Project Adviser - Innovation Fund

Text of the file "Vacancy notice".

European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), B-1049 Brussels, BELGIUM [email protected]

European Climate, Infrastructure And

Environment Executive Agency (Cinea)

CINEA.A - Programme Support & Resources A.4 – Communication, People and Workplace

Vacancy Notice

Project Adviser - Innovation Fund Contract Agent (Ref. CINEA/2026/CA/FGIV/21) The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) The European Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Executive Agency (CINEA), established in early 2021, is located in Brussels and has a dynamic, dedicated, multinational team of nearly 600 people who are experts in their field. CINEA’s mission is to support the European Commission to boost green growth and clean industry in Europe. To achieve this objective, we manage EU funding for projects in the areas of transport, energy, climate action, environment, maritime fisheries and aquaculture, to the tune of EUR 65 billion over the 2021-2027 period. We do this through high-quality programme management that supports European beneficiaries to achieve ground-breaking results for a cleaner and more sustainable future. Projects that are funded cover a broad range of topics including the innovative and clean technologies, greener infrastructures, and measures to improve sustainability. CINEA closely cooperates with seven Directorates-General of the European Commission (DG Mobility & Transport, DG Energy, DG Research & Innovation, DG Climate Action, DG Environment, DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, and DG Regional and Urban Policy) to manage the following programmes on their behalf:

• The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF): supports high-performing, sustainable and interconnected Trans-European Networks. CINEA manages the fields of Transport and Energy.
• Horizon Europe: the EU’s Research and Innovation programme where CINEA manages the programme’s cluster dedicated to Climate, Energy and Mobility actions and three Missions (Climate adaptation; Oceans, seas and waters; Climate-neutral and smart Cities).
• The Innovation Fund: one of the world's largest funding programmes for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies. It focuses on highly innovative clean technologies and big flagship projects that can bring significant emission and greenhouse gas reductions..
• LIFE Programme: entirely dedicated to environmental, climate and clean energy objectives.
• European Maritime, Aquaculture and Fisheries Fund (EMFAF): provides funding to support the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the Union’s Maritime Policy and the EU’s agenda for international ocean governance.
• The EU Renewable Energy Mechanism: supports the achievement of the EU’s renewable energy targets by increasing investments in production capacity.

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• The Public Sector Loan Facility of the Just Transition Mechanism: A key tool to ensure that the transition towards a climate-neutral economy happens in a fair way, leaving no one behind. Working environment CINEA is based in Brussels. The number of staff is expected to grow further over the coming years and the purpose of this publication is therefore to set up a reserve list, which will be used to cover the growing needs of the Agency. The reserve list may also be used by other Executive Agencies upon agreement between the respective Appointing Authorities. The Agency fosters a culture of employee empowerment and engagement, emphasising collaboration, respect, integrity, trust. equality, diversity, and inclusion The Agency and its staff are committed to a number of core values including innovation, client focus, excellence, well- being, care, work-life balance, sustainability and working together. Creating a sense of belonging is central to the Agency’s culture, which supports skill development and well-being through various initiatives. The Agency's comprehensive onboarding programme, supported by HR, the relevant teams, managers, peers and a buddy system, ensures a smooth integration for new staff. We are excited to welcome new talent to our Agency. More information on CINEA Website: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/index_en X(Twitter): @cinea_eu LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3wtAjwd YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDic9AVxO1PP1SqoKbHMwrA Description of the job The project adviser will be responsible for a portfolio of Innovation Fund projects in the technical domains of Renewable Energy, Energy Storage, Energy Intensive Industries decarbonisation, Hydrogen and/or clean fuels production. The project adviser will work autonomously under the authority of a team leader. They will also collaborate fully with a wider team of colleagues in the Agency and the European Commission. The project adviser will perform tasks related to all stages of the project management cycle, from the evaluation of proposals, the preparation of grant agreements, the monitoring of projects, the assessment of technical and financial reports and reporting the feedback to policy-makers in the European Commission's Directorate-Generals. Further, the project adviser will be actively involved in cross-cutting tasks such as knowledge sharing, continuous improvement of the Innovation Fund design or development of new funding instruments under the programme. Core tasks: + SPECIFIC PROJECT/PROCESS MANAGEMENT - Project and process management
• Prepare, manage and monitor calls for proposals/ tenders, and the evaluation and selection of projects, including the selection of experts and allocation of experts to proposals.
• Prepare grant agreements with beneficiaries.

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• Monitor the fulfilment of contractual obligations (via periodic and, possibly, on-site reviews, audits, reporting and assistance, etc.), with the possible help of external expertise and ensure quality control.
• Coordinate horizontal activities including clustering and networking aspects of the programme and its projects and feedback to Directorates-General of the Commission. + FINANCE - Financial Expenditures
• Maintain an overview of progress and financial expenditures of projects under his/her responsibility, and provide the necessary assurance on the legality and regularity of all transactions.
• Scrutinise the financial aspects of the projects, in particular their financial structuring at the financial close and during implementation and how the project is financed from other sources. Other Tasks: + INTER-SERVICE COORDINATION and CONSULTATION - with other institutions and organisations
• Participate in the co-ordination of activities with external stakeholders to ensure the success of the projects + INTERNAL MANAGEMENT and COORDINATION - within the unit /department /Agency
• Represent the unit in contacts with other units and departments of the Agency.
• Coordinate specific horizontal activities within the unit, departments, and Agency.
• Contribute to administrative development of the management process within the unit.
• Coordinate activities of the unit with other services to respond to inter-service consultations.
• Reply to requests for information from the hierarchy and other services within the Commission, and prepare briefings. + POLICY DEVELOPMENT - Contribution to policy definition
• Contribute to the policy development by the parent DG by providing timely feedback and reporting on project implementation and results. + EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION (general) - Public information (communication and networking)
• Extract and disseminate the state of the art as well as project and programme results and present these at workshops, seminars, conferences and other public events organised either by the Agency, the European Commission or others. + QUALITY MANAGEMENT and EVALUATION - Project evaluation
• Ensure the analysis of the impact of the projects and provide feedback.

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• Ensure the effective dissemination and take up of project results.

Qualifications and experience required A. Eligibility criteria

• Have successfully passed a Contract Agent Selection Tool process (CAST) from the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) in the function group for which you are applying* OR be registered in a CAST Permanent Call for Expression of Interest in function group FGIV ** by the deadline for application of the current vacancy;
• A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma OR, when in a member state of the European Union access to a profession of an equivalent level to function group IV is by State examination, professional training or any other equivalent procedure, the authority authorised to conclude contract of employment may agree to recognize this qualification as being equivalent to a university degree;
• Thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the Communities and a satisfactory knowledge of another EU language to the extent necessary to perform duties.

In addition, in order to be eligible candidates must:

• be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union;
• be entitled to their full rights as citizen;
• meet the appropriate character reference as to their suitability for the performance of their duties;
• have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable laws concerning military service, and;
• be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post. Please note that only candidates that comply with the Eligibility criteria will be considered for further steps of the Selection procedure.

• Candidates must be included in the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) database for contract agents in function group IV and have successfully passed the EPSO selection tests for that function group. Please note that candidates who are on a valid EPSO list published in 2010 (CAST2010) are eligible on the condition they have successfully passed the complementary tests (DB3), as an Annex to the selection procedure CAST2010. The candidates concerned are invited to consult the letter they received from EPSO for further information. ** In the context of the calls for expression of interest EPSO/CAST/P/2017 FGIV procedures 1 , your application will be considered only if you have completed and validated the online application form by the deadline for application to the current vacancy 2 . The

1 EPSO tests | EU Careers (europa.eu) 2 Candidate’s application in the EPSO database must be active during the whole duration of the procedure. Candidates are fully responsible for the creation, validation and regular update of their EPSO profile in the relevant function group, otherwise candidates’ details are not or not anymore visible to the recruiting services and they cannot be invited to sit tests. Candidates whose EPSO CAST profile is blocked and therefore cannot be flagged in order to be invited by EPSO

5 pre-selected candidates will be requested by the Agency to undergo the EPSO computer- based reasoning tests. Only candidates that have successfully passed an EPSO CAST selection in FGIV will be invited for an interview.

B. Selection criteria

Essential:

• Professional project management experience;
• Professional technical experience of at least 3 years acquired in one or more of the following technical domains: renewable energy, energy storage deployment and manufacturing, decarbonisation of energy intensive industries including CCS/CCU, hydrogen production and/or clean fuels production;
• A university degree in one or more of the following technical areas: Engineering, Energy, Physics, Chemistry, Geophysics or other related areas;
• Very good oral and written command of English (C1).

Advantageous:

• Professional project management experience of at least 3 years;
• Understanding of the frameworks and procedures of the Innovation Fund;
• Deep understanding of technologies, market dynamics, and regulatory environments across the European Union related to renewable energy, energy storage deployment and manufacturing, decarbonisation of energy intensive industries including CCS/CCU, hydrogen production and/or clean fuels;
• Past working experience in the renewable energy, energy storage deployment and manufacturing, decarbonisation of energy intensive industries including CCS/CCU, hydrogen production and/or clean fuels;
• Experience with innovative projects, including their financial structuring and project risks management.

Personal qualities essential for the position (evaluated during the interview):

• High degree of organisational skills and ability to work under pressure;
• Good interpersonal and communication skills;
• Proven ability to work as a team member;
• Ability to appreciate and follow priorities.

After having been preselected by the Selection Committee, the Agency will invite for an interview the best candidates that have successfully passed an EPSO CAST in the relevant function group, with a maximum of 30 candidates invited to the interview.

Appointment and conditions of employment The jobholder will be assigned on the basis of a shortlist proposed by the selection committee. Prior to the engagement of the staff the Agency may request references from former employers and reserves the right to contact them. The jobholder will be recruited as contract staff, in function group IV, pursuant to Article 3a of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities (CEOS).

to undergo an EPSO computer-based reasoning test in the required function group will be considered as not eligible regardless of the relevance of their CV.

6 The basic monthly salary within this function group will depend on the number of years of relevant professional experience at appropriate level (in function group IV, either grade 13, grade 14 or grade 16). Beside the basic salary the jobholder might receive special allowances (e.g. child allowance, school allowance, expatriate allowance). The jobholder will serve a probation period of nine months. The initial contract will be for a duration of 1 year. Afterwards, the contract may be renewed for 1 additional year. If the contract is renewed again, it shall be concluded for an indefinite period ( 3 ). The place of employment will be Brussels where the Agency has its activities. For further information on the legal framework of contract agents see the web site of the Directorate-General for Human Resources and Security (DG HR) on the internet at http://eur- lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:1962R0031:20140101:EN:PDF Equal opportunities The European Union institutions apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept applications without discrimination on the grounds of 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 or sexual orientation.

Application procedure For applications to be valid, candidates must submit:

• a detailed curriculum vitae, preferably in EU CV format 4 ;
• a letter of motivation, including their views on the proposed position (2 pages maximum), and with an indication of the relevant technical domain out of those indicated in this vacancy.

Please merge the CV and Motivation letter in 1 single document, the file should have the follow- ing name structure SURNAME_CV + ML.

Your CAST application ID number, the reference of CAST call and the name of the post must be mentioned in your CV and motivation letter. Please note that both CV and the motivation letter form an essential basis for the pre- selection decision. Applications may only be submitted through the eRecruitment system on our website at Job Opportunities - European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency Closing date: Applications must be sent no later than 22 nd October 2026 at 12:00 (noon). Applicants are strongly advised to submit their applications well in advance of the deadline, since heavy internet traffic or fault with the internet connection could lead to difficulties in last-minute

(3) The contract is concluded for an indefinite period subject to the conditions set out in Article 7 of Decision SC (2017) 6760. Therefore, without prejudice to the second paragraph of Article 7 of the employment contract, the contract will automatically expire if the Agency's lifetime is not extended.

4 EU CV format available on: https://europa.eu/europass/eportfolio/screen/profile-wizard?lang=en

7 submission. CINEA cannot be held responsible for any delay related to internet connection issues. Supporting documents showing evidence of the provided information may be requested at a later stage. Candidates are invited to apply in English to facilitate the selection process. In no circumstances should candidates approach the Selection Committee themselves, either directly or indirectly concerning this recruitment. The authority habilitated to conclude contracts reserves itself the right to disqualify any candidate who disregards this instruction.

Selection procedure Oral test (30 min) Interview with the Selection Committee in English to assess:

• your suitability to carry out the duties of a Project Adviser – Innovation Fund
• your knowledge and experience in the domains listed in this vacancy notice
• your communication, inter-personal and problem-solving skills,
• your general knowledge about the CINEA and related policies,
• your motivation and your ability to adjust to working as a Contractual Agent in a multicultural environment. This test will be marked out of 100 (pass mark: 60). Applicants receiving the minimum score and above (60 out of 100), will be included in a reserve list of suitable candidates. This list may be shared with other Executive Agencies. Please note that inclusion in the reserve list does not guarantee recruitment. The Agency may have a second interview with the candidates in the reserve list prior to the recruitment. If the recruitment unit/department considers that writing skills need to be tested, a written test could be included in the procedure as part of the second interview. The test would not be scored and will be used as an additional source of information for taking the final decision on the candidate to be recruited. Please note that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or any other external assistance during the written test and/or interview is strictly prohibited. Any candidate found to be in breach of this rule will be disqualified from the selection process and their application will not be considered further. Information to candidates An acknowledgement of receipt will be sent to all candidates by email to confirm the reception of their application. All candidates will be informed in due time about the status of their application, i.e. whether they are invited for the selection phase described above or not. These notifications will be sent via email only. Candidates may request clarifications about the processing of their application by sending an email quoting the reference of the vacancy notice concerned, to the following address: CINEA- [email protected]

8 Means of Redress A. Request for review

Candidates may request a review of any decision taken by the Selection Committee that establishes their results and/or determines whether they can proceed to the next stage of the selection procedure or are excluded. Requests for review may be based on:

• a material irregularity in the selection process; and/or
• non-compliance, by the Selection Committee, with the Staff Regulations, the vacancy notice of the selection procedure, its annexes and/or case law. Candidates are not allowed to challenge the validity of the Selection Committee’s assessment of the quality of their performance in a test or the relevance of qualifications and professional experience. This assessment is a value judgment made by the Selection Committee and disagreement with the Selection Committee’s evaluation of tests, experience and/or qualifications does not prove that it has made an error. Requests for review submitted on this basis will not lead to a positive outcome.

Candidates may ask for a request for review within 15 calendar days of the date on the email notifying the rejection of their application, indicating clearly the decision that they wish to contest and on what grounds. The request should be addressed to the Chairman of the Selection Committee, quoting the number of the selection procedure concerned at the following address: [email protected]. Requests received after the deadline will not be taken into account.

Candidates who asked for a request for review will receive an acknowledgment of receipt within 15 working days. The Selection Committee will analyse and decide on the request and candidates will receive a reasoned reply as soon as possible.

B. Other forms of contestation (1) Administrative complaints Candidates may address an administrative complaint under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations to the Director of CINEA acting as the appointing authority.

Candidates may submit a complaint against a decision, or lack thereof, that directly and immediately affects their legal status as a candidate, only if the rules governing the selection procedure have clearly been infringed. The Director of CINEA cannot overturn a value judgment made by a Selection Committee.

Candidates may submit their administrative complaint by contacting CINEA within three months of notification of the contested decision or of the date by which a decision should have been made.

The request, indicating clearly the decision that the candidate wish to contest and on what grounds and quoting the number of the selection procedure concerned, should be sent to the following address: [email protected]. Requests received after the deadline will not be taken into account.

(2) Judicial appeals Candidates may submit a judicial appeal to the General Court, under Article 270 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 91 of the Staff Regulations.

9 Note that appeals against decisions taken by CINEA’s appointing authority rather than by the Selection Committee will not be admissible before the General Court unless an administrative complaint under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations has first been made (see section B.1 Administrative complaints).

For the arrangements for judicial appeals please consult the website of the General Court (http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/).

(3) European Ombudsman Candidates, like all EU citizens and residents, may submit a complaint to the Ombudsman. Before submitting a complaint to the Ombudsman, candidates must first make the appropriate administrative approaches to the institutions and bodies concerned (see section B.1 Administrative complaints).

Making a complaint to the Ombudsman does not extend the deadlines for lodging administrative complaints or judicial appeals.

For the arrangements for complaints to the Ombudsman please consult the website of the European Ombudsman (http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/).

Data protection The purpose of processing of the data submitted by candidates is to manage the applications in view of a possible pre-selection and recruitment at the CINEA. The personal information requested from candidates will be processed in line with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data. Candidates are invited to carefully read the relevant Data Protection Notice available on the dedicated page of CINEA’s website: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/about- us/job-opportunities_en Please note that you have the right to object to the sharing of your personal data with other Executive Agencies. If you wish to object, you can contact CINEA-HR- [email protected]. In such cases, CINEA will ensure that no data of yours is transferred to the central repository of reserve lists.