WE ARE

The European External Action Service (EEAS) supports the High Representative in the exercise of her mandate to conduct and implement an effective and coherent Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), to represent the EU and to chair the Foreign Affairs Council.

It also supports the High Representative in her capacity as Vice-President of the Commission with regard to her responsibilities within the Commission in the external relations field, including the coordination of other aspects of the EU's external action. The EEAS works in close cooperation with the EU Member States, the General Secretariat of the Council, the services of the Commission and the Secretariat General of the European Parliament.

The Division RM.SCS.4 “Secure Communications” is responsible for the protection and registration of EU Classified Information (EUCI) within all EEAS entities and during the transfer to Member States, other EU institutions, International Organisations, agencies and missions by the provision of classified communication and information systems (CCIS), along with the infrastructure, organisation, personnel and information resources required to develop, maintain and operate them.

WE PROPOSE

The position of IT Security Officer contract agent FGIV as per article 3b of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (hereafter, the “CEOS”)^[1].

PLACE and DATE OF EMPLOYMENT

‎EEAS Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium

Post available:  Immediately

LEGAL BASIS

The vacancy is to be filled in accordance with the conditions stipulated under the CEOS, in particular Article 82 thereof. In case of recruitment, the successful candidate will be offered a contract agent position (Function group IV), on the basis of a contract with an initial duration of one year that may be successively renewed up to a maximum duration of six years[2], subject to the maximum duration of engagement by the EEAS allowed under successive limited duration contracts of different types[3].

WE LOOK FOR

An IT Security Officer, supervising and assisting in the correct administration and management of Classified Communication and Information Systems (CCIS) within the EEAS.

Under the direction of the Head of the Sector 'Security Studies and Accreditation', the person will be called to perform tasks belonging to both the analysis and studies domain as well as to the operational domain in a lesser extent:

In the analysis and studies domain, the jobholder will support the accreditation lifecycle of the different existing CCIS as well a new systems coming in to fulfil new business needs:

•         Support the sector on the correct application of the Risk Management Methodology. Coach colleagues on the practical application of the methodology in their daily tasks;

•         Support the accreditation lifecycle and risk management for CCIS;

•         Draft and review Security Operating Procedures and Security Requirement Statements.

•         Contribute to Crypto plans and security testing and evaluation processes;

•         Participate in risk assessments and accreditation exercises with third parties;

•         Conduct forward-looking security studies and stay informed on cybersecurity trends.

In the operational domain, the jobholder will assist with recurrent tasks required to fulfil operational commitments of the sector:

•         Assist in intra-institutional CCIS activities and perform IT security inspections;

•         Validate entitlement management and support security incident investigations;

•         Monitor and follow-up on IT security incidents and CCIS security features;

•         Provide backup support for inter-institutional bodies and Change Control Board activities.

Eligibility criteria[4]

Further to the conditions set out in Article 82 of the CEOS, candidates must:

• have passed a valid EPSO CAST in a valid function group for this post, or be registered in the EPSO Permanent CAST for FG IV (https://epso.europa.eu/en/job-opportunities/open-for-application). In the latter case, while the registration will make the candidate eligible for the selection procedure, the recruitment of a candidate on this vacant post will be subject to his/her successfully passing the CAST exam;
• have completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma;
• have the capacity to work in the languages of the CFSP and external relations (English and French) necessary for the performance of their duties;
• be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union and enjoy full rights as a citizen.

Selection criteria

Candidates should:

• have the ability to maintain diplomatic relations and to ensure representation and communication in a complex, multicultural environment;
• have the capacity to create constructive working relations in the field of external relations with national authorities, international organisations and EU Member States;
• have strong drafting and analytical skills combined with sound judgement;
• have knowledge of external relations, internal policies and functioning of the Union;
• have excellent communication skills and the ability to establish and maintain a network of contacts both within and outside the EEAS;
• have the ability to communicate clearly on complex issues and the capacity to perform with accuracy and in a flexible manner a diversity of tasks in a complex institutional environment;
• have strong service attitude;
• be a flexible team player;
• have broad experience, or the willingness to start a career and become experts, in the domain of classified CISs;
• have at least 3 years of experience in IT security;
• be skilled in security assessments, risk evaluation, and accreditation processes;
• be familiar with risk management, security rules, and policies;
• demonstrate advisory experience in security, particularly for CCIS or classified information;
• be familiar with security rules, security policies, procedures and guidelines, especially as a drafter or reviewer.

Furthermore:

• experience of working in a team in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural environment;
• experience in working with or within other EU institutions;
• knowledge of risks analysis frameworks and tools (e.g. EAR / PILAR);
• information security standards (e.g. ISO/IEC 27002:2002, ENS 2022, etc.);
• knowledge of methodologies for risk management (e.g. MAGERIT v.3, NIST SP 800-39, etc.);

will be considered as strong assets.

CONDITIONS OF RECRUITMENT AND EMPLOYMENT

CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND SECURITY RISKS

As a matter of policy, applications by individuals who have dual nationality of which one of a non-EU country, will be considered on a case-by-case basis taking account in particular of the functions attributed to the vacant post. The EEAS also examines if there could be a conflict of interest or security risks.

In this context, candidates shall fill in with their application a declaration of potential conflict of interest (see attached).

MEDICAL CLEARANCE

The signature of the contract will be subject to prior favourable opinion of the Medical Service.

PERSONNEL SECURITY CLEARANCE (PSC)

The requested level of security clearance for this post is: SECRET UE/EU SECRET. A description of the EU classified information levels is available under Article 2 of Annex A of the Decision ADMIN(2023) 18 on the security rules of the EEAS^[5].

The selected candidate should hold, or be in the position to obtain, a valid Personnel Security Clearance (hereafter, the “PSC”)[6] issued by the competent authority of the Member State concerned.

Candidates who do not already have a valid PSC will be required to go through the security clearance vetting procedure of their Member State to obtain this clearance in accordance with national laws and regulations and with the procedure laid down in the Decision ADMIN(2019)7 on Security Clearance Requirements and Procedures for the EEAS of 08 March 2019 and in Annex A I of the Decision ADMIN(2023) 18 on the security rules of the EEAS. Until the PSC is issued by the competent authority of the Member State concerned, the selected candidate will not be authorised to access EUCI at the level of CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL or above, or to participate in any meetings or workflow where EUCI is processed.

Please note that the necessary procedure for obtaining a PSC can be initiated on request of the employer only, and not by the individual candidate.

In case of failure to obtain or renew the required PSC, the AACC may take the appropriate measures in accordance with Article 3(3) of the Decision ADMIN(2019) 7 on Security Clearance Requirements and Procedures for the EEAS of 08 March 2019.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The EEAS is committed to an equal opportunities policy for all its employees and applicants for employment. As an employer, the EEAS is committed to promoting gender equality and to preventing discrimination on any grounds. It actively welcomes applications from all qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds and from the broadest possible geographical basis amongst the EU Member States. We aim at a service, which is truly representative of society, where each staff member feels respected, is able to give their best and can develop their full potential.

Candidates with disabilities are invited to contact [email protected] in order to accommodate any special needs and provide assistance to ensure the possibility to pass the selection procedure in equality of opportunities with other candidates. If a candidate with a disability is selected for a vacant post, the EEAS is committed to providing reasonable accommodation in accordance with Art 1(d)(4) of the Staff Regulations.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURE[7]

Please send your CV and cover letter (with your EPSO CAST number), in English or French, and the attached declaration of potential conflict of interest via email, with reference to the Vacancy Number in the Subject field, to:

[email protected]

Deadline for sending application: 11/02/2025 at 12.00 noon (CET).

Candidates shall draft their CV using the Europass CV, which can be found at the following internet address:

http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/documents/curriculum-vitae.

Late applications will not be accepted.

The selection panel will make a pre-selection on the basis of the qualifications and professional experience described in the CV and motivational letter, and will produce a shortlist of eligible candidates who best meet the selection criteria for the post. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be informed about the outcome of the pre-selection phase.

The candidates who have been preselected will be invited for an interview by a selection panel.

The selection panel may decide, subsequent to the interview, to organise written tests, either for all pre-selected candidates or to the best ranked ones. The content of such written tests will be defined by the selection panel and may include, but not be limited to, multiple choice questions, open questions and/or topics for a short essay.

Pre-selected candidates without a valid CAST shall be invited to sit the CAST exam before or after the interview stage (in accordance with the eligibility criteria set out above).

The panel will then recommend a shortlist of candidates for a final decision by the Authority Authorised to Conclude Contracts of Employment (hereafter, the “AACC”). The AACC may decide to interview the candidates on the final shortlist before taking this decision.

It is recalled that the selection procedure may be terminated at any stage in the interest of the service.

In the interest of the service, after identifying the candidate that best fits the requirements of the post as set out in the vacancy notice, the AACC may also establish a reserve list of candidates. These candidates shall be informed that the reserve list shall remain valid for a period of one year from when it is established and that it may be used to fill the same post or an equivalent post in the EEAS with the same job profile.

ANNEX

Download here

DECLARATION OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST

TO BE FILLED BY THE CANDIDATE

Article 11(3) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union (SR):

“Before recruiting an official, the Appointing Authority shall examine whether the candidate has any personal interest such as to impair his independence or any other conflict of interest. To that end, the candidate, using a specific form, shall inform the appointing authority of any actual or potential conflict of interest. In such cases, the Appointing Authority shall take this into account in a duly reasoned opinion. If necessary, the Appointing Authority shall take measures referred to in Article 11a(2)”.

Article 11a(2) of the SR:

“Any official to whom it falls, in the performance of his duties, to deal with a matter referred to above shall immediately inform the Appointing Authority. The Appointing Authority shall take any appropriate measure, and may in particular relieve the official from responsibility in this matter”.

These provisions apply to temporary agents and contract agents in accordance with Articles 11 and 81 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS).

It is the candidates’ duty to inform through this form the EEAS of any actual or potential conflict of interest regarding their future tasks. They shall be broad in their identification of actual or potential conflict of interests. It is reminded that it will be up to the administration, and not to the candidates themselves, to assess on this basis whether they are sources of conflict of interests and, if applicable, whether they constitute an issue for the recruitment and, if not, whether they should call for adequate mitigating measures to protect both the interests of the institution and of the selected candidate.

Title/FIRST NAME/NAME: ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Job No. and position applied for: …………………………………………..………………………………………………………

Administrative status of position concerned:    

                                Official ☐          Temporary agent ☐         Contract agent ☐

Grade of the position: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Directorate/Division/Delegation: …………………………………………………………………………………………………..

In your opinion, do you have any personal interest, in particular a family or financial interest, or do you represent any other interests of third parties which could actually or potentially impair your independence in the course of your duties in the specific vacancy at the EEAS and which may thus lead to any actual or potential conflict of interest relevant to that position?

YES ☐ NO ☐

If yes, please detail:

To be returned with the application, by email at [email protected]

[1] Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union (SR) and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS).

[2] Article 8 of the Commission Decision C(2017) 6760 of 16.10.2017 on the general provisions for implementing Article 79(2) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union, governing the conditions of employment of contract staff employed by the Commission under the terms of Articles 3a and 3b thereof.

[3] Decision ADMIN(2023) 24 on the maximum duration of engagement by the European External Action Service of non-permanent staff under successive limited duration contracts of different types, and on the minimum lapse of time between successive contracts under Article 2(e) of the CEOS.

[4]     All the eligibility criteria must be met on the closing date for applications to this post.

[5]    OJ C 263, 26 July 2023, p.16. 

[6]    The ‘Personnel Security Clearance’ is defined under point 2 of Annex A I of the Decision ADMIN(2023) 18 on the security rules of the EEAS as “a statement by a competent authority of a Member State which is made following completion of a security investigation conducted by the competent authorities of a Member State and which certifies that an individual may, provided his ‘need-to-know’ has been determined, be granted access to EUCI up to a specified level (CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL or above) until a specified date; the individual thus described is said to be ‘security cleared’.”

[7] Your personal data will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, as implemented by ADMIN(2019)8 Decision of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The privacy statement is available on the Europa website: (https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/eeas-privacy-statement-data-protection-notice-purpose-processing-personal-data-related-public_en) and on the EEAS Intranet:(https://intranet.eeas.europa.eu/page/eeas-work/data-protection/privacy-statements-dp-notices).