Director of the Goods Division EFTA - European Free Trade Association

Brussels, Belgium

Overview

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is an intergovernmental organisation set up for the promotion of free trade and economic integration to the benefit of its four Member states Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The EFTA Secretariat in Brussels provides support for the management of the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement and assists its Member States in the preparation of new legislation for integration into the Agreement. The Secretariat also assists its Member States in the elaboration of input to the EU decision making process.

The Goods Division of the Secretariat is responsible for serving the EFTA States within the area of free movement of goods including the harmonisation of technical regulations.

We are looking for a highly motivated and qualified candidate willing to take on a challenging post in a dynamic environment. The successful candidate will work in close collaboration with the other Divisions of the EFTA Secretariat and the relevant EU Services, EFTA Missions in Brussels and national administrations in the EFTA States. He or she will have management responsibility for a team of approximately 10 staff members.

Type/Duration of Appointment: Fixed term 3 years. If considered desirable and in the Organisation’s interest, an additional three-year contract may be offered.

Start Date: 1 August 2012.

Job Reference: VA 01/2012.

The successful applicant leads a team of 10 staff members. The main tasks are to coordinate and provide services to:

• EFTA Subcommittee I on the free movement of goods;
• EFTA working and expert groups within the goods area;
• The EFTA Council, especially on technical harmonisation and customs issues;
• Delegations of EFTA States participating in European Commission’s committees;
• S/He will supervise and provide guidance on issues in the field of the free movement of goods, and must be willing to take on other tasks as required.

Qualifications

• University degree in law, political sciences, government studies or other relevant education;
• Solid knowledge of the EEA Agreement in general and within the relevant areas in particular, i.e. European integration and international trade.

Experience

• Several years of experience in a managerial position;
• A minimum of 5 years relevant work experience, preferably from an international organisation, a national body or a national administration.

Skills

• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills with the ability to motivate an international team;
• Excellent organisational ability and communication skills;
• Excellent analytical skills;
• Pragmatic and solution oriented;
• Ability to draft and coordinate analytical reports and policy papers concisely and clearly in the English language;
• Experience with standard office software (preferably Office 2007).

Languages

• Fluency in written and spoken English;
• Knowledge of French and other EU or EFTA languages would be an asset.

Employment Terms

• Grade: A 6/1;
• Annual salary: EUR 114,132;
• Appointments are normally made at the first step of the grade. The Secretary-General reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a level different from that advertised;
• The tax conditions are highly favourable. In addition but depending on the candidate’s family status, attractive benefits and allowances may apply;
• Applicants must be nationals of one of the EFTA Member States.

IInterested applicants should apply online via the EFTA e-recruitment tool: http://jobs.efta.int

Deadline for application: 9 April 2012.