Project Management Assistant

The European University Institute (EUI) seeks Project management assistants for the Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS). The Project management assistant will be responsible for successfully implementing externally funded programmes and projects, supporting the EUI’s mission of excellence in doctorate and post-doctorate studies and research.

Who we are

The European University Institute (EUI) at a glance:

• an international organisation set up in 1972;

• a research university focusing exclusively on post- graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral studies, and advanced research;
• located in the hills overlooking the city of Florence, Italy.

The Institute also hosts the Historical Archives of the European Union. More on our Institution: https://www.eui.eu/About

Our units

The Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSCAS) is an interdisciplinary research centre at the heart of the European University Institute (EUI). It was established in 1993 to complement the four EUI disciplinary departments of Economics, History, Law, and Political and Social Sciences, with the goal of developing cutting-edge academic research and using that research to engage with a wide variety of stakeholders in the public and private sector.

The results of the Centre’s research often become policy output in the form of publications and public events, where academics, policymakers, members of civil society, and business representatives exchange knowledge and build solutions to face the challenges of our time. In doing so, the Centre provides opportunities for younger scholars and established researchers to participate in a sustained dialogue with the world of practice. This problem-centred research agenda is necessarily thematic and interdisciplinary. It also extends beyond the traditional domain of the four disciplinary departments in ways that connect with other centres of excellence in Europe and globally.

Your key responsibilities

The EUI’s Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS) is seeking to recruit Project management assistants, who will be responsible for successfully implementing externally- funded programmes and projects, and supporting the EUI’s mission of excellence in doctoral and post-doctorate studies and research.

Reporting to the Schuman Centre team leader for research management and under the daily supervision of senior project managers, the project management assistant supports the preparation of applications and the daily management of (mostly externally-funded) research projects, while contributing to the daily financial, budgetary and resources management of the programmes and units.

The main duties may include the following:

• Assisting in tracking and identifying potential sources of external funding, and providing advice on funding opportunities to academic staff.

Level of autonomy and accountability

• Reporting directly to the team leader for research management, whereas the daily supervision is being executed by a senior project manager;
• Possessing a good level of autonomy in the implementation of assigned tasks.

Role in HR processes

• Providing coaching and training on general project-management matters to academic staff, trainees and newcomers;
• Supporting the organisation of selection procedures for academic assistants, research fellows and trainees (e.g. contacting candidates, managing the logistics of selection procedures, etc.).

Finance and procurement responsibility

• Supporting financial and procurement workflows: preparing invoices for verifications, requesting commitments, drafting debit notes, participating in the e-payment workflow;
• Supporting the drafting of contracts and calls for tender, in collaboration with other administrative staff;
• Acting as a point of contact for external debtors and creditors.

Budget management

• Assisting in the monitoring of the budget of individual programmes, in collaboration with the academic directors and the direct manager (including procurement);
• Supporting the budget implementation and ensuring the legal and financial compliance of the externally-funded project activities with EUI rules and the rules of the external donors;
• Assisting in preparing budget forecasts for the programme directors and for externally- funded projects;
• Contributing to the drafting of project and annual reports, including financial reports, and contributing to project-related documentation for auditing purposes.

Role in administrative processes

• Providing administrative and technical guidance to support the academic staff with the preparation and timely submission of project applications;
• Assisting in the daily administrative management of the project, in cooperation with other services of the EUI;
• Taking charge of the secondment and timesheets workflow for external collaborators and internal staff assigned to externally-funded projects;
• Collaborating with other academic units and administrative services in view of the organisation of administrative workflows;
• Providing administrative support to the coordination of academic project staff, contractors and external collaborators.

Your key competencies

All staff at the EUI share the following competencies:

• Ethics and integrity
• Working in a multicultural environment
• Accountability
• Delivering quality and results

Competencies specific to the role include the following:

• Budget Implementation
• Knowledge – Organisational
• Risk Management
• Communication

The competencies mentioned above may be assessed at the written test and/or interview stage. Read more on EUI Competency Framework.

What we offer

• A role in an inspiring community of young scholars with an exclusive focus on master, doctoral and post-doctoral studies;
• A multicultural community of 1100 academics at all career stages and administrative staff of approximately 85 different nationalities;
• The commitment to a genuine culture of equality, diversity and inclusion, and to attracting, encouraging and retaining a diverse and highly qualified workforce;
• A world-class research library, the Historical Archives of the European Union, and many other excellent research facilities;
• Language courses and soft skills training opportunities;
• Access to all EUI facilities: library, crèche, cafeteria, gym, participation in seminars and workshops;
• Competitive salary package including health and pension plan;
• A healthy work-life balance in a family-friendly environment.

Read more on Work and Life of EUI Staff.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted electronically using the online application form available at https://www.eui.eu/About/JobOpportunities/Open-competitions-for-administrative-posts

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: Monday 18 November 2024 at 23:59 CET.

Before completing the online application form you are invited to read ANNEXES I & II that represent an integral part of this vacancy notice.

ANNEX I- ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION CRITERIA

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

On the closing date for online applications, you must fulfil all the following general and specific conditions:

1. General conditions

• Being a national of a Member State of the European Union;
• Enjoying full rights as a citizen attested by a recent extract from judicial records and/or certificate of good conduct proving no previous conviction for a criminal or administrative offence that could call into question his/her suitability for performing the duties of the post;
• Having fulfilled any obligations imposed by the laws on military service;
• Being physically fit to perform the duties.

2.Specific conditions

1. Education (Qualifications)

• A level of post-secondary education attested by a diploma, or
• a level of secondary education attested by a diploma giving access to higher education, and appropriate professional experience of at least three years. This professional experience will be considered part of the educational qualification and will not be taken into account in the required numbers of professional experience under 2.2.

Only diplomas and certificates that have been awarded in EU Member States, or that are the subject of equivalence certificates issued by authorities in the Member States by the deadline for applications, shall be taken into consideration. If your diploma was issued outside the EU, please indicate in your application that you hold an equivalence certificate; otherwise, your application will be deemed ineligible.

By the deadline for applications, and in addition to the qualifications required above, you must have at least three years of relevant professional experience gained after obtaining the diploma required under 2.1.

2.1.Knowledge of Languages

• Main language: have a thorough knowledge of one official language of the European Union; and
• Second language: a satisfactory knowledge of another official language of the European Union to the extent necessary for the performance of the duties.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Applications that fulfil the above eligibility criteria will be assessed against the following requirements:

Essentials

1. At least one year of proven analytical, conceptual and operational work experience in project design, implementation and management;
2. Specific knowledge of the fundraising field, e.g. funding programmes such as Horizon Europe and other international donors-funded programmes, gained through professional experience;
3. Proven experience in administrative processes, budget management and human resources procedures;
4. Excellent knowledge of English (CEFR level: C1 or above);

Advantageous

5. Degree relevant to one or more of the research fields of the Robert Schuman Centre;
6. Certificate in Project management methodology (e.g. Prince II, IPMA, PMI/PMBOK, ERMA);
7. Proven experience working as part of a multinational and multicultural team in an international and/or research environment.

Candidates invited to the test and interview phase may also be assessed against the competencies listed under the “Your key competencies”.

To read the ANNEX II, please click here.

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