Under the authority of the Head of the Council of Europe Office and the supervision of the Head of the Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform within the Department of Democratic Institutions and Governance of the Directorate General of Democracy, the Senior Project Officer shall support the effective implementation of the Council of Europe/European Union Joint Programme “Human Resources Management in Local Self- Government in Serbia”.

Employment is limited to the duration of the Project which is expected to end on 20 December 2017.

The Senior Project Officer performs the following duties in accordance with the Council of Europe’s procedures, guidelines and priorities, with a concern for quality, efficiency, accuracy and confidentiality:
- Plan, organise, implement and follow up on Programme activities in accordance with the work plan and its calendar of activities;
- Monitor legislative and political developments and trends to identify opportunities and risks which may hamper the effective implementation of the Programme and advise on suitable action/corrective measures;
- Lead and participate in conferences, seminars, workshops, round tables and working groups organised within the framework of the Programme;
- Contribute to the preparation of policy papers, as provided for in the Programme;
- Maintain regular contacts with key domestic central and local government stakeholders,  as well as with other national authorities as appropriate;
- Liaise with the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) to ensure their active contribution to the proper implementation of the Programme, and monitor the quality of work provided by the staff within the SCTM;
- Liaise with domestic NGOs and other local partners which are interested in and may contribute to the implementation of the Programme;
- Ensure proper administrative, financial and technical implementation of the Programme and, in particular, maintain regular contacts with the delegation of the European Union in Serbia and ensure a regular information flow on activities organised and progress in Programme implementation;
- Organise and participate in the meetings of the Programme Steering Committee;
- Prepare inception and interim reports as well as the final report in co-ordination with Strasbourg; manage and supervise the work of the other members of the team in Belgrade; supervise the local administrative and financial management of the Programme;
- Contribute to the visibility of the Programme and to the preparation, quality and dissemination of information about it (studies, publications, interventions);
- Contribute to the efficient functioning of the office, in collaboration with the Head of Office, the Deputy Head of Office and the direct Project management in Strasbourg.

Please note that the incumbent may be required to perform other duties not listed in the vacancy notice.

This local recruitment procedure is open to applicants already present in the Republic of Serbia.

Only applicants who best meet the following criteria will be considered for shortlisting.

Qualifications:
› Completed full course of general secondary education and appropriate professional qualifications. A Higher education degree in law, public administration, political science, economics or international relations would be an advantage.

Experience:
› At least three years’ experience with local and regional democracy, good governance, human resources management issues or a related field; experience in technical co-operation and capacity-building activities; professional experience in working with international organisations and/or NGOs would be an advantage.

Language requirements:
› Very good knowledge of Serbian;
› Very good knowledge of one of the official languages (English). Ability to express oneself, present and draft clearly, concisely and convincingly in English;
› Knowledge of French would be an advantage.

Nationality:
› Nationality of host country or one of the 47 Council of Europe member states.

Age:
› Under 65 years of age at the closing date of the vacancy notice.
 

Council of Europe staff members adhere to the values Professionalism, Integrity and Respect.

Essential:
› Professional and technical expertise
- Thorough understanding of local and regional government and human resource management issues;
- Awareness of the Council of Europe’s principles and standards for local democracy;
- Awareness of the current political and regional context and knowledge of political, economic, social and cultural matters;
- Ability to negotiate with central, regional and local stakeholders, as well as with representatives of the international community in the Republic of Serbia;
- Experience in technical co-operation and capacity-building activities related to local and regional government;
- Understanding of budgetary and financial administration;
- Knowledge of Council of Europe rules and regulations would be a distinct advantage;
- Sound computer skills of standard tools in office applications (word processing, spreadsheet, data bases, presentation software, outlook, internet/intranet publication) and good knowledge of social media networks;
- Professional experience in working with international organisations, donors and/or NGOs and CSO would be an advantage;
- Availability to travel.

› Planning and work organisation
› Teamwork and co-operation
› Analysis and problem solving
› Drafting skills
› Results orientation
› Relationship building
› Communication

For more information, please refer to the Competency Framework of the Council of Europe.

The Programme aims inter alia to provide Council of Europe legal expertise, policy advice and support for enhancing the effectiveness and administrative capacities in local self-government units through the establishment of a professional training system and the improvement of the human resources management function in line with European standards in the field of local self-government.
Candidates who are shortlisted will be asked to take a written test in English.
Tests and interviews will take place in Belgrade.

Applications must be made in English or French using the Council of Europe on-line application system. By connecting to our website www.coe.int/jobs you can create and submit your on-line application. Applications must be submitted at the latest 15 February 2016 (midnight Central European Time).

Applications will be examined with regard to the requirements of this vacancy and applicants will be informed in due course of the outcome of your application. This may take some time after the closing date. Preselected candidates may be invited to take written tests before an interview. Written tests may be eliminatory.

In accordance with the Staff Regulations of the Council of Europe, the compulsory retirement age is 65. We cannot therefore accept applications from persons over this age.

The conditions of recruitment and employment which apply are contained in Rule No. 1234 of 15 December 2005 laying down the conditions of recruitment and employment of locally recruited temporary staff members working in Council of Europe Duty Stations located outside of France apply (Link to Rule 1234).

The Council of Europe welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief or sexual orientation.

During the different stages of the recruitment procedure, specific measures may be taken to ensure equal opportunities for candidates with disabilities.

The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading organisation in the protection of human rights, democracy and rule of law. It was founded in 1949 in order to promote greater unity between its members and now includes 47 member states, all having signed up to the European Convention on Human Rights.

By Statute, the Council of Europe has two constituent organs: the Committee of Ministers, composed of the member states’ Ministers for Foreign Affairs, and the Parliamentary Assembly, comprising delegations from the national parliaments. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe represents the entities of local and regional self-government within the member states. The Commissioner for Human Rights is an independent and impartial institution within the Council of Europe mandated to promote the awareness of and respect for human rights in member states.

The European Court of Human Rights is the judicial body which oversees the implementation of the Convention in the member states. Individuals can bring complaints of human rights violations to the Strasbourg Court once all possibilities of appeal have been exhausted in the member state concerned.