Job grade: AD06
Internal job grade: AD06 and above
Type of position: Temporary agent
Selection procedure reference: EMA/AD/6211
Job title: Communication Officer
Deadline for applications: 12 September 2021 23:59 CET
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is looking to recruit communication officers with experience in social-media management, web management and editing, and media relations.Under the supervision of the respective Head of Service, you will contribute directly to EMA’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, playing a key role in shaping and delivering clear, accurate and timely information to the Agency’s range of audiences.With solid knowledge of best practices and experience from similar roles, as a communication officer, you will take on responsibility for planning, preparing, targeting, disseminating and evaluating the impact of important information on the evaluation and safety-monitoring of vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, among other topics.You will join a dynamic and welcoming team of communication professionals, whose expertise and skills cover visual design, website management, public relations, social media, analytics and web editing.
Reporting to the respective Head of Service, you will be responsible for planning and executing communication strategies and for creating compelling and engaging content that reinforces the reputation of EMA and effectively communicates its public-health messages.
You will carry out one or more of the following tasks:
• Developing and implementing creative communication strategies to deliver EMA’s public-health messages to its stakeholders
• Creating original written, visual and multimedia content including web text, news announcements, images, presentations, speeches, blog posts, videos and social-media posts
• Developing, writing and maintaining engaging content for EMA’s websites in line with best practice, ensuring consistency and coherence, working closely with topic experts
• Managing day-to-day media liaison, including responding to media queries, drafting lines to take and briefing notes, and organising press conferences, interviews and other engagement opportunities between EMA and the media
• Managing EMA’s social media presence, by creating and publishing engaging content, ensuring messaging is joined up across all digital platforms
• Monitoring outreach and the impact of communication activities using analytics, feedback and reporting tools
• Assimilating, curating, analysing and visualising EMA data in order to create compelling narratives and to meet stakeholders’ needs in terms of transparency.
To be eligible for consideration for this position, you are required to meet the following criteria. You must:
1. enjoy full rights as a citizen of a European Union Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway;
2. possess a university degree (of a minimum duration of three years) that must have been obtained by the closing date of this vacancy notice;
3. have at least three years of relevant professional experience after obtaining the relevant degree, and before the closing date of this vacancy notice;
4. have a thorough knowledge of English (at least level C1) and a satisfactory knowledge of another official language of the European Union (at least level B2);
5. have fulfilled any obligations imposed by applicable laws concerning military service.
For criteria 1, 2 and 3, you will need to provide proof in the application form and at the interview stage. Failing to present the relevant supporting documents may result in your disqualification from the selection procedure.
• A minimum of three years’ proven professional experience as an online editor, a social-media manager, a press officer or journalist in an English-speaking communication environment, ideally working in a regulatory, medical or scientific field
• Excellent writing skills in English, with proven ability to rework complex concepts into clear, organised and engaging content
• Experience of and thorough knowledge of good practices in one or more of the following areas:
- Usability, accessibility, search engine optimisation, personal data protection and web design, ideally from experience of working on large websites
- Management of corporate social-media activities
- Working with or for national and international media organisations, ideally with a focus on healthcare or science
• A track record of carrying out research to understand audiences, their motivations and the impact of communication on them
• A solid understanding of the principles and application of behavioural theory in communication
• Experience of working in one or more of the following areas:
- Management of multilingual websites
- Crisis communication
- Website development
- Handling sensitive and high-profile media issues
- User-centred web design
- Video / multimedia production
- Online usability and usability testing
- Speechwriting
- Website, social-media or media analytics and monitoring
- Managing digital engagement over various social-media platforms
- Website search
- Categorisation of content, particularly using biomedical or hierarchical taxonomies
- Coding, e.g. HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• Strong skills in Microsoft PowerPoint, Word and Excel
• Experience of working with Adobe Creative Cloud Suite
• Experience of working within a regulatory environment
• Knowledge of European Union pharmaceutical legislation and the European system for medicine regulation
• Experience of working in a multicultural environment
• Analysing and problem-solving: Is able to tackle difficult problems and tasks; Adopts an evidence-based approach, gathering information from a wide range of sources and viewpoints, analysing and evaluating it in order to reach sound conclusions; Proposes constructive solutions
• Communicating: Excellent communication skills in English: Presents a professional image of themself, their team and their organisation; Conveys information clearly and concisely, adjusting the style according to the purpose and audience; Is able to persuade and challenge diplomatically
• Delivering quality and results: Manages their own time effectively, responding flexibly and meeting objectives and quality standards; Remains focused on delivering quickly and effectively in a professional manner;Takes well-judged risks within their own area of responsibility
• Prioritising and organising: Organises their own work (and that of their team) effectively to meet even demanding objectives
• Working with others: Is self-aware: shows consideration for others’ needs and motivations, and values diversity and inclusion;Works effectively and in a supportive manner on objectives shared with colleagues, including in cross-functional teams; Acts with tact, discretion and political sensitivity
• Resilience: Remains as effective in times of pressure as in times of normal business; Recognises that occasional frustrations are a part of working life, but remains upbeat and persists to deliver despite them; Supports organisational resilience by offering their own or their team’s support when there is pressure elsewhere;Tackles organisational frustrations within their own area of control; Is able to mitigate the impact of difficulties or frustrations originating elsewhere
• Learning and development: Maintains an open and curious approach to new ideas, drawing on them and on their experience to improve performance; Is enthusiastic about personal development
| Deadline for applications | 12 September 2021 |
| Preliminary assessments | Estimated 21-22 October 2021 |
| Final assessments | Estimated week 08 November 2021 |
| Decision expected | Estimated week 15 or 22 November 2021 |
The selection committee will only assess candidates who meet the eligibility criteria (see section 5).The committee will assess the suitability and qualifications of the eligible candidates against the assessment criteria (see section 6) in the various steps of the selection procedure.Suitability and qualifications of eligible candidates will be assessed against the assessment criteria in different steps of the selection procedure. Before the start of the selection procedure, the selection committee decides which assessment criteria will be used at each stage of the process. Certain criteria will be assessed / scored only for shortlisted candidates during interviews (and/or tests).
Shortlisting
To allow the selection committee to carry out an objective assessment of all candidates in a structured manner, you should answer all of the questions in the application form, in addition to the sections where you describe your education, skills and experience.These ‘pre-screening’ questions are based on the essential assessment criteria.When answering a question, you should include all relevant information, even if it is already mentioned in other sections of your application form. The selection committee will assess whether you meet all the criteria, including your suitability for the position, using the information provided in the responses to those questions. To allow selection panel to carry out this assessment, replies to the pre-screening questions and work experience, education and other skills sections of the application will be considered.To carry out this assessment, the selection committee will assign each essential criterion a weighting that reflects its relative importance. It awards points based on how well you meet each criterion, based on your answers to the pre-screening questions, on a scale of 1 to 10. It then multiplies these points by the weighting factor and adds them up to identify those candidates whose profiles best match the duties to be performed.Only the candidates with the highest total marks at the shortlisting stage will go through to the assessment stage.
Preliminary and Final Assessments
Next steps of selection may include a preliminary assessment (Skype, remote test, etc.) and / or an interview and a test in EMA premises. Please note that due to current travel restrictions the assessment may be conducted remotely. All assessments are based on the assessment criteria listed in this vacancy notice. The selection committee will base its assessment on the assessment criteria listed in section 6. At this stage, the selection committee can also look at the other sections of your application form (e.g. education).The selection committee may ask you to take part in a cognitive assessment (e.g. deductive reasoning) or a personality assessment (e.g. an SHL occupational personality questionnaire OPQ32) as part of the selection process.
Reserve list and job offers
As a result of the assessments, the Selection Committee will recommend a list of most suitable candidates for the current and potential vacant positions. Non-selected, but qualified and suitable candidates may be placed on a reserve list. This reserve list will normally be valid until the end of the next full calendar year, 31 December 2022 (the validity period may be extended).Each interviewed candidate will be notified in writing whether they have been placed on the reserve list. Candidates should note that the placement on the reserve list does not guarantee an offer of employment.More information about selection and recruitment (including administrative complaint procedure) at the EMA is available at: careers website.
If Temporary Agent posts are not available, candidates on the reserve list may be approached to provide written consent to be considered for Contract Agent positions, where justified in the interest of the service. These candidates will still remain on the Temporary Agent reserve list and will still be considered for a Temporary Agent post should a suitable post become available.
Contract Agent posts differ from Temporary Agent posts in terms of categories, function groups, grades and remuneration and career progression, please consult: careers website.
In principle, the Agency intends to offer successful candidates a five-year renewable contract. It may also offer contracts of a shorter duration to candidates on the reserve list.
The monthly basic salary is € 6,228.81. This includes the local weighting that adjusts salaries to the cost of living in Amsterdam compared to Brussels. This salary is subject to deduction of Community tax, health insurance and pension contribution.
EMA offers a final-salary pension scheme and worldwide medical insurance.
In addition to the basic salary, the jobholder may be entitled to various additional allowances, including family allowance, education allowance for dependent children of school age, and expatriation allowance. Relocation and resettlement allowances may also be available upon entry into employment.
A more detailed overview of the various allowances and entitlements is available at careers website.
this job offer is not open for applications
European Medicines Agency
this job offer is not open for applications