European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) – Publication of a vacancy for the function of Executive Director (Temporary Agent – Grade AD 14) – COM/2021/20066
Date: 2021-08-25
Institutions: Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission
Subjects: CEPOL, administrator, competition (EU), job vacancy, managing director, recruitment, servant (EU)








CA2021342EN.01000101.xml










25.8.2021   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


CA 342/1






European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL)
Publication of a vacancy for the function of Executive Director
(Temporary Agent – Grade AD 14)
COM/2021/20066
(2021/C 342 A/01)
 

We are

CEPOL was established as the European Police College by Council Decision 2000/820/JHA (1), became operational on 1 January 2001 and became an Agency in 2005. As of 1 July 2016 (entry into application of the CEPOL Regulation (2)) CEPOL became the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training. Since 1 October 2014, CEPOL’s headquarters are located in Budapest (Hungary). The agency employs currently 56 staff and has a budget of approximately EUR 10,6 million.
CEPOL's mission is to provide training and learning opportunities to law enforcement officers across the EU to enhance cross-border police cooperation on issues vital to the internal security of the European Union and its citizens. Training covers topics ranging from key cross-border cooperation tools and mechanisms to law enforcement techniques and from serious criminal phenomena to leadership development, in line with EU policies in the internal security area. Activities are designed to impart knowledge but also to facilitate the sharing of expertise and best practices and to contribute to the development of a common European law enforcement culture. CEPOL is at a juncture of major developments, including the need to face evolving security threats in the digital age requiring new and ever-changing skills of the EU law enforcement, with a view to stepping up European police cooperation. CEPOL is expected to play an important role in the implementation of the specific internal security strategies adopted by the Commission, including:






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EU Strategy to tackle Organised Crime 2021-2025, 14 April 2021










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EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings 2021-2025, 14 April 2021










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EU Drugs Strategy 2021-2025, 18 December 2020










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Counter Terrorism Agenda, 9 December 2020










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EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse, 24 July 2020










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EU Action Plan on Firearms Trafficking, 24 July 2020










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EU Drugs Agenda and Action Plan 2021-2025, 24 July 2020




In addition, CEPOL is expected to play a key role in the implementation of the new strategy towards a fully functioning and resilient Schengen area, as presented by the Commission on 2 June 2021, considering that in an area without internal border controls, Member States must cooperate on other complementary measures in the fields of security, police and judicial cooperation.
Website for further information: www.cepol.europa.eu

We propose

The Executive Director is responsible for the day-to-day administration of CEPOL and is the legal representative of the Agency. The Executive Director is accountable to the Management Board and is responsible for the implementation of the decisions adopted by the Management Board. The Executive Director shall report to the European Parliament on the performance of his or her duties when invited to do so. The Council may invite the Executive Director to report on the performance of his or her duties.
The Executive Director will adhere to the strictest integrity and ethical principles. She/he is required to contribute to developing a modern and easily identifiable vision for the Agency, while focusing on its EU added value. She/he is expected to enhance the Agency’s corporate governance and culture, both in terms of managerial skills and vis-à-vis external counterparts. She/he is responsible for establishing and managing the administrative, operational and financial measures necessary for the efficient functioning of the Agency. She/he needs to ensure that CEPOL delivers training and products corresponding to evolving law enforcement needs and closely cooperate with Europol to this end.
Without prejudice to the powers of the Commission and of the Management Board, the Executive Director shall assume full responsibility for the implementation of the tasks assigned to CEPOL. The Executive Director's further specific tasks include:






a)


Engaging in a constant dialogue with the European Commission and the other EU institutions, with a view to following and implementing all the EU policies in the relevant fields CEPOL is involved in;










b)


Striving to offer state-of-the-art services to law enforcement authorities, while adapting to the evolving threats and needs of the Member States;










c)


Embrace all challenges the Agency is facing, including but not limited to the digitalisation strategy, and the interoperability process;










d)


Making proposals to the Management Board as regards the establishment of CEPOL's internal structures and, where necessary, their modification;










e)


Preparing the draft multi-annual programming and annual work programmes and submitting them to the Management Board, after having consulted the Commission;










f)


Implementing the multi-annual programming and the annual work programmes and reporting to the Management Board on their implementation;










g)


Preparing appropriate draft implementing rules to give effect to the Staff Regulations and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants in accordance with Article 110 of the Staff Regulations (3);










h)


Preparing the draft consolidated annual report on CEPOL's activities and presenting it to the Management Board for adoption;










i)


Preparing an action plan following up conclusions of internal or external audit reports and evaluations, as well as investigations by OLAF, and reporting on progress twice a year to the Commission and regularly to the Management Board;










j)


Protecting the financial interests of the Union by applying preventive measures against fraud, corruption and any other illegal activity, without prejudice to the investigative competence of OLAF, by effective checks and, if irregularities are detected, by recovering amounts wrongly paid and, where appropriate, by imposing effective, proportionate and dissuasive administrative and financial penalties;










k)


Preparing a draft internal anti-fraud strategy for CEPOL and presenting it to the Management Board for adoption;










l)


Preparing draft financial rules applicable to CEPOL;










m)


Preparing CEPOL's draft statement of estimates of revenue and expenditure and implementing its budget;










n)


Supporting the Chairperson of the Management Board in preparing Management Board meetings;










o)


Performing other tasks pursuant to CEPOL's Regulation.





We look for (selection criteria)

The ideal candidate will be an outstanding and dynamic professional who should fulfil the following selection criteria:






a)



Management skills:






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Capacity to dynamically lead an organisation both at a strategic and at operational management level;










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Capacity to develop and implement a strategic vision, to set objectives and to motivate and steer teams in a multicultural and multilingual environment;










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Solid and proven administrative and management skills, in particular experience of budgetary, financial and human resources management at senior level in a national, European and/or international context.














b)



Specialist skills and experience:






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Experience and knowledge on EU law enforcement policies and practices, notably in relation to operational cooperation and information systems;










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Experience with regard to the development of policies related to learning and training and their implementation;










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Very good knowledge of EU law enforcement training programmes offered by various training providers at EU and national level;










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Thorough understanding of the impact of new technologies on learning activities, both in terms of pedagogic tools and with regard to the need to constantly upgrade law enforcement skills;










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Good general understanding of EU policies in the field of internal security;










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Good understanding of the European institutions and how they operate and interact;










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[Desired] Knowledge of CEPOL legal framework, activities and procedures.










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Experience in utilising research-based knowledge in law enforcement training would be an asset;














c)



Personal qualities:






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Excellent capacity to build good working relations and to communicate effectively and fluently in a transparent and open manner with staff and all stakeholders;










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Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to operate in a multinational and international environment;










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Integrity and moral authority;










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Capacity to listen to constructive criticism and accept change.








The working language of CEPOL is English. Therefore, the ability to communicate in English is an essential requirement. Knowledge of other languages of the European Union, in addition to those indicated in the eligibility criteria, would be an asset.

Candidates must (eligibility requirements)

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






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










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University degree or diploma: candidates must have:






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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 4 years or more;










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or a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least 1 year when the normal period of university education is at least 3 years (this 1 year's professional experience cannot be included in the postgraduate professional experience required below).














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Professional experience: candidates must have at least 15 years professional experience (4) at a level to which the qualifications referred to above give admission. At least 5 years of that professional experience must be in the area of law enforcement or training/police education.










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Management experience: at least 5 years of the post-graduate professional experience must have been gained in a high-level management function (5) in the field of law enforcement;










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Languages: candidates must have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union (6) and a satisfactory knowledge of another of these official languages. Selection panels will verify during the interview(s) whether candidates comply with the requirement of a satisfactory knowledge of another official EU language. This may include (part of) the interview being conducted in this other language.










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Age limit: candidates must be able to complete, at the deadline for application, the full mandate of 4 years before reaching the retirement age. For temporary staff of the European Union, the retirement age is defined as being the end of the month in which the person reaches the age of 66 years (see Article 47 of the Conditions of Employment of other Servants of the European Union (7)).





Selection and appointment

The Executive Director will be appointed by the CEPOL Management Board on the basis of a shortlist provided by a selection committee composed of members designated by Member States and the Commission.
The European Commission will analyse all applications and proceed with a first eligibility verification; the selection committee will identify candidates with the best profile in view of the selection criteria mentioned above, who may be invited to an assessment centre run by external recruitment consultants. After the applicants have undergone an assessment, they will be interviewed by the selection committee. On the basis of the results of the interview, as well as the assessment by the external centre, the selection committee will draw up a list of at least three candidates it considers suitable to exercise the function of Executive Director at CEPOL. Candidates mentioned on the shortlist will be called for an interview with the Management Board. Inclusion on this shortlist does not guarantee appointment.
The Management Board will take its decision to appoint the Executive Director taking into consideration the results of the pre-selection, the assessment by the external centre and the outcome of the interviews. Candidates may be required to undergo further interviews and/or tests in addition to those indicated above.
A vote shall take place by secret ballot. The candidate that receives a two-thirds majority of the votes shall be elected. When none of the candidates receives a two-thirds majority in the first ballot, a second ballot shall be held at the end of which the candidate(s) with the lowest number of votes shall be excluded. When only two candidates are left, rounds of voting shall run until one candidate receives an absolute majority.
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 Agency, the selection procedure will be carried out in English only (8).

Equal opportunities

CEPOL applies a policy of equal opportunities and non-discrimination, in accordance with Article 1d of the Staff Regulations, and is encouraging applications that could contribute towards more diversity, gender equality and overall geographical balance within the agency.

Conditions of employment

The salaries and conditions of employment are laid down in the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants.
The successful candidate will be engaged by the Agency as a Temporary Agent at grade AD 14 (9). She/he will be classified depending on the length of his / her previous professional experience in step 1 or step 2 within that grade.
She/he will be appointed for an initial mandate of 4 years, with a possible prolongation for a maximum 4 years according to the Regulation establishing the Agency as applicable at the time of appointment.
Applicants should note the requirement under the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants for all new staff to complete successfully a 9-month probationary period.
The place of employment is Budapest, Hungary, where CEPOL is based.
The post is available from 16 February 2022.

Independence and declaration of interests

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

Application procedure

Before submitting your application, you should carefully check whether you meet all eligibility requirements (‘Candidates must’), particularly concerning the types of diploma, high-level professional experience as well as linguistic capacity required. Failure to meet any of the eligibility requirements means an automatic exclusion from the selection procedure.
If you want to apply, you must register via the Internet on the following website and follow the instructions concerning the various stages of the procedure:
https://ec.europa.eu/dgs/human-resources/seniormanagementvacancies/
You must have a valid e-mail 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 e-mail address.
To complete your application, you need to upload a CV in PDF format, preferably using the Europass CV format (10), 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. 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 e-mail to: HR-MANAGEMENT-ONLINE@ec.europa.eu

Closing date

The closing date for registration is 6 October 2021, 12.00 noon Brussels time, following which registration is no longer possible.
It is your responsibility to complete your online registration in time. We strongly advise you not to wait until the last few days before applying, since heavy internet traffic or a fault with your internet connection could lead to the online registration being terminated before you complete it, thereby obliging you to repeat the whole process. Once the deadline for the submission of registrations has passed, you will no longer be able to introduce any data. Late registrations are not accepted.

Important information for candidates

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

Protection of personal data

The European Commission and CEPOL will ensure that candidates' personal data are processed as required by Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council (11). This applies in particular to the confidentiality and security of such data.


(1)  OJ L 336, 30.12.2000, p. 1.

(2)  Regulation (EU) 2015/2219 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) and replacing and repealing Council Decision 2005/681/JHA (OJ L 319, 4.12.2015, p. 1).

(3)  http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:01962R0031-20210101

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

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

(6)  http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:01958R0001-20130701&qid=1408533709461&from=EN

(7)  http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:01962R0031-20210101

(8)  The selection panel will ensure that no undue advantage is given to native speakers.

(9)  The correction coefficient applicable to the remuneration and pensions of officials and other servants of the European Union for Budapest is set at 71,9 % as from 1 July 2020. This coefficient is subject to an annual revision.

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

(11)  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).