Head of Section Science and Public Health Communication

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 Science and Public Health section in the Scientific Evident and Communication (SEC) unit.

Reporting to the Chief Scientist, you will be part of a team of approximately 13 people. The Section contributes to the Centre’s mission of communicating ECDC science-based recommendations to the target audiences, promoting European public health and raising ECDC’s visibility through targeted science and corporate communication and adapted channels.

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

• Lead the work of all ECDC communication activities (external, internal, corporate, risk communication);
• Line manage staff within the section and manage the implementation of the section´s work plan and budget;
• In close collaboration with operational units of the Centre and with the Policy Coordination and Strategic Affairs section in the Director’s Office, develop and implement ECDC’s overarching communication strategy, including external, corporate and internal communication, in line with ECDC’s strategy;
• Align communication priorities with ECDC’s scientific output, risk assessment, and public health goals, also during public health crisis;
• Lead on translation of scientific evidence into communication messages, e.g. through European health campaigns (the annual European Antibiotic Awareness Days, etc.);
• Support the European Commission and the Member States in the area of risk and crisis communication in the context of the Regulation 2022/2371 on serious cross-border threats to health;
• Lead on engagement initiatives with ECDC communication stakeholders and support the development of ‘communities of practice’ in the areas of communication;
• Represent ECDC in EU and international networks and meetings related to communication;
• Contribute to other activities of ECDC as required, within your field of competence.

Administrative and operational tasks in the job mostly relate to developing public procurement procedures for outsourcing research and analysis tasks, such as scientific studies and technical reports, providing strategic direction to external contractors and monitoring the quality of their work.

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 education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is 4 years or more, or a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least 1 year when the normal period of university education is at least 3 years[1];
• At least 9 years of professional experience[2] (following the award of the 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 your duties[3];
• 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[4]; and
• Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post.

You will need to provide appropriate documents to show that you meet all of the above criteria.

Selection criteria

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

• At least 8 years of recent professional experience (following the award of the diploma) acquired in positions relevant to the job description, with at least 5 years of experience within the area of communication, preferably in the field of public health communication;
• Experience in developing and implementing communication plans, including to increase the visibility of an organisation;
• Excellent knowledge, understanding and experience of using a broad range of both traditional and new social media for effective and proactive communication;
• Experience in management, including managing a team, assessing performance, work planning and responsibility for budget implementation;
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken.

Additionally, we will assess the following competencies:

• Excellent communication skills with a strong aptitude to engage and enthuse;
• Proactive and goal-oriented;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to deal with people effectively, respectfully and courteously; ability to build productive and cooperative working relationships internally and with external stakeholders;
• Excellent managerial skills, including coaching and managing performance and strong ability to lead and motivate others;
• High degree of political awareness, multicultural awareness and ability to work in an international setting;
• Strong organisational skills, a structured approach to tasks and ability to prioritise.

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 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. Women are currently under-represented in management functions and to achieve a better gender balance, we strongly encourage women to apply for this vacancy.

As an ECDC staff member, you will have the chance to own 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 health insurance, learning opportunities and flexible work arrangements such as flexible working hours and teleworking in the Stockholm area for part of the week. Additionally, you can work up to 10 days a year from outside the Stockholm area.

Depending on your experience, the monthly basic salary usually starts at € 8 651.92 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 2026 and may be extended.

Overview of the different steps in the selection process.

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 do you apply?

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

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!