The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), established in 1956, is a multilateral development bank with a unique social mandate. The CEB works to strengthen social cohesion and build thriving communities in Europe by financing projects that promote inclusive growth, support vulnerable groups and bolster environmental sustainability.

In November 2022, CEB signed a Guarantee Agreement with the European Commission to become an Implementing Partner under the InvestEU Fund. In January 2023, the CEB signed a Contribution Agreement to become an Advisory Partner under the InvestEU Advisory Hub. The InvestEU Advisory Hub complements the InvestEU Fund by supporting the identification, preparation and development of investment projects across the European Union.

The CEB is seeking an Advisory Hub Officer to join the Loans & Social Development Directorate, Grant Operations and New Instruments Division. The selected candidate will support the CEB in the administrative management and oversight of the CEB InvestEU Advisory Hub grant from the European Commission, which includes four initiatives in predominantly social sectors (e.g. social inclusion, housing, education, migration and health). She/he will work on all four initiatives, coordinating advisory support and services, and working on procurement documentation, design, and review of delivered advisory support. The role will entail collaboration and cooperation with various CEB Directorates and Divisions and particularly with the Technical Assessment and Monitoring Directorate as well as the Loans and Social Development Projects Division.

The selected candidate will work as a member of a team, maintaining and building upon CEB’s close cooperation with the European Union, reporting to the team lead and to the Head of Division.

Main Responsibilities:

Processing advisory requests and commissioning market development studies

• Process advisory requests initiated by CEB staff and from CEB potential borrowers and beneficiaries, as well as the advisory requests received through the InvestEU Advisory Hub central entry point for project promoters and intermediaries seeking advisory support and technical assistance.
• Prepare information packages in liaison with relevant CEB services on the proposed advisory initiative assignment for approval to the European Commission.
• Liaise with CEB services, most prominently with the Technical Assessment and Monitoring Directorate as well as with the Loans and Social Development Projects Division, for the allocation of the advisory requests to relevant CEB staff.
• Commission market development studies on the sectors under the Social Investment and Skills Window (SISW) of the InvestEU Fund by working jointly with Country Managers and CEB technical experts.

Contracting technical assistance for the InvestEU Advisory Hub

• Support the drafting of the Terms of Reference and all other contractual documentation for consultants, in coordination with the Office of the General Counsel, Technical Assessment and Monitoring Directorate and other relevant Directorates and Divisions.
• Draft procurement documentation for a competitive selection of consultants, in collaboration with the CEB Procurement Division.
• Draft Grant Agreements with target beneficiaries for their procurement of services.
• Prepare the documentation required for a competitive process for the selection of grant beneficiaries.

Management of external technical assistance

• Coordinate consultants’ deliverables and manage payment requests. Ensure deliverables are timely and meet ToR requirements of expected quality, in liaison with relevant CEB services. Connect, when contracted by CEB, external consultants with the beneficiaries of technical assistance. Process payment requests in collaboration with relevant CEB services.
• Contribute to the review of the outputs of the market development studies. Organize a presentation/s on the deliverables of consultants ensuring a broad dissemination of results.
• Together with relevant CEB technical experts, monitor progress of activities through regular meetings with consultants and relevant stakeholders and through field visits as needed.
• Organise and prepare the agenda and documentation for high-level steering, technical and other project coordination meetings.

Management of communication and visibility activities

• Prepare the package (terms of reference, budget template) according to CEB procurement rules and with the support of CEB Procurement Division, for the selection of a communication and visibility contractor to contribute to making the InvestEU’s objectives known, understood and shared by the largest possible number of stakeholders and by the general public.
• Monitor and manage the deliverables of the selected communication contractor, in collaboration with the CEB Communication Division.
• Ensure coordination with the European Commission on all major communication activities, such as events organized around the signature/start/end of Advisory Hub initiatives.
• Prepare inputs on the activities of the Advisory Hub initiatives and activities to the section dedicated to the InvestEU of the CEB website, in collaboration with the CEB Communication Division.

Reporting

• Prepare, in coordination with relevant CEB services, key performance and management indicators, and review consistency with Advisory Hub reporting methodology.
• Collect and record information in the electronic exchange system for the electronic management of advisory requests, assignments and their reporting (the Management Information System or “MIS”).
• Compile high quality and on time progress and final reports for submission to the European Commission.

Academic background:

• Master’s degree, or equivalent, in social sciences, economics, business and administration, or related field.

Professional background:

• Experience in drafting terms of reference and management of technical assistance.
• Strong drafting skills. Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to establish effective working relationships quickly.
• Strong organizational skills and a demonstrated ability to plan, coordinate and establish priorities.
• Strong conceptual and acquisition skills in development project/programme environment.
• Understanding of development banking, grant co-financing and technical assistance is an advantage.
• Experience from another international organisation, in particularly from EU institutions, is an advantage.

Language skills:

• Excellent written and oral command of English (one of the Bank’s two official languages) and knowledge of French (the other official language), with a commitment to reach a good working level.
• Knowledge of one or more other Member country language(s) is an advantage.

Core competencies:

• Adaptability
• Client Orientation
• Communication
• Innovation
• Result Orientation
• Team Work

Nationality:

• Citizen of one of the Bank’s Member States: Albania, Andorra, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye.

1) The CEB offers an initial 1-year temporary appointment starting as soon as possible with, under certain conditions, the possibility of renewal up to a maximum of 24 months.

2) Grade and salary:

• A2
• Depending on level of experience, monthly salary range starts at EUR 7 160 plus allowances based on eligibility, exempt of French income tax.
• Appointment may be made at a lower grade, based on the qualifications and professional experience of the selected applicant.
• Grades are established without any discrimination (including gender discrimination).

For more information, please consult the CEB Basic Salary Scale in section 5. Benefits of the CEB website.

The CEB welcomes the applications of all qualified candidates who are nationals of CEB Member States.

The CEB is committed to workplace gender equality and strives to ensure the recruitment of suitably qualified and experienced staff without regard to their gender, as well as their age, racial or ethnic origin, religion or beliefs, sexual orientation/identity, or disability.

The CEB has obtained the EDGE gender equality certification and is strongly committed to increase its share of female senior staff members. Hence, qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

In order to minimise bias, our selection processes include steps such as digitally recorded interviews, written tests and interactive interviews. Please note that initial steps in the selection process will typically be conducted online (remotely).

Applications from CEB Member States candidates should be made in English or French using the Bank’s online application system at https://ceb.profils.org before midnight Paris time on 30 April 2023.