The Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), based in Brussels, Belgium 
is looking for 

Project Officer
(Contract Agent, Grade FGIV) 

Please send us your application no later than 15/05/2024 at 23:59 (Central European Time/ Brussels time), following the instructions in the ANNEX.

1. About CBE

The Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), a €2 billion partnership between the European Union and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC), funds projects advancing competitive circular bio-based industries in Europe. The partnership is building on the success of its predecessor, the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU), while addressing the current challenges facing the industry.

Shifting from non-renewable fossil raw materials and minerals to circular bio-based production processes is essential to reach the EU’s climate targets as set out in the European Green Deal. Strong, resource-efficient and competitive biobased industries are important drivers of this change. By producing renewable bio-based products and materials from waste and biomass in an innovative, sustainable and circular way, they can contribute significantly to the EU’s climate neutrality target by 2050 while creating jobs and economic growth in regions across Europe.

The role of CBE JU is to bring together various actors from bio-based industries, ranging from farmers to scientists, to solve the technological, regulatory and market challenges of the sector. Its public-private funding scheme boosts innovation and market deployment and paves the way for future investments.

The CBE JU Programme Office is implementing the CBE JU’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) under the leadership of its Executive Director and following the rules of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme. Tasks of the Programme Office include management of calls for project proposals, programme monitoring to administration, financial management, legal control, human resources, and communication.

CBE JU has been established for the 2021-2031 period. The CBE JU’s working language is English. For further information, please consult the CBE JU website: www.cbe.europa.eu

2. Job Description

The Project Officer shall be responsible of the management of a portfolio of projects in their entire project cycle, including dissemination and communication of project results. He/she is involved in the organisation of calls for proposals and their evaluations, and in the grant agreement preparation of the proposals selected for funding. He/she shall deal with the European Union procedures linked to the H2020 and Horizon Europe programmes. He/she shall also support the implementation of other parts of the CBE JU Annual Work Programmes. The post will also entail contacts with Industry and Research Communities, as well the involvement in other horizontal activities linked to the core objectives of the Joint Undertaking. 

The Project Officer shall, in particular, be responsible for:

• Following up the projects’ implementation, monitoring their contractual obligations via the supervision of reporting activities, conducting checks and reviews with the support of external experts, attending project meetings and dealing with Grant Agreement amendment requests;
• Providing reasonable assurance with the "certified correct" that claimed costs are in line with the Grant Agreement and the principles of sound financial management for the projects under his/her responsibility, and that payments are executed timely and according to the Time-to Pay deadlines;
• Ensuring the timely delivery of project results as well as their communication and dissemination;
• Supporting the evaluation of the call for proposals by selecting appropriate experts, actively moderating the consensus meetings of the submitted proposals and preparing the ranking panels for the topics under his/her responsibility;
• Contributing to the Call Coordination process, if needed;
• Ensuring timely preparation of the Grant Agreements with the support of financial and legal staff, leading to Grant Agreement signature in accordance with the rules and respecting the set Time-To-Grant deadlines;
• Contributing to the promotion of CBE JU activities through active participation to info sessions, networking events and other communication events;
• Contributing to the CBE JU annual activity report drafting in areas under his/her direct responsibility;
• Contributing to horizontal activities related to the objectives of CBE JU when requested;
• Execute any other tasks corresponding to the profile and grade, as deemed necessary in the interest of the service. 

3. Eligibility criteria

Candidates will be considered for the selection phase on the basis of the following criteria to be fulfilled by the closing date for applications.

3.1 General conditions

• Be a national of a Member State of the European Union;
• Be entitled to his or her full rights as a citizen (1);
• Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable laws concerning military service;
• Meet the character requirements for the duties involved;
• Have a thorough knowledge of one of the official EU languages and a satisfactory knowledge (at least B2 level) of another of these languages to the extent necessary for the performance of their duties (candidates are invited to specify in their CV any language certificates they have obtained which can demonstrate their language skills);
• Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post (2).

3.2 Education

• Have a level of education(3) which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three (3) years attested by a diploma.

In case you do not fulfil all the eligibility criteria, your application will not be taken into consideration. Eligibility criteria must be fulfilled by the deadline for applications and maintained throughout the selection procedure and appointment.

4. Selection criteria

Candidates selected based on the above eligibility criteria will then be evaluated according to the following selection criteria:

4.1 Essential qualifications and experience

• University studies in a field relevant to the activities of the CBE JU (e.g. Biotechnology, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Materials Science, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Agriculture, Forestry Sciences, Natural Sciences, Life Sciences, etc.);
• Relevant professional experience of at least three years in project management following the award of the diploma;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English (native English speakers will be required to demonstrate the ability to work in a second language at the interview stage).

4.2 Advantageous qualifications and experience

• PhD or post-graduate specialization in a field relevant to the activities of the CBE JU;
• Relevant professional experience in the bio-based sector;
• Professional experience in managing research programs at EU level (particularly H2020, Horizon Europe), at national or international level;
• Professional experience in a similar position (project or programme manager) in a European institution.

4.3 Behavioural competences

• High motivation – open and positive attitude;
• Ability to establish and develop good inter-personal relations with a broad range of stakeholders in cross-cultural environments;
• Excellent analytical, planning and organizational skills;
• Ability to work under pressure, deliver results, and respect deadlines;
• Sense of initiative, responsibility, commitment and team spirit.

In order to be evaluated in the best possible way, candidates are invited to be as detailed and as clear as possible when describing their professional experience, specific skills and competences in their application form.

5. Appointment and reserve list

The Executive Director of the Joint Undertaking will select the successful candidate and offer the post. A binding commitment can only be made after the verification of all conditions and will take the form of a contract signed by the Executive Director.

The reserve list will be used in order to fill vacant positions within the CBE JU.

Candidates should note that inclusion on the reserve list does not guarantee recruitment. Recruitment will be based on availability of posts and budget.

The reserve list for this post will be valid until 31 December 2025 and may be extended at the discretion of the Appointing Authority of the CBE JU.

6. Deadline for applications

Candidates need to submit their application using the CBE JU online application tool no later than 15/05/2024 at 23:59 (Central European Time/ Brussels time), following the instructions in the ANNEX.

7. Conditions of employment

The place of employment will be Brussels, where the Joint Undertaking premises are located.

The successful candidate will be recruited as a Contract Agent FGIV, pursuant to Article 3(a) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities, for a period of three (3) years. After an evaluation of the job holder's performance, and subject to budget availability, the term of office may be extended. The period of engagement will not in any case exceed the lifetime of the CBE JU.

Candidates should note the requirement under the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants for all new staff to complete successfully a probationary period. The pay of staff members consists of a basic salary supplemented with specific allowances, including expatriation or family allowances. The provisions guiding the calculation of these allowances can be consulted in the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants available at the following address: http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:1962R0031:20140101:EN:PDF.

Important Note

Candidates are kindly advised to read the ANNEX that represents an integral part of this vacancy and provides information on how to complete the application, the steps of the selection process and appeal procedures.

1. Prior to the appointment, the successful candidate will be asked to provide a certificate of good conduct, confirming the absence of any criminal record.
2. Prior to the appointment, the successful candidate shall be medically examined by one of the European Institutions' medical officers in order that CBE JU may be satisfied that he/she fulfils the requirement of article 28 (e) of the Staff Regulations of the Officials of the European Communities.
3. Only qualifications issued by EU Member State authorities and qualifications recognised as equivalent by the relevant EU Member State authorities will be accepted. Any academic qualification mentioned in the application form shall be duly supported by evidence (original or certified copies of e.g. diplomas, certification, etc.). In instances where diplomas are obtained from a non-EU Member State, CBE JU may request the candidate to provide a relevant document of comparability issued by a recognised authority.