Project Manager

Is this job for you?  

You will work in the Business Information Systems group, part of the Digital Solutions section, in the Digital Transformation Services (DTS) unit. To find out more about what the unit does, visit https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/about-us/ecdcs-organisational-structure.

What will you do? 

Reporting to the Group Leader of the Business Information Systems group, you will be part of a team of approximately 5 people supporting the Centre’s work related to managing complex projects in the IT domain and driving Digital Transformation through IT developments. You will also contribute to the Centre’s objectives by leading product development teams and you will advise and support business owners in their project governance roles.  

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

• Coordinate and manage IT projects and products through all phases of the life cycle from conception, development, testing and implementation to the deployment and maintenance; 
• Contribute to the DTS Unit’s objectives, to the elaboration of the annual and multiannual work plans and to their implementation;
• Produce and update the projects/products deliverables and general documentation, according to agreed deadlines and DTS quality standards;
• Manage the projects’ financial resources, coordinate the work of the project team members, planning and scheduling, according to business needs, and coordinate the project team activities;
• Develop projects’ detailed work plans including work breakdown structures;
• Be the business owners’ focal point for the follow up of the projects/products assigned;
• Estimate the projects/products maintenance resource requirements in cooperation with the project team and group leaders/responsible service providers;
• Manage the projects/products maintenance-related service contracts with external service providers and internal stakeholders, and manage risks in a solution-oriented and facilitating manner;
• Provide strategic direction to external contractors and monitor the quality of their work;
• Implement DTS quality processes and project methodologies in all projects/products and comply with the section’s reporting requirements and Standard Operating Procedures;
• Manage product changes, third level support and corrective maintenance and prepare service contracts in cooperation with the project team and external service providers;
• Solve issues primarily and escalate if necessary, to line manager, proposing potential solutions;
• Understand and facilitate technical discussions, limitations, and opportunities and build good and collaborative relationships with business stakeholders and project team members;
• Perform or support business analysis tasks, as needed, and contribute to other activities of ECDC, as required. 

What are we looking for?

A. 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 of at least 3 years attested by a diploma[1];
• 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[2];
• 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[3]; 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.

B. Selection criteria

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

• At least 3 years, (following the award of the diploma), of recent, hands-on professional experience acquired in positions relevant to the job description;
• Knowledge of project/programme management methodologies (e.g. PMBOK, PRINCE2, PM², SAFe, Agile/DevOps) and best practices demonstrated by practical experience in IT projects with a Project Management certification;
• Experience in working with external providers of software development and/or maintenance;
• Experience in procurement and/or contract management of IT services;
• Experience with business analysis and, ideally, with hands on software development and/or solution architecture;
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken.

Additionally, we will assess the following competencies:

• Quality-driven and results-orientated;
• Ability to organize and plan, foresee difficulties and propose mitigations;
• Team player and excellent conflict management skills;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Ability to work under pressure;
• High level of service orientation. 

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. 

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 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 5,013.797 € and is supplemented by various allowances, including as applicable expatriation and/or generous family allowances. Salary is exempt from national tax, 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 here: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/about-ecdc/work-ecdc/staff-positions/what-we-offer

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 2025 and may be extended.

Visit https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/about-us/work-with-us/internal-procedure-recruitment-selection for 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 here: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/Candidate-E-recruitment-user-guide.pdf

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!