SECONDED NATIONAL EXPERT VACANCIES
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) is an independent European Union Authority established on 1 January 2011 by Regulation (EU) No. 1094/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010.
EIOPA is at the heart of insurance and occupational pensions in the EU.
Our mission is to contribute to a sound, effective and consistent level of regulation and supervision of insurance and occupational pensions sectors in Europe, and to promote transparency, simplicity and fairness in the market for consumer financial products or services across the internal market for the benefit of EU citizens. Through our activities we help protect insurance policyholders, pension scheme members, customers and consumers and other beneficiaries. We furthermore play a key role in supporting the stability of the financial system, transparency of financial markets and products, and we contribute to strengthening coordination among financial supervisors at the international level.
EIOPA is part of the European System of Financial Supervision (ESFS) which includes the European Banking Authority (EBA), the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB).
Further information on EIOPA is available on EIOPA’s website: https://www.eiopa.europa.eu/
As an European Union Authority, EIOPA is committed to fostering an inclusive and dynamic working environment, providing equal opportunities to all its employees and applicants. EIOPA is committed to ensuring gender equality and to preventing discrimination on any grounds. EIOPA actively welcomes applications from all qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds, across all abilities, without any distinction on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age, marital status or family situation or sexual orientation.
Job Purpose
SECONDED NATIONAL EXPERT
EIOPA would like to engage staff for Seconded National Expert (SNE) positions and is constantly searching for a variety of profiles. The aim of this vacancy notice is to establish a pool of interested candidates for secondment positions linked to current and future workstreams.
Applicants should specify in their application documents for which area they apply. Applicants may apply for several profiles.
Job Profiles
1. Core Business Areas
1.1. Consumer Protection
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Ensuring that issues identified during engagements with national supervisors are documented, prioritised and appropriately followed up;
- Assisting in advising EIOPA’s and the Joint Committee’s decision-making bodies in the field of conduct of business policy such as developing reports and Level 3 convergence measures on the IDD such as Q&As, Guidelines and work on sustainability issues, and assisting in the future IDD Review by the European Commission and Level 2 work on the COM’s Retail Investment Strategy;
- Within own areas of expertise, contributing to technical advice and legal/policy analysis for internal stakeholders and national supervisory authorities;
- Working with team members on qualitative and quantitative analysis including using existing data and data from ad hoc surveys to identify conduct risk analysis, report on consumer trends and assess national and cross-border markets and their supervision from a conduct perspective;
- Contributing to thematic reviews, aimed at gathering specific data on identified consumer protection/conduct issues and measures for resolving these;
- Working with team members conducting workshops and roundtables with NCAs and external stakeholders to build a common supervisory culture and identification of conduct risks;
- Contributing to the review of and development of standards, guidelines, supervisory statements, recommendations, Chapter of the Supervisory Handbook, and warnings as relevant;
- Drafting/contributing to reports to EIOPA Senior Management and Board of Supervisors on main findings and recommendations, and the preparation of periodic reports on EIOPA activities and consumer trends;
- Assisting in performing product oversight activities in relation to PEPPs products and other products within EIOPA’s purview as relevant;
- Actively contributing and managing the supervisory platform of cooperation, including, if relevant, participating to joint on-site inspections performed along with home and host NCAs;
- Liaising with internal and external stakeholders (EIOPA staff members, EIOPA Working Groups and Steering Committees, national competent authorities, industry and consumers);
- Participating in different European and international fora;
- Any other tasks as required.
1.2. Consumer Protection – Digital Innovation
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Contribute to the implementation of EIOPA’s Digitalisation related activities such as work on Artificial Intelligence, Open Insurance, Decentralised Finance, Mixed-Activity Groups, Open data related issues, etc.;
- Contribute to EIOPA’s work on monitoring technology driven financial innovation (digital finance) and identify areas where a regulatory and supervisory response might be needed.
1.3. Supervisory Processes – Supervisory Convergence
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Planning and further promoting supervisory convergence through appropriate initiatives and use of relevant tools, such as the supervisory review process, the handbooks for the insurance supervision under Solvency II and supervision of the IORPs sector, peer reviews (including the bi-annual plan), guidelines, supervisory statements, opinions and others;
- Developing, maintaining and improving draft Implementing Technical Standards in the area of supervisory reporting and public disclosure under Solvency II, and guidelines, guidance and answers to questions on the regulatory framework to promote convergent supervisory practices and consistent application of union law on the same area;
- Contributing to the implementation of the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), the Cyber underwriting strategy and the SupTech strategy;
- Providing support to the project groups created under the remit of the Supervisory Steering Committee addressing priorities identified in the annual Supervisory Convergence Plan;
- Monitoring the development of the European and international legal framework and best practices in the area of IT risks, including promoting an effective bilateral and multilateral exchange of information between competent authorities pertaining to cyber security and cyber-attacks;
- Developing and maintaining effective working relationships with internal (e.g. facilitating exchange of supervisory practices, best practices or emerging issues) and external stakeholders;
- Provide training on supervisory convergence;
- Any other tasks as required.
1.4. Supervisory Processes – Data Analysis and Processes (Data analyists/scientists)
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Developing and maintaining data processes, contributing to further automation and efficiency of data analytics solutions and contributing to the development of business intelligence and other analytical capabilities including machine learning and AI;
- Developing, testing and optimising software artifacts relevant for business data exploitation (exploration, transformation, analysis and dissemination);
- Lliaising with business owners as well as data users/stewards/engineers and data architect regarding finalisation, improvements and migration of the existing data objects into (i) the new SQL/Power BI-based data analytics solutions and (ii) the cloud environment;
- Cooperation with IT Unit, Security Office function and core business stakeholders on activities related to data architecture, database management systems, data engineering, research & analysis and security aspects;
- Actively supporting the implementation of the data governance framework;
- Providing training on the software solutions developed and related to data analytics;
- Any other tasks as required.
1.5. Supervisory Processes – Data Analysis and Processes (Risk Free Rate)
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Ensure the appropriateness of EIOPA’s Risk Free Rate (RFR) methodology and carry out the monitoring tasks and regular updates related to the methodology;
- Contribute to the monthly production of the Solvency II technical information, such as the risk-free interest rate term structures and its associated components of volatility adjustment and fundamental spread, index for equity symmetric adjustment.
1.6. Oversight (internal models, oversight)
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- For the internal models profile: Participating in projects to assess and enhance the quality and consistency of the implementation of internal models and related areas across the European Union;
- For the oversight expert profile: Participating in projects to assess and enhance the quality and consistency of supervision across the European Union;
- Ensuring that issues identified during engagements with national supervisors are documented, prioritised and appropriately followed up;
- Contributing to the review of standards, guidelines and recommendations;
- Providing support to the project groups created under the remit of the Supervisory Steering Committee addressing different areas in the field of insurance supervision, i.e. drafting project plans, contributing to the deliverables, etc;
- Drafting/contribute to reports to EIOPA Senior Management and Board of Supervisors on main findings and recommendations;
- Developing and maintaining effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders;
- Any other tasks as required.
1.7. Risks and Financial stability (Financial Stability, Studies & Statistics, Crisis Prevention)
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Analysing market developments, information and data on insurance and occupational pensions using various quantitative techniques;
- Analysing risks in the insurance and occupational pension sectors and proposing appropriate pre-emptive responses and recommendations in a timely and effective manner;
- Developing and implementing new analytical tools to support financial stability analysis and assessment;
- Liaising with relevant national supervisors and industry, as well as representing EIOPA at the ESRB and other international fora;
- For financial stability: Developing and implementing stress testing exercises in cooperation with the national supervisors and the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB); contribute to financial stability reports and/or other internal and external documents;
- For crisis prevention: Contributing to the development of EIOPA’s policy position and framework on recovery and resolution in insurance as well as on Insurance Guarantee Schemes;
- For Studies & Statistics: Contributing to specific research and studies in the area of risk analysis and financial stability; participate in the production and publication of insurance and pensions statistics;
- Any other tasks as required.
1.8. Legal affairs (core business [re/insurance, occupational pensions, consumer protection, breach of union law etc.])
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Ensuring legal soundness and quality of EIOPA’s instruments and decisions;
- Preparing legal advice on sectoral legislations and on oversight related issues;
- Assisting in revising internal procedures on mediation and breach of union law;
- Monitoring developments in relevant EU legislation;
- Carrying out legal research and analysis of case law, in particular of the European Court of Justice;
- Any other tasks as required.
1.9. Policy (insurance, pensions, international issues, sustainable finance, impact assessment)
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Analysing and proposing changes to regulation in the insurance and pensions areas;
- Analysing data and qualitative information as basis for developing and formulating insurance and pensions policy;
- Contributing to and taking over responsibilities regarding the work of the Policy Department in the broader context of the review of Solvency II; sustainable finance (particularly the liability side and climate-related risks), the review of IORP II particularly defined contribution pensions; international issues, including the Insurance Capital Standard (ICS)
- Drafting board papers and supporting the Policy Department’s engagement with stakeholders;
- Any other tasks as required.
2. Corporate Affairs and Support Areas (Law, HR, IT, Finance, Communications)
2.1. Legal affairs (institutional matters [EU Staff Regulations, ethics, personal data protection, access to documents, whistleblowing])
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Ensuring legal soundness and quality of EIOPA’s instruments and decisions,
- Preparing legal advice on relevant legal framework, including EU Staff Regulations[1], Regulation on access to documents[2], Regulation on personal data protection[3], EIOPA’s Founding Regulation (sections on governance)[4];
- Assisting in revising internal procedures ;
- Monitoring developments in relevant EU legislation;
- Carrying out legal research and analysis of case law, in particular of the European Court of Justice;
- Any other tasks as required.
2.2 Institutional relations and communication
For Institutional Relations and Strategy:
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Strategic business intelligence: Compiling timely and concise information about legislative and non-legislative EU initiatives relevant for EIOPA’s Management Board and Board of Supervisors;
- Corporate risk management and planning: Proactively provide advise to EIOPA’s planning and risk management function and advise on intelligence reports to EIOPA’s boards, Chair and Executive Director, as well as the Annual Report;
- Professional Stakeholder Engagement: Advising senior management on matters related to the two independent stakeholder groups (the OPSG and IRSG); EU-institutions and other stakeholder engagements;
- Any other tasks as required.
For Communications:
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Speechwriting: Drafting speeches, speaking notes and presentations for the Chair and Executive Director;
- Social media: Developing and managing corporate social media channels, including developing a social media strategy;
- Press and media relations: Drafting and disseminating press materials, responding to media enquirites, drafting lines to take;
- Multimedia/audiovisual/web: Developing multimedia and audiovisual content for dissemination through digital channels; drafting content for the website;
- Internal communication: Developing internal communication channels, including intranet, and developing content for internal channels, managing internal communication projects;
- Providing advice to colleagues and contributing to team, department, and corporate activities to improve the overall quality of EIOPA’s communication;
- Any other tasks as required.
2.3. IT project management and support
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Managing IT projects related to the development of IT services and systems in accordance with EIOPA’s project methodology and procedures;
- Managing related contracts and vendors;
- Providing up-to-date documentation and reports to internal and external stakeholders;
- Acting as the main contact point for National Competent Authorities, external service providers and internal project team members on all project-related matters;
- Supporting the design of IT solutions that meet business requirements in line with the architectural principles;
- Drafting and reviewing project documentation, including functional and non-functional requirements;
- Coordinating and participating in testing activities;
- Supporting procurement activities, e.g. by writing technical specifications and participating in evaluation exercises;
2.4. Human resources
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Advising and supporting staff and management with respect to the HR legal framework, various HR policies and how best to apply them (resource planning, recruitment, learning and development, performance and engagement management, diversity and inclusion, absences and reclassification), shaping people management at EIOPA, using his/her coaching skills;
- Contributing to the enhancement of the HR Business Partner function by identifying areas for development, creating innovative solutions, having an eye for process improvement and providing feedback on the policy development process;
- Contributing to the revision and update of the HR legal framework Drafting proposals for decision-making bodies;
- Any other tasks as required.
2.5. Procurement
The successful candidate will be responsible for the following activities:
- Analyse and review the present templates/guidance and recommendations for improving procedures, processes, systems and controls in place with a specific aim to further develop/amend procedures and improve the existing ones;
- Provide legal advice and guidance in relation to legal issues particularly for complex procurement and contract law matters;
- Produce relevant reports, maintain registers, databases and other documentation relating to procurement administration processes;
- Advise internal clients with regard to procurement documents drafting;
- Support the procurement staff in drafting tender documentation and contracts;
- Participate in the tender evaluations;
- Analyse and propose changes to the wording for the draft contracts that are not according to the EIOPA templates;
- Assist in revising internal documentation and/or drafting internal decisions and other documents in the finance/procurement/corporate services areas;
- Perform any other tasks.
[1] OJ P 045 14.6.1962, p. 1385
[2] OJ L 145, 31.05.2001, p. 43
[3] OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39
[4] OJ L 331 15.12.2010, p. 48
Main Responsibilities
See profiles above.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered eligible, candidates must satisfy all the eligibility criteria listed below, by the deadline for submitting applications:
- be employed by a) a member of the European System of Financial Supervision (ESFS); b) a member state of the European Economic Area (EEA); c) a country with which the European Council has decided to open accession negotiations and which has concluded a specific agreement on staff secondments for participation in EIOPA’s work within the meaning of Article 75 of the Regulation; or d) an Intergovernamental Organisation (IGO);
or
- be employed by an independent university or research organisation which does not set out to make profits for redistribution;
or
- be employed by a public sector/state administration (e.g. all State administrative services at central, federal and regional level, comprising ministries, government and parliament services, the courts, central banks, and the administrative services of local authorities etc.);
- have worked for their employer on a permanent or contract basis for at least 12 months before their secondment and shall remain in the service of that employer throughout the period of secondment;
- have a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the Communities and a satisfactory knowledge of another language of the Communities.
Essential Skills and Knowledge
- Qualification:
a) a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies in a field relevant for the profile attested by a diploma, when the normal period of university education is four years or more; or
b) a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies in a field relevant for the profile attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least one year, when the normal period of university education is at least three years.
- Have at least two years of proven full-time professional experience in the relevant domain of a profile (as specified above);
- Very good command of oral and written English [1].
[1] At least B2 level as in line with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Desirable Skills and Knowledge
- Proven experience and knowledge of drafting documents for decision-making bodies;
- Familiarity with the work, role and objectives of EIOPA;
- Knowledge and work experience in project management;
- Proven work experience in a multicultural environment;
- Proven expertise in one of the four main areas of policy (insurance prudential policy, pensions prudential policy, sustainable finance, international issues) (Policy profiles).
- Knowledge of EU financial services law, in particular familiarity with EU Directives in the insurance and pensions sectors (Core Business profiles);
- Proven experience and knowledge of conduct of business regulation (Consumer Protection profiles);
- Excellent skills in writing and editing in English language (Communicaton profile);
- Excellent knowledge of communication principles and practices (Communication profile);
- Experience in using graphic design programmes such as InDesign, Illustrator or Photoshop (Communication profile).
Behavioural Competencies required
The following behavioural competencies have to be fulfilled:
- Flexibility in terms of openness to taking over other tasks within EIOPA in view of the dynamic and evolving institutional environment;
- Excellent team player sharing relevant information and supporting team members without taking over responsibility for their work, able to work in different teams with different levels of stakeholders in a multicultural environment;
- Being able to have and express a critical view towards own performance and open to learn from experience;
- Analytical capacity: able to break down raw information and undefined problems into specific, workable components that in-turn clearly identify the issues at hand; draw logical conclusions and solutions to problems; identify critical connections and patterns in information/data; recognise causes and consequences of actions and events that are not readily apparent; make sound judgements based on rigorous, independent thinking;
- Curiosity and creativity: able to explore and present ideas; combine analytical, contextual, drafting and conceptual skills and personal experience to identify when topics require further investigation; promote open discourse and engage through challenging dialogue; challenge the status quo and exercise professional scepticism; use questions strategically, as a tool to advance insight, understanding and deepen awareness; consider problems from different perspectives and expand on the thinking or solutions proposed by others; adapt to new ideas and initiatives relevant to own area of work and understand and promote the organisation’s business needs and policies for introducing change;
- Influencing: able to conduct negotiations and maintain relations to advance the interests of EIOPA and its role; demonstrate resilience in difficult situations: push through resistance and continue to work with others in a constructive manner; identify and respond constructively to underlying attitudes or behaviour patterns;
- Communication: able to clearly convey information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and help them understand and retain the message; frame clear communication messages in line with audience experience, background and expectations, in an engaging manner; stands ground when needed; adopts appropriate influencing styles;
- Judgement: able to use effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; ensure that strong logic and a compelling business case support decisions, balancing sound analysis with decisiveness; involve the right stakeholders in making decisions;
Contractual conditions
Place of employment
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Indicative start date
The applications received will be evaluated on a regular basis. A position as SNE may be offered according to the needs of the Authority and the budgetary availability.
Contract type and duration
The position will be offered to the successful candidate as a secondment for an initial period of up to two years, subject to potential extension, while the home authority will remain the employer.
According to EIOPA decision laying down rules on the secondment of national experts to EIOPA, the seconded national experts (SNEs) are staff employed by a member of the European System of Financial Supervision or by a public intergovernmental organisation. In individual cases, SNEs may be accepted from other employers referred to in the decision.
The person to be seconded must have worked for his/her employer on a permanent or contract basis for at least 12 months before his/her secondment and shall remain in the service of that employer throughout the period of secondment. The SNE’s employer shall thus undertake to continue to pay the salary, to maintain the social rights, particularly social security and pension.
Conditions of secondment
In accordance with EIOPA decision laying down rules on the secondment of national experts to EIOPA, a SNE shall be entitled to a daily subsistence allowance equal to the amount established by the Commission each year and a monthly subsistence allowance paid by EIOPA throughout the period of secondment.
Recruitment procedure
Steps of the selection procedure:
- Applicants submit their applications in English via the online application form.
- The applications are screened by the Human Resources Unit (HR) against the eligibility criteria listed in this vacancy notice.
- When a position becomes available, eligible applications will be provided to the relevant Selection Committee including the hiring manager (Head of Unit or Department) for assessment against the selection criteria taking into account the candidates' preferences indicated in the application, their areas of expertise and their competencies.
- Upon request of the Selection Committee, HR will contact the candidates directly, check availability of candidates and discuss mutual expectations as well as invite them for remote or in-person interview.
- After the Selection Committee’s recommendation and the decision of the Executive Director, the selected candidate must receive a formal approval for the secondment from their sending authority/employer.
- EIOPA, the sending authority and the candidate will conclude an agreement to formalise the secondment.
- Candidates, who were not selected after an interview remain in the pool of interested candidates for future secondment opportunities. We advise to update your application regularly to confirm your continued interest.
The online application form should be submitted in English language clearly indicating (among all):
- Qualifications (please list exact dates of your academic qualifications gained)
- Responsibilities, experience and skills gained in previous positions (please list exact dates of your work experience gained)
- Nationality/Citizenship
- Language skills
- Motivation explaining why you are interested in the post and what would be the added value you would bring to EIOPA if selected.
Applicants will be assessed on the basis of the eligibility and selection criteria specified in the vacancy notice and these must be met by the closing date of the vacancy notice.
Note: The assessment process of the shortlisted candidates will take place remotely or in person.