Group Leader Front Office

Contract length: 5 years (renewable)
Location: Stockholm
Indicative number of candidates to be employed: 1

Is this job for you?  

You will work in the IT Operations section in the Digital Transformation Services unit.

Reporting to the Head of Section IT Operations, you will be part of a team of approximately 40 people (both staff and consultants). 

As the Group Leader Front Office, you will lead a team of 4 staff members and 12 consultants responsible for user support, digital workplace and audio-visual services.

In this position, you will have a wide variety of tasks that will give you the opportunity to:

• Line manage staff, lead, plan and organise the work of the team;
• Own and lead the following service areas: User support, Digital Workplace, and Audio-Visual services. Ensure business continuity and disaster recovery solutions;
• Act as Project Manager for relevant initiatives to deliver high-quality results within the identified objectives and constraints, ensuring the effective use of the allocated resources;
• Ensure the following ECDC practices (ref: ITIL 4 practices): Service Level Management, Service Desk, Incident Management, Service Request Management, Problem Management, IT Asset Management and Software Asset Management, Service Design, and Service Catalogue Management. Actively contribute to Information Security Management, and Measurement and Reporting;
• Procure relevant IT equipment, software licenses, and services for the areas and practices listed above in accordance with EU rules and regulations;
• Act as Service Level Manager to negotiate and document Service Level Agreements with relevant counterparts. Monitor the overall performance of ECDC’s external service provider / team of consultants for the service areas and practices listed above against service level targets, in close collaboration with the contractor’s service manager;
• Lead the team’s continual improvement process, reviewing several established metrics and feedback mechanisms. Apply strategic thinking, strong communication and business analysis skills, and a solid understanding of relevant technologies, as well as knowledge of the software development lifecycle. Adapt to changing needs as well as identify new needs and industry trends that may add value to ECDC. Strive towards high satisfaction – both user and customer satisfaction;
• Define standards and guidelines for the service areas and practices listed above, in close collaboration with relevant stakeholders. Lead the “IT User Forum Working Group” with representatives from across ECDC;
• Deputise for the Head of Section when required;
• Contribute to other activities of ECDC as required, within your field of expertise.

What are we looking for?

Formal requirements

For your application to be considered eligible you must fulfil all the following requirements by the application deadline:

• A level of post-secondary education of at least 3 years attested by a diploma and at least 9 years of professional experience after that diploma; or a level of secondary education attested by a diploma giving access to post-secondary education and at least 12 years of professional experience after that diploma;
• Thorough knowledge of one of the official EU languages and a satisfactory knowledge of another official EU language to the extent necessary for the performance of his/her duties;
• Nationality of one of the EU Member States or of Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and to be entitled to your full rights as a citizen;
• To have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable laws on military service;
• Meet the character requirements for the duties involved; and
• Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post.

Selection criteria

For your application to be evaluated further, you will also need:

• At least 6 years, (following the award of the diploma), of recent, hands-on  professional experience acquired in positions relevant to the job description;
• Proven experience in managing a team and in coordinating tasks and work areas;
• Financial management experience: preparing forecasts, budgets and the management of supplier transactions, including procurement;
• Proven hands-on experience of IT Service Management;
• Very good knowledge of best practices for IT Service Management (e.g. ITIL certification);
• Good understanding of the functions of Service Management Tools, e.g. ServiceNow IT Service Management (ITSM);
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken.

Additionally, we will assess the following competencies:

• Ability to empower, motivate and lead others;
• Excellent communication skills and capacity to communicate clearly and present complex matters in a simple way;
• High level of service and customer orientation. Ability to turn a negative situation into a positive perception;
• Capacity to function and manage under crisis situations;
• Project management skills: Ability to plan, coordinate, organise and prioritise;
• Ability to monitor progress of work and organise reviews – both for individual team members as well as for an external service provider;
• Strong sense of initiative, responsibility & integrity, as well as an open, constructive and positive mindset.

Depending on the number of applications received, the selection committee may apply stricter requirements within the aforementioned selection criteria.

Why ECDC ?

You will play an active role in making a tangible difference in public health. 

At ECDC you will join a team of more than 400 colleagues with diverse backgrounds and professions who work together for the common goal of helping countries to prevent and respond to outbreaks and public health threats. Every position at ECDC plays an important part, and we cooperate closely for our collective goals. 

ECDC is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all suitably qualified candidates without any distinction on grounds of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnic or social origin, religion or belief. 

As an ECDC staff member, you will have the chance to on or support initiatives impacting the health and well-being of people in Europe. 

You will be joining ECDC at interesting times. In October 2022, the European Parliament endorsed an extended mandate that will allow ECDC to adopt a stronger role in supporting EU Member States in the prevention and control of infectious disease threats and improve European preparedness and response. This includes real-time surveillance systems, mobilising an EU Health Task Force to assist local responses in Member States and building a network of EU reference laboratories.

What can we offer you

We offer a competitive salary and a range of benefits, including flexible work arrangements such as teleworking and flexible working hours, health insurance and learning opportunities. 

Depending on your experience, the monthly basic salary usually starts at € 6 758,53 and may be supplemented by various allowances including, as applicable, expatriation and/or generous family allowances. Salary is exempt from national tax and instead an Agency tax is deducted. We also provide financial support when relocating to Stockholm.

Our benefits package is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and we are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive work environment that values the well-being of our employees. 

Learn more about the benefits of joining ECDC

How does our selection process work?

Our selection process takes, on average, three months from the application deadline. All selection processes include a remote written test and a video conference interview; some selection processes may include additional steps.

After a candidate has been selected for the position, additional shortlisted candidates can be placed on a reserve list. The reserve list may be used when ECDC needs to fill similar positions at the same level in the future. The reserve list is valid until 31 December 2027 and may be extended.

See an overview of the different steps in the selection process and see the ECDC-candidate-guide.pdf (europa.eu) for a detailed explanation of the selection and recruitment process. 

When starting a new contract under the EU staff regulations, all new staff must successfully complete a probationary period of nine months.

How does our selection process work?

To apply for this vacancy, please create/ log in to your ECDC e-recruitment user account.

See detailed instructions on how to apply.

Please submit your application well ahead of the deadline in case of technical issues and/or heavy traffic on the website. After submitting your application, you will receive an automatic email message confirming receipt of your application. Ensure that the email address you provide for your applicant account is correct and that you check your email regularly.

ECDC does not accept applications submitted after the deadline or applications submitted by email, mail or any other means.

 Only candidates selected for interviews will be notified. You can see the progress of the selection process from within your e-recruitment account. 

Translations of this vacancy notice in all EU languages can be obtained  by using the automatic translation function on this website.

Note:  While this vacancy notice can be translated into all official EU languages from its English original, the language of day-to-day operations in the Agency is generally English. ECDC therefore prefers to receive the application in English.

Disclaimer: Please note that in the event of any differences in meaning or interpretation between the original English version of this content and a translation, the original English version takes precedence

We welcome your application!