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 initiatives in predominantly social sectors (e.g. social inclusion, housing, education, migration and health). She/he will coordinate advisory support and services and work 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 Directorate.

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

Main Responsibilities:

Processing advisory requests 

• 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.
• Elaborate and develop advisory projects by liaising with CEB services, most prominently with the Loans and Social Development Projects Directorate, as well as with Technical Assessment and Monitoring Directorate.
• Prepare information packages in liaison with relevant CEB services on the proposed advisory initiative assignment for approval to the European Commission and CEB internal committees.

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. If required by the project leader, participate in the evaluation committees of each competitive process.

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. Process payment requests in collaboration with relevant CEB services.
• Together with relevant CEB technical experts, monitor progress of activities through regular meetings with consultants and relevant stakeholders and through field visits as needed.

Management of communication and visibility activities

• 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

• Organise and prepare the agenda and documentation for high-level steering, technical and other project coordination meetings. 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 2-year appointment (including a one-year probationary period) with the possibility of renewal one or more times up to six years.

2) Grade and salary:

• A2 / A3
• Depending on level of experience, monthly salary range starts between 7 312,36  € and 9 023,03 €, 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.

As an international organisation, CEB remuneration is exempt of income tax in France. In addition, our offer includes allowances* and medical and personal insurance.

* Benefits determined by personal situation:

• basic family allowance

• expatriation

• dependent child supplement

• additional dependent child supplement for a single-parent family

• supplement for a disabled and dependent parent

• supplements for a disabled or severely disabled child

• education allowance (children) for expatriate staff members

• installation allowance and reimbursement of travel and removal expenses

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

The CEB rigorously applies the principle of equal pay for equivalent work. We are committed to workplace gender equality and strive 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. In line with peer international financial institutions, the CEB is EDGE certified (Move level), having demonstrated its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and have been assessed against the highest global standards.

Our selection process includes several steps conducted online, such as digitally recorded interviews, technical assignments and interactive panel interviews.

Applications (CV and cover letter) 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 21 October 2024.