Head of Council of Europe Office

The Directorate of Programme Co-ordination manages the Council of Europe’s co-operation activities in member states and in neighbouring non-member states. These activities support countries in aligning with Council of Europe standards in the areas of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

The Directorate ensures the strategic planning of these activities, mobilises resources for their implementation, and co-ordinates the Council of Europe’s actions with other international organisations and agencies. It also oversees the , which actively contribute to the identification and implementation of projects and the mobilisation of funding for their execution.

Within this framework, you will lead and manage one of these offices, guiding a team composed of both core and project staff members.

As a Head of Council of Europe Office, you will:

• represent the Secretary General of the Council of Europe vis-à-vis the authorities of the host country and communicate on the Organisation's mission and activities;
• advise and report to the Secretary General and to the Directorates of Programme Co-ordination (DPC) and Political Affairs and External Relations (DPAER) on political developments in the country concerned, results achieved, further requirements, risks and opportunities, including those affecting staff security and assist with regard to the political aspects and contacts in the preparation of high level Council of Europe visits;
• establish all necessary contact, in particular with the authorities (government and parliament), the international community and with representatives of the civil society;
• promote and support policies and activities of all Council of Europe bodies related to the country’s membership to the Council of Europe, especially its statutory obligations and specific commitments;
• co-ordinate political aspects of the implementation of the Council of Europe’s programmes in close co-ordination with the Directorate of Programme Co-ordination and operational Directorates;
• co-ordinate activities, on the spot, with other international organisations and institutions (EU, OSCE, UN, etc.) and other partners active in the country;
• conduct a proactive media policy, and when necessary make public statements on issues related to fields of interest to the Organisation, in consultation with relevant internal stakeholders;
• assist in raising funds for specific projects in co-ordination with the Directorate of Programme Co-ordination;
• manage the Office's staff, fostering co-operation, team spirit and a harmonious working environment with a view to increasing efficiency and manage the financial resources allocated to the Office in line with the decentralisation of management and financial responsibility.

• Managerial - Organisational and contextual awareness
• Managerial - Leadership
• Managerial - Management of teams
• Interpersonal - Relationship building

• Professional and technical expertise:

• sound knowledge of the political, social, and legal contexts in one or several countries where the Council of Europe has an office;
  
• demonstrated expertise in administration and resource management, including staff supervision, budgeting, and financial control;
• in-depth knowledge of co-operation activities and project/programme management in the areas of competence of the Council of Europe.

• Operational - Results orientation
• Interpersonal - Initiative

• Professional and technical expertise:

• knowledge of languages spoken in one or several countries where the Council of Europe has an office;
• knowledge of the Council of Europe’s action in one or several countries where the Council of Europe has an office.

This job vacancy is for an international external recruitment. You can consult the conditions of employment (salaries, allowances, pension scheme, social insurance, etc.) on the webpage . 

For more information on how we recruit, you can consult the page . This recruitment is carried out in accordance with . The deadline for applications is indicated in the General information section of this vacancy notice (see above) and is fixed at 23:59:59 (CET/CEST). When applying, make sure your motivation shows how your competencies make your profile the best for the role.

As an equal opportunity employer, the Council of Europe welcomes applications from all suitably qualified people, irrespective of sex, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic or social origin, disability, religion or belief. Under its equal opportunity policy, the Council of Europe is aiming to achieve gender parity in staff employed in each category and grade. At the time of appointment, preference between suitable people shall be given to the person of the gender which is under-represented in the relevant grades within the category to which the vacancy belongs.

Applicants with specific needs are encouraged to request reasonable accommodations at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact us at , we will ensure that your request is handled.

The information published on the CoE’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication of the vacancy notice. Any changes to these conditions during the recruitment process will be updated on our Portal and will apply at the time of the job offer. Our career's website is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have. Should you have remaining questions, please contact us at .