European Free Trade Association is looking for a Head of Unit Grants Management System

Are you a dynamic and highly motivated professional looking to make a positive impact in Europe? Join our team as the new Head of Unit Grants Management System (GMS) at the Financial Mechanism Office (FMO) in Brussels.

About us:

The Financial Mechanism Office (FMO) - affiliated with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - carries out the day-to-day management of the EEA and Norway Grants. The Grants are Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein’s contribution to reducing economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area (EEA) and strengthen bilateral relations and partnerships between the Donor States and the 15 Beneficiary States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia). EEA Grants are financed by the 3 donor countries whereas Norway Grants are financed solely by Norway.

We are now entering a new funding period with a budget of 3.2 billion euros. At the same time, we are closing the current funding period with a budget of 2.8 billion euros.

The programmes in the new funding period will focus on these overall priorities:

• European green transition

• Democracy, rule of law and human rights

• Social inclusion and resilience

Why join the FMO?

At the FMO, we offer more than just a job - we offer a stimulating and diverse international workplace with a trust-based culture. Our team of more than 50 employees coming from the EEA region, bring a rich blend of experiences and knowledge to our daily operations. We work closely with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Donor States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway), the15 Beneficiary States and various international partners. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful environment where you can advance your career and contribute to meaningful results that make a difference.

Learn more:

If you're ready to take on a rewarding challenge and be part of a dedicated team working towards improving economic and social progress and strengthening cooperation and partnerships in Europe, we encourage you to apply.   For more details about our work and the opportunities we offer, please visit our website at www.eeagrants.org.

About the GMS Unit:

The GMS Unit is responsible for the system development and user support for GrACE, which is acronym for Grants Administration and Collaboration Environment, including project management, analysis, implementation, testing, quality control and continuous maintenance of GrACE. GrACE is a documentation, information, reporting and business process system used daily by over 1000 users in 20 countries around Europe. The system is custom designed and planned by the FMO for the EEA and Norway Grants with the collaboration of an external software company for development and maintenance services.

The GMS unit prides itself on giving personal and quality support responses to our users of the systems. This also includes analysing the support questions and improving GrACE where it would be beneficial to do so. GMS Unit is the liaisons between all the various departments in the FMO with an overview of all tasks and functionalities, and tailor GrACE and the information management systems to work optimally for both the FMO and all the users externally.

In addition, the Unit is responsible for information management at the FMO. This work area includes document and records management, archives, and the development and maintenance of collaboration tools such as SharePoint and Teams within Microsoft 365. Additionally, there are new initiatives related to artificial intelligence, data protection, digital archives, and digital preservation done in cooperation with the EFTA Secretariat.

The GMS Unit is also responsible for several other central systems, such as a central planning calendar, support portals for various topics and a tool used for banking integration. The GMS unit does not perform general IT tasks, as the FMO receives IT equipment and support from a service provider in the EFTA IT.

The position is open to nationals of the EEA EFTA States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) and nationals of the member states of the European Union.

Division: Financial Mechanism Office

Location: Brussels

Category/Level: A5

Duration of Appointment: Fixed term three years (renewable once if in the interest of the FMO) 

Start Date: As soon as possible

Closing Date: 05-01-2025

Job Reference: VA 36/2024

Scope

As Head of Unit you will lead the work of the team managing the development and user support for GrACE as well as leading the information and knowledge management processes in the FMO.  You will also be a part of the FMO management team, participating in a broader organisational development of the FMO. You will report to the Deputy Managing Director/Director of Compliance and Administration Department at the FMO. You may need to travel occasionally within Europe.

Tasks

As the Head of Unit GMS your key responsibilities will be in particular as follows:

Leadership of the GMS Unit:

You will provide direction for the work of the Unit and its collaboration with other units in the FMO. You will inspire, motivate and empower staff to enhance their performance and achieve results. Defining priorities and allocating tasks efficiently within the Unit will be essential to manage the workload and ensure smooth operations of the organisation as a whole.

Overall management and organisational development:

You will contribute to the broader management and organisational development of the FMO. This includes shaping policies, streamlining processes, and ensuring effective functioning of the organisation.

Business operations:

In collaboration with the operational units in the FMO, you will define and ensure implementation of the GrACE features in the current funding period, and definition of needs, necessary system adaptations and their implementation in the new financial period.

Managing budget and resources:

You will be managing external contractors and internal service providers, providing services to the unit’s operations, keeping the operational contacts and relationships efficient and productive, fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment.

Effective communication:

Internally and externally, clear communication within your area of responsibility is vital; typically, you will be providing advice to Donors and FMO management related to GMS and information management processes;

Additional responsibilities:

Beyond the listed tasks, you will handle any other duties as required, adapting to the dynamic needs of the role and the needs of FMO.

Qualifications

A Master’s-level university degree in a relevant field, preferably in Information Technology, Computer Science or a related discipline.

Relevant certifications in the field of project management, Agile / Scrum methodologies, and associated fields are considered an advantage.

Experience

Required experience

• A minimum of nine years of relevant work experience, including team coordination positions.

• Previous work experience in an international environment.

• Experience in working with managing programs, projects and/or grants.

• Experience working with Agile methodologies such as Scrum.

Desired experience

• Experience managing and coordinating IT projects involving internal and external stakeholders;

• Knowledge and/or experience in cloud computing, business intelligence or information security;

• Experience in IT service delivery.

Skills

• Ability to provide operational leadership, including change management, and foster a positive work environment;

• Competence in issues related to organisational development and policy development;

• Strong interpersonal abilities with pragmatic, results- and solutions- oriented attitude;

• Ability to analyse complex technical issues, present them clearly and concisely to a diverse audience;

• Diplomatic and negotiations skills with a sound judgement;

• Excellent communication skills;

• Ability to work efficiently under pressure and meeting tight deadlines.

Languages

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English (working language of the FMO) are required. Further language knowledge, relevant for use in the Beneficiary States, is an asset. Fluency in any of the Donor State languages and/or knowledge of another EFTA/EU language would be an asset.

Employment Terms

Grade: A5

Annual starting salary: EUR 123,576

Appointments are normally made at step 1 of the grade. The Director of the FMO reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a level different from that advertised.

The FMO is an employer dedicated to the principles of diversity and equality. We are committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive workplace, with a healthy work-life balance.

We offer very interesting and challenging positions in a dynamic and diverse environment and the opportunity to work in a team of highly qualified people. Salaries and related payments are exempt from taxation by the EFTA Member States, and as regulated in headquarters agreements, in the EFTA host states. Depending on the candidate’s family status, benefits and allowances may apply.

For further information on this position or for questions related to the recruitment process, please contact us at fmorecruitment@efta.int indicating the reference number of the vacancy.

Please note that only applications received via our web tool (https://jobs.efta.int/home.html) will be considered.

Deadline for submission of applications: 5 January 2025