Head of Legal Services Group –Temporary Agent

he European Environment Agency (EEA) is organising an open competition with a view to recruiting a temporary agent to work within the area of legal services and further with a view to establishing a reserve list.

THE AGENCY:

The EEA is an Agency of the European Union (EU) and one of the decentralised Community bodies. The EEA aims at supporting sustainable development and helping to achieve significant and measurable improvement in Europe’s environment through the provision of timely, targeted, relevant and reliable information to policy-making agents and the public.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Under the responsibility of the Head of Administrative services, the Head of Legal Services Group shall advise and lead on legal matters relevant to the Agency.

The position will entail in particular the following tasks:

• Provision of legal advice to help ensure the Agency’s compliance with EU/EC law and, where appropriate, national law (in particular the law of the host State), in particular in the following areas:
  • Regulation (EC) No 401/2009 on the European Environment Agency and the European Environment Information and Observation Network;
  • Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Communities and the Agency’s Headquarters Agreement with the host State;
  • EEA Financial Regulation (EEA/MB/52/15 – written procedure), the Framework Financial Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2343/2002 as well as the general Financial Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 and the general Implementing rules (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002 thereto;
  • Staff Regulations of Officials and Conditions of Employment of other servants of the European Communities (CEOS) as well as implementing rules thereto;
  • Regulations (EC) No 1049/2001 on public access to documents, (EC) No 1367/2006 on access to environmental information and (EC) No 45/2001 on data protection as well as implementing rules thereto;
  • EU and international environmental law (including EMAS); and
  • Intellectual property rights;

• Management of a small team of staff including the Agency’s procurement office;
• Drafting of legal documents (decisions, implementing rules, public contracts, grant agreements, collaboration agreements and memoranda of understanding, policies etc.);
• Representing the Agency in litigation as mandated and subject to appropriate external assistance;
• Representing the Agency in the Inter-Agency Legal Network (IALN) and other networks or fora as relevant and assigned;
• Acting as one of the Agency’s help desk correspondents to the Central Finance Service (CFS) of DG BUDG of the European Commission.
  

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

Candidates applying must satisfy the following eligibility criteria on the closing date for the submission of applications:

a) Successful completion of university studies attested by a degree in law, where the normal duration of university education is 4 years or more OR successful completion of university studies in law attested by a degree, where the normal duration of university education is 3 years;

b) A minimum of 6 years (with a 4 year diploma) OR 7 years (with a 3 year diploma) of relevant professional experience after award of the law degree.

In addition, in order to be eligible a candidate must:

• Be a national of one of the 32 member countries of the EEA (the 27 Member States of the European Union; Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey);
• Enjoy full rights as a citizen;
• Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by law concerning military service;
• Have a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the EEA Member countries and a satisfactory knowledge of another of these languages to the extent necessary for the performance of the duties pertaining to the post;
• Meet the character requirements for the duties involved;
• Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post.

 SELECTION CRITERIA:

Essential:

• Good understanding of the EU’s institutional set-up as well as the Agency’s role and mandate;
• Good knowledge of EU/EC law in particular concerning Financial Regulations, Staff Regulations, Access to documents/environmental information and Data protection;
• Good knowledge of and working experience with administrative and contract law; 
• Relevant working experience in an international environment;
• Good working knowledge of written and spoken English;
• Working knowledge of French;
• Ability to prioritise work, manage responsibilities and to lead a small team;
• Good organisational and interpersonal skills; and
• Excellent communication skills.

Advantageous:

• Working experience in an international organisation (including EU institutions and bodies);
• Expertise in procurement and grants;
• Good knowledge of EU and international environmental law (including EMAS);
• Working experience managing a small team; and
• Knowledge of additional languages of EEA member countries.