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Executive Assistant (full-time)
The European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA) was created in 1981 on the occasion of the first European Council held in Maastricht and is supported by the EU Member States and the European Commission. Our core mission is to provide a mix of deep insights and practical knowledge about EU policies, to all professionals related to EU public affairs, with the key objective of further improving their skills and capabilities for effective management of the policies. In addition to the Maastricht-based headquarters, EIPA has a centre in Luxembourg: the European Centre for Judges and Lawyers (ECJL).
The position
We are looking for a very experienced and highly organised Executive Assistant to provide expert support to the EIPA’s Director-General. This is a challenging and dynamic position that requires a senior professional capable of handling complex tasks, managing multiple priorities, and ensuring seamless operations for the management team. The ideal candidate will be responsible for optimising the time and resources of EIPA’s Director-General and Management Team by coordinating schedules, organising meetings, handling correspondence, and ensuring the smooth flow of internal and external communications. EIPA’s Management Team (MT) consists of the Director-General (DG), the Director of Finance and Organisation (DFO), the Programme Director, and the Director of the Luxembourg office. This role reports to the Director-General.
This opening has arisen due to the upcoming retirement of the current job holder in autumn. The timing presents an excellent opportunity for on-the-job coaching and knowledge transfer, ensuring a smooth transition for the incoming Executive Assistant.
Main tasks and responsibilities
First point of contact:
- Serve as the right hand and trusted person to the DG, as well as first point of contact for internal and external inquiries for the DG and the MT.
- Support the Board of Governors (BoG):
- Administrative support of the BoG, Chair, and Vice-Chair: meetings minutes and reports, members mandates renewal, and official appointment coordination with Member States.
- Organisation of the meetings of the BoG: invitations, correspondence, agenda, travel and accommodation booking, catering, and rooms booking.
Agenda:
- Plan, manage, and coordinates the agenda of the DG.
- Plan, manage, and monitor the agenda of the Management Team’s monthly meetings, ensuring optimal use of time.
- Track internal and external agreements and ensure compliance, drawing attention to important deadlines and requirements.
- Coordinate schedules and meetings, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities.
Correspondence:
- Ensure correct and professional drafting and communication, respecting protocol and house style.
- Coordinate the drafting and routing of correspondence, and update distribution lists as needed.
Communication:
- Handle questions independently when possible and ensure timely and accurate follow-up based on specific agreements.
- Handle and prioritise incoming and outgoing telephone calls, mail, and email traffic for EIPA DG.
- Ensure the timely follow-up of inquiries and communications.
- Facilitate effective communication with the Board of Governors and other senior stakeholders, ensuring their inquiries and correspondence are managed with the highest level of professionalism and discretion.
Document management:
- Managing and organising both physical and digital files for easy access. This includes maintaining important documents like contracts, reports, and presentations.
- Document preparation: drafting, editing, and proofreading documents such as reports, letters, presentations, and memos for the management team.
- Record keeping: ensuring that records are accurate, up-to-date, and properly filed.
Meeting and event coordination:
- Organise and prepare internal and external meetings, including logistics, agenda, and follow-up.
- Collect, distribute, and prepare meeting documents, ensuring efficient and accurate execution of meetings.
- Provide reports and follow-up to ensure key actions are taken.
Organisational assistance:
- Provide administrative support for EIPA’s DG, DFO, and Programme Director such as plan and organise (foreign) trips, manage room reservations, and coordinate facility services and activities.
Job requirements
The successful candidate ideally has:
- Higher education in a field relevant to the position (Bachelor level).
- At least 10 years of proven experience as a Executive Assistant or in a similar role.
- Outstanding organisational and time-management skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with attention to detail.
- Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion, diplomacy, and professionalism.
- Strong problem-solving abilities and ability to work independently.
- Native Dutch or English, with fluency in the other language, as well as a conversational level of French are required. Additional languages are a plus, e.g. German.
- Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel, and Teams) is essential for efficiently managing communication, documentation, and collaboration tasks.
- Experience working in the public sector and/or a European organisation is an added value.
Personal competences
- Proactive, reliable, and able to prioritise tasks efficiently.
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work well with various stakeholders.
- Demonstrates a proactive approach to ensuring tasks are handled with care, efficiency, and professionalism.
- Flexible and adaptable, able to handle challenging situations with calmness and efficiency, maintaining focus and professionalism.
Are you interested?
If you are an experienced and dedicated professional with a proven ability to provide strategic administrative support at the executive level, and eager to contribute to the success of a dynamic management team, we invite you to apply for the position of Executive Assistant. Please send your CV and motivation letter in English by email via recruitment@eipa.eu for the attention of Ms. An Cazaerck mentioning the vacancy number V0269 as a reference. We look forward to reviewing your application.
Applications will be reviewed systematically, with selection interviews potentially commencing before the final deadline of 1 April 2025. We encourage interested candidates to submit their applications early.
For more information about the job content, please contact Ms Manon Damoiseaux via email at m.damoiseaux@eipa.eu. For all other inquiries, you can reach out to the recruitment team at recruitment@eipa.eu.
Starting date to be mutually agreed, although we would like the new colleague to start on 1 September 2025 at the latest.
In the body of the email, please copy in: “I hereby consent that my personal data is processed by EIPA for recruitment purposes” so that we have your written consent to follow up on your application.
The European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA) commits to equal opportunities for all employees and applicants. We strive to fostering gender equality and eliminating discrimination in all its forms.
Our vision is to cultivate an inclusive environment where every staff member feels valued, empowered to excel, and has the opportunity to develop their full potential. We believe that a diverse workforce drives innovation, enhances problem-solving capabilities, and contributes to our organisational success. EIPA is dedicated to implementing fair and equitable recruitment practices, ensuring that our selection process reflects our core values of inclusivity and mutual respect.