules, including the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and assists them in their relations with third countries and regional international fisheries organisations of which the Union is a member. In cooperation with the European Board and Coast Guard Agency and with the European Maritime Safety Agency, the Agency also supports national authorities carrying out coast guard functions at national and Union level and where appropriate at international level.
For further information, please consult the EFCA website: https://www.efca.europa.eu/en.

We propose

The Executive Director will manage and represent the Agency as well as be the legal representative and public face of the Agency. She/he shall be independent in the performance of her/his duties and shall be accountable for her/his activities to the Administrative Board. The Administrative Board is composed of one representative of each Member State and six representatives of the European Commission.
The Executive Director will have a central role in running the Agency. She/he will be responsible for establishing and managing the administrative, operational and financial measures necessary for the proper operation of the Agency.
Without prejudice to the respective competencies of the European Commission and the Administrative Board, the Executive Director shall assume full responsibility for the tasks entrusted to the Agency and shall be subject to the procedure for annual discharge by the European Parliament for the implementation of the budget. The European Parliament or the Council may invite the Executive Director to report on the performance of her/his tasks.
The Executive Director will lead and manage the Agency and take overall responsibility for its operations ensuring the achievement of its objectives.
The duties and powers of the Executive Director include the following responsibilities:






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ensure the Agency’s operation in accordance with its founding Regulation;










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achieve the overall objectives and priorities of the Agency’s work programme and organising an effective monitoring system in order to be able to compare the Agency’s achievements with its operational objectives;










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prepare the Agency’s annual activity report to be sent to the Court of Auditors, to the European Commission, to the European Parliament and the Council;










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draw up the Single Programming Document containing annual and multiannual programming, in cooperation with the European Commission, taking the necessary steps for its implementation and ensuring the most effective and efficient use of the resources;










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prepare and execute the Agency’s budget as authorising officer, in cooperation with the European Commission as well as in accordance with the Agency financial rules and the principle of sound financial management;










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develop and maintain effective and efficient cooperation with the competent European Commission services, Member States, relevant third countries and stakeholders, as appropriate, to promote effective and uniform application of the CFP, in accordance with the Agency’s tasks;










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take all necessary steps, including the adoption of decisions concerning the responsibilities of the Agency with regard to its mission and tasks, including chartering and operation of means of control and inspection and the operation of an information network;










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take part, without the right to vote, in meetings of the Administrative Board and provide its secretariat;










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implement the decisions of the Administrative Board;










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take all necessary steps, including the adoption of internal administrative instructions and the publication of notices, to ensure the organisation and functioning of the Agency in accordance with the provisions of its founding Regulation;










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carry out the day-to-day management of the Agency, recruit and evaluate the Agency’s staff of whom the Executive Director is the direct superior, in compliance with the EU Staff Regulations, while fostering a good team spirit and positive working environment;










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cooperate with the Executive Directors of Frontex and EMSA for the implementation of the Coast Guard package (5);










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communicate directly and indirectly with the public on all matters within the Agency’s remit.





We look for

The ideal applicant should have the following:






(a)


Excellent management skills, in particular:






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capacity to develop an overall forward-looking vision, identify strategies, set priorities and implement the Agency’s strategic objectives to meet the challenges faced by a body interacting with multiple stakeholders;










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strong achievements as a leader, manager and communicator, involving management of large teams and financial resources at high level, being able to direct and motivate a decentralised agency of around 70 highly qualified professionals, both at strategic and internal management level. Experience gained in a multicultural environment would be considered an advantage;










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ability to create and manage change and transformation;










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proven experience in budgetary, financial and human resources management, including internal control, at a senior level in a national, European and/or international environment;










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ability to maintain close relations with EU Institutions and with Member States competent authorities.














(b)


Technical knowledge, in particular:






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good understanding of the EU context and of the interaction between national administrations and EU Institutions;










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good knowledge of the Common Fisheries Policy and of the EU maritime policy;










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experience in dealing with fisheries control and management; experience acquired in a national, European or international public administration would be considered an advantage;










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capacity to develop a strategic vision for the fisheries control sector and the Agency and an ability to have an approach to risk-based strategic planning.














(c)


Personal qualities, in particular:






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excellent interpersonal, decision-making, organisational and negotiating skills, as well as ability to build trusted working relationship with the European Union’s Institutions and with other stakeholders;










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excellent conceptual and logic capacity, matched with strong problem-solving and judgement skills;










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high level of resilience;










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proven ability and experience to communicate efficiently and fluently at all levels, in a transparent and open manner with a wide range of stakeholders (European, international, national and local authorities, international organisations, as well as non-governmental organisations) and with the general public. A thorough knowledge of English would be an asset.









Candidates must


Eligibility criteria

Candidates will be considered for the selection phase on the basis of the following formal criteria to be fulfilled by the closing date for applications:






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Nationality: be a national of a Member State of the European Union;










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University Degree or Diploma:






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either a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is four years or more, or;










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a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least one year when the normal period of university education is at least three years (this one year’s professional experience cannot be included in the post-graduate professional experience required below).














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Professional experience: have at least 15 years’ post-graduate professional experience acquired after the required qualifications referred to above was obtained (6); at least 5 years must have been acquired in a domain of relevance of the Agency’s activities;










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Management Experience: at least 5 years of professional experience gained in a high-level management function (7);










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Languages: have a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the Union and a satisfactory knowledge of a second official language of the European Union (8). Satisfactory knowledge of other official languages of the European Union will be considered as an asset. 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: be able to complete the full five-year-mandate before reaching retirement age. For temporary staff of the European Union, retirement age is defined as being the end of the month in which the person reaches the age of 66 (see Article 47 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (9)).




In addition, candidates have to have fulfilled any obligations imposed by law concerning military service, produce appropriate character references as to their suitability for the performance of their duties and be physically fit to perform their duties.

Independence and declaration of interests

The Executive Director will be required to make a declaration of commitment to act independently in the public interest and to make a declaration in respect of any interests, which might be considered prejudicial to his/her independence. Applicants must confirm their willingness to do so in their application.

Selection and appointment

The Executive Director will be appointed by the Administrative Board of the Agency on the basis of a shortlist provided by the European Commission.
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 (10)). To this end, it will set up a pre-selection panel. This panel will invite applicants with the best profile for the specific requirements of the post to an interview. These applicants will be selected on the basis of their merits and the criteria set out above.
Candidates proposed by the pre-selection panel may be called for further interview with the European Commission’s Consultative Committee on Appointments (CCA). If invited to attend an interview with the CCA, they are required to attend an assessment centre run by external recruitment consultants. Candidates who are shortlisted by the CCA will then be interviewed by the Member of the Commission responsible for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries (11). Following these interviews, the Member of the Commission responsible for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries shall propose to the Commission a shortlist of at least two candidates. The Commission could decide to launch a new selection procedure if it is not satisfied with the suitability of any of the candidates.
The shortlist of successful candidates is communicated to the Administrative Board of the Agency. Inclusion on this shortlist does not guarantee appointment. The Administrative Board may decide to interview the short-listed candidates and, by a two-thirds majority, appoint the Executive Director from among the candidates on the Commission shortlist on the grounds of merit and documented administrative and management skills. Candidates may be required to undergo further interviews and/or tests in addition to those indicated above.
If none of the candidates receives the required majority, the Administrative Board could require a repeated selection procedure (12).
The selection process, including correspondence with selection panels during this selection procedure and communication with applicants, will be carried out in English or French only (13).

Conditions of employment

The Executive Director will be appointed by the Administrative Board as a member of the staff of the Agency, as a temporary agent at grade AD 14 pursuant to Article 2(a) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (14) for a five-year period, which may be renewed once, as stated in the legal basis. He or she will be classified depending on the length of his or her previous professional experience in step 1 or step 2 within that grade. Salaries and conditions of employment are laid down in the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants (15)

The place of employment is Vigo, Spain, where the seat of the Agency is located.
The Executive Director is expected to take office on 1 September 2021.
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.

Equal opportunities

The Agency applies a policy of equal opportunities and non-discrimination in accordance with Article 1d of the Staff Regulations (16).

Application procedure

Before submitting your application, you should carefully check whether you meet all the eligibility criteria (‘Applicants must’), particularly concerning the types of diploma and professional experience 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 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 electronic mail confirming that your application has been registered. The mail also contains a registration number which will be your reference number in all matters concerning your application. 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 on-line. 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 Wednesday 9 September 2020, 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 will not be accepted.
The European Commission reserves the right to extend the closing date of this vacancy by publication in the Official Journal of the European Union only.

Important information for applicants

Applicants are reminded that the work of the selection committees is confidential. It is forbidden for applicants to make direct or indirect contact with members of these committees or for anybody to do so on their behalf.

Protection of personal data

The European Commission and the Agency will ensure that candidates’ personal data are processed as required by 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 (17).


(1)  OJ L 128, 21.5.2005, p. 1.

(2)  OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, p. 1, only Article 120.

(3)  OJ L 251, 16.9.2016, p. 80.

(4)  OJ L 83, 25.3.2019, p. 18.

(5)  Coast Guard package refers to Maritime safety, Maritime security, Maritime search and rescue, Maritime border control, Fisheries control, Maritime customs control, General law enforcement, Maritime environmental protection.

(6)  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 three years maximum, provided that the PhD has been successfully completed. A given period may be counted only once.

(7)  In their CV, applicants should indicate for these five years during which high-level management experience has been acquired, at least: (1) title and role of management positions held, (2) number of staff overseen in these positions, (3) the size of budgets managed, (4) numbers of hierarchical layers above and below and number of peers.

(8)  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31958R0001


(9)  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:01962R0031-20140501


(10)  https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/compilation-of-the-senior-official-policy-at-the-european-commission_en.pdf


(11)  Unless the Member of the Commission concerned, in line with the Commission Decision of 5 December 2007 (PV(2007) 1811), has delegated this task to another Member of the Commission.

(12)  Article 10 (2.2) of the rules of procedure of the EFCA’s Administrative Board.

(13)  Selection panels will ensure that no undue advantage is given to native speakers of these languages.

(14)  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:01962R0031-20140501


(15)  The correction coefficient applicable to the remuneration and pensions of officials and other servants of the European Union for Spain is set at 91,6 % as from 1 July 2019. This coefficient is subject to an annual revision.

(16)  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:01962R0031-20140501


(17)  OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39.