Senior Specialist – Head of Team – Terrorism Monitoring and Expertise, ECTC Expertise

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT

This selection procedure is intended to establish a reserve list of successful candidates. It is envisaged to start using the reserve list in Q3/Q4 of 2024.Europol retains the right to make use of the reserve list to select candidates for similar posts within the organisation, should business needs require so. Organisational setting: The post of Senior Specialist – Head of Team Terrorism Monitoring & Expertise is located in ECTC Expertise & Stakeholder Management Unit, European Counter Terrorism Centre (ECTC) Department, Operations Directorate. The Operations Directorate deals with the core business of Europol, improving the effectiveness and cooperation of the competent authorities in the Member States (MS) in preventing and combating serious and organised crime, as well as terrorism affecting the MS. This requires close cooperation with the Liaison Bureaux at Europol and via them with the Operational Teams in the MS. Europol delivers a number of products and services to national law enforcement agencies to support them in their fight against international serious and organised crime, as well as terrorism. The Operations Directorate hosts five distinct Departments: Operational and Analysis Centre, European Serious Organised Crime Centre, European Cybercrime Centre, European Counter Terrorism Centre and the European Financial and Economic Crime Centre. The ECTC is responsible for facilitating Counter Terrorism cooperation and Counter Terrorism information exchange among the Counter Terrorism authorities as well as to provide operational analysis. It was established in 2016 with the aim of maximising operational, technical and overall information exchange capabilities in the area of counterterrorism. ECTC strives to ensure added value for EU MS and TPs CT cooperation by providing: 1) an information hub for counter terrorism with strong analysis and information sharing capabilities, effective operational support and expertise for MS and TPs CT investigations 2) proactive mitigation of the use of social media for radicalisation purposes through terrorist/violent extremist online propaganda, also promoting private-public partnerships 3) a central strategic support capability to identify European wide counter-terrorism implications and outreach with relevant international partners. A support office for the ATLAS network (Special Interventions Units) is also set up within ECTC. Purpose of the post: The job holder will be leading the Terrorism Monitoring & Expertise Team, coordinating its staff to contribute to Europol’s activities in the area of counter terrorism, through coordination and delivery of thematic reports/products and strategic products, advice and expertise as well as stakeholder management. Reporting lines: The incumbent reports to the Head of Unit – Expertise & Stakeholder Management. Job environment: This post might require participation in a shift system including weekends and nights as well as on-call duty.

FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES

The incumbent carries out the following main functions and duties: General Head of Team responsibilities Coordinate the work of a group of individuals by effective and efficient planning, prioritisation, and scheduling of tasks and responsibilities; Monitor progress of work in line with key performance indicators; ensure work being produced is of high quality and meets business needs; apply corrective measures where needed; Define and supervise the accurate and timely execution of processes and procedures to ensure adherence to corporate policies, fundamental rights, standards and data protection regulations; Set clear expectations and objectives and direct work towards a common goal; Identify, address and propose resolutions to issues affecting the team; Provide constructive feedback, guidance and support and coach team members; Encourage continuous learning and development of team members; Create an open, honest and inclusive team culture with respect for diversity, where team members are encouraged to perform at their best. Specific responsibilities Ensure the provision of strategic information and support in the context of terrorism, terrorist activity and counter terrorism relevant for European security; Develop and maintain thematic and geographical expertise in the area of counter terrorism and keep abreast of operational, thematic and strategic developments; Liaise and cooperate with relevant stakeholders in order to strengthen the nexus between internal and external as well as operational, thematic and strategic aspects of counter terrorism; Represent Europol at meetings, trainings and other events and deliver presentations, increase awareness and provide expert knowledge and advice in relation to respective crime area; Organise and facilitate trainings, conferences and seminars; Research and draft specific thematic reports, threat assessments and management information reports; Ensure the monitoring of OSINT and drafting of related ad hoc documents; Work closely with the Senior Specialists in the Unit, Department and Senior Analysts in ECTC’s operational units assigned to the Analytical Projects in the specialist areas; Ensure close cooperation, coordination and alignment of strategic and thematic reporting with the other centres at the O directorate especially with the Analysis and Operational Centre; Perform any other duties in the area of competence as assigned by line management.

REQUIREMENTS - ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Eligibility criteria a. Candidates must Be a member of a competent authority within the meaning of the Article 2(a) of the Europol Regulation and enjoy full rights as a citizen of a Member State; Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable laws on military service; Produce appropriate character references as to his or her suitability for the performance of the duties; Be physically fit to perform the duties pertaining to the post as further specified in Article 13 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS); Produce evidence of a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the Union and a satisfactory knowledge of another language of the Union to the extent necessary for the performance of the duties. b. Candidates must have A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is four years or more; OR  A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least one year when the normal period of university education is at least three years; OR Professional training of an equivalent level in a relevant area (e.g. Police Officer’s School) and after having completed the training, at least the number of years of relevant professional experience as indicated below: Duration of professional training Professional experienceMore than 6 months and up to 1 year 4 yearsMore than 1 year and up to 2 years 3 yearsMore than 2 years and up to 3 years 2 yearsMore than 3 years 1 year In addition to the above at least 6 years of total professional work experience gained after the award of the diploma. Selection criteria a. Professional experience  Essential:  Professional experience in the field of counter terrorism, with an international dimension; Professional experience in handling operational and strategic sensitive and classified information and intelligence; Experience in providing operational and policy advice on CT issues; Experience in drafting and reviewing reports of strategic and operational nature; Experience in leading teams.  b. Professional knowledge Essential: Sound knowledge of trends and threats in terrorism and violent extremism with a specific focus on the groups active in the EU; Knowledge of handling operational and strategic information and/or intelligence for the purpose of drafting strategic / policy advice; Knowledge of open sources exploitation, evaluation and handling; Sound knowledge of the law enforcement and/or security service environment and practices, preferably at international level; Sound knowledge of EU policies regarding terrorism and violent extremism. Desirable: Experience in working with external stakeholders, on counter terrorism matters, including, but not exclusive to law enforcement, intelligence services and international bodies, as well as academia; Experience of counter terrorism research. c. General competencies Essential: Communicating: Excellent communication skills in English, both orally and in writing. Excellent presentation skills. Ability to draft clear and concise documents on complex matters for various audiences. Analysing & problem solving: Structured approach to work aimed at getting results. Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills. Competent user of Microsoft Office applications (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) and the internet. Delivering quality and results: High degree of commitment and flexibility. High level of customer and service-orientation. Prioritising and organising: Excellent organizational skills including the ability to plan own work load, establish clear priorities and exercise initiative. Ability to manage projects and familiarity with project management terminology and methodology. Resilience: Strong ability to work well both independently and in a team. Very good interpersonal skills, including the ability to effectively liaise with other departments, groups and teams as well as with external partners. Ability to remain effective under a heavy workload and demonstrate resistance to stress. Living diversity: Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with co-workers in an international and multi-disciplinary work environment. Advising: Ability to synthesise various data into a coherent and relevant whole, transforming it into a valuable and correct conclusion. Building constructive relationships with clients, adequately identifying and managing their needs and expectations, and giving well-grounded advice. Team supervision: Ability to manage a diverse team including the ability to motivate staff, effectively plan and monitor the work of other staff members and to provide guidance. d. Additional conditions: Fulfil the condition stipulated in Article 5 of the Decision of the Executive Director on the Duration of contracts of employment for Temporary Agents, on the start date of the possible contract of employment which may be offered.

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