Job opportunities at the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR)
The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is the single point of contact for all EU citizens who wish to work for the European Institutions.
Contract agents
There are two types of contract agents:
- contract agents on a contract of limited duration (up to a maximum of six years) work at Commission headquarters;
- contract agents on longer-term contracts can work in satellite offices, agencies and eventually in EU delegations.
To work in Commission (Headquarters and Delegations) candidates need to have successfully passed a full CAST competition.
For more information regarding "Who may apply ?" and the generic notice about vacancies, please visit the dedicated section.
Trainees
The European Commission has an official traineeship scheme mainly aimed at young university graduates. For further information, please consult the traineeship web pages.
Seconded national experts (SNE)
SNEs are typically seconded from the civil services of EU Member States. They are usually recruited via their Permanent Representations to the EU.
Please read carefully the eligibility criteria.
Temporary agents
In exceptional circumstances, NEAR may consider engaging temporary agents.
Contract Agent Vacancies - Delegations
| ENTITY | RABAT (Morocco) NEAR.B.DEL.Morocco.004: Operations 2 |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG IV (Living-conditions allowance: 15%) |
| TITLE | Programme Officer |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 461489 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | To advise on and manage, under the supervision of the Head of Section, the implementation of projects and programs of development assistance and of financial and technical cooperation with third countries in the field of energy/clean tech/value chains/investments. To assist the Head of Section in coordinating the sub-section’s activities, where required. |
| CONTACT | Jean-Christophe [dot] Filori Please indicate your CAST Application ID in your application and mention the post number in subject line. |
| DEADLINE | 10 December 2024 |
| ENTITY | EAST JERUSALEM (West Bank and Gaza Strip) NEAR.B.1.DEL.West Bank and Gaza Strip 003:Operations 2 |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG IV (Living-conditions allowance: 30%) |
| TITLE | Programme Officer |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 275494 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | To advise on and manage, under the supervision of the Head of Section, the implementation of projects and programs of development assistance and of financial, and technical cooperation with third countries in the field of Macro-economic Support and Public Financial Management Reform (Public Financial management, Public Internal Financial Control, Supreme Audit Institution, Tax, Customs). To assist the Head of Section in coordinating the sub-section’s activities, where required. |
| CONTACT | Ms. Sirpa TULLA, Head of Section Please indicate your CAST Application ID in your application and mention the post number in subject line. |
| DEADLINE | 12 December 2024 |
| ENTITY | BEIRUT (Lebanon) NEAR.B.1.DEL.Syria.003: Operations |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG IV (Living-conditions allowance: 30%) |
| TITLE | Programme Officer - Migration/Forced Displacement |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 461711 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | Under the supervision of the Head of Cooperation, the Programme Officer will be responsible for the implementation of assistance aimed at: 1) helping to improve the conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Syrian refugees to Syria. This includes the management of actions to enhance the early recovery in Syria, such as inter alia programmes aiming - in selected areas - at improving the access to basic services or creating livelihoods opportunities (i.e., area-based approach), 2) supporting durable solutions including resettlement, complementary pathways, as well as voluntary, safe and dignified returns when conditions are in place (as defined by UNHCR), 3) contributing to increasing the capacity of the Government in Lebanon to manage migration/forced displacement. This will require intensive policy dialogue with the relevant and appropriate actors in Syria and in Lebanon, and close cooperation with key stakeholders (in primis UNHCR) in both countries, taking into the provisions of the United Nations Security Council resolution 2254, which underscores the critical need to build conditions for the safe and voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their home areas.In the areas of her/his responsibility, s/he will also be asked to provide analytical inputs on a regular basis for the EU to better align assistance in this area based on the evolution of the situation. The sectors covered by the job may however evolve and flexibility is important, in particular with a view to replacing absent colleagues and/or supporting the section and Delegation on emerging priorities. |
| CONTACT | Applications (CV & motivation letter) to be sent to: delegation-syria-recruitment Please indicate your CAST Application ID in your application and mention the post number in subject line. Security Clearance is compulsory for all EU Staff in delegations and has to be requested by selected candidate before departure. |
| DEADLINE | 6 January 2025 |
| ENTITY | SERBIA, Belgrade NEAR.D.2.DEL.Serbia.91 – Team Cooperation |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG IV (Living-conditions allowance: 10%) |
| TITLE | Policy Officer - EU integration- Growth Plan |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 453653 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | Under the supervision of an official, to ensure an effective and efficient support related to the implementation, monitoring and reporting on the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans (Serbia). Ensure support to related reforms foreseen under the Reform Agenda under the Reform and Growth Facility, and to monitor and report on these areas in Serbia’s EU membership preparation. Please note that this post is financed under the Western Balkans Facility Fund limited in time (no indefinite contract can be granted). |
| CONTACT | Applications (CV & motivation letter) to be sent to: DELEGATION-SERBIA-HR Please indicate your CAST Application ID in your application and mention the post number in subject line. Security Clearance is compulsory for all EU Staff in delegations and must be requested by selected candidate before departure. |
| DEADLINE | 10 January 2025 |
| ENTITY | SERBIA, Belgrade NEAR.D.2.DEL.Serbia.91 – Team Cooperation |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG IV (Living-conditions allowance: 10%) |
| TITLE | Policy Officer - EU integration- Growth Plan |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 453651 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | Under the supervision of an official, to ensure an effective and efficient support related to the implementation, monitoring and reporting on the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans (Serbia). Ensure support to related reforms foreseen under the Reform Agenda under the Reform and Growth Facility, and to monitor and report on these areas in Serbia’s EU membership preparation. Please note that this post is financed under the Western Balkans Facility Fund and limited in time (no indefinite contract can be granted). The end date of the post is expected to be 31 December 2027 (initial contract and one possible renewal where appropriate), subject to budget availability. |
| CONTACT | Applications (CV & motivation letter) to be sent to: DELEGATION-SERBIA-HR Please indicate your CAST Application ID in your application and mention the post number in subject line. Security Clearance is compulsory for all EU Staff in delegations and must be requested by selected candidate before departure. |
| DEADLINE | 10 January 2025 |
Contract Agent Vacancies - Headquarters
| ENTITY | Brussels – DG.NEAR.C2 Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus & Eastern Partnership Coordination |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG III |
| TITLE | International Aid / Cooperation Assistant |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 377880 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | Under the supervision of an official to provide support to the design, formulation and implementation of multi-beneficiary and regional actions in the Eastern Neighbourhood in the fields of inclusive society and good governance. Assist with the sectoral policy dialogue at bilateral and multilateral levels under the Eastern Partnership, including through the provision of related thematic expertise. Contribute to policy analysis related to the Eastern Partnership or bilateral relations with countries in the region, including through the preparation and coordination of lines to take and briefings. Upon request of the Head of Unit, the cooperation assistant may also work on other files if so required. |
| CONTACT | CULLEN David, (Head of Unit) (Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line). |
| DEADLINE | 6 December 2024 |
| ENTITY | Brussels – DG.NEAR.R1 Resource Planning and IT |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG II |
| TITLE | Secretary |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 291487 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | To provide general administrative and secretarial support to the Head of Unit and the team, including document management, internal communication, organisation of meetings, logistic needs and information provision. |
| CONTACT | Eric [dot] TROTEMANN (Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line). |
| DEADLINE | 6 December 2024 |
| ENTITY | Brussels – DG.NEAR.A3 Thematic Support – An economy that works for people, green, digital and connected |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG IV |
| TITLE | Policy Officer |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 408023 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | Provides thematic expertise and input to policy dialogue and programming assistance to geographical units of DG NEAR and EU Delegations on employment, social protection, and youth as well as engagement with private sector in these areas. Areas of expertise: Employment - Social protection and inclusion. Focal point for Youth, in particular coordination of the Youth Guarantee in DG NEAR countries and the implementation of the Youth Action Plan in the external action (YAP), relations with DG EMPL -Overseeing for DG NEAR the work of the Knowledge Hub on Health/social protection/inequalities as well as the Knowledge Hub on Youth and SOCIEUX |
| CONTACT | Hoa-Binh [dot] ADJEMIAN ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Mr Hoa-Binh ADJEMIAN) (Head of Unit, acting) Applications (CV & motivation letter) to be sent to to be sent to NEAR-A3 ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (NEAR-A3[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu). (Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line). |
| DEADLINE | 17 December 2024 |
| ENTITY | Brussels – DG.NEAR.A5 IFIs and Investments: Blended Finance and EU Guarantees |
| FUNCTION / GRADE | FG IV |
| TITLE | Programme Manager - Risk Officer |
| VACANCY NOTICE / JOB DESCRIPTION | 461221 |
| OVERALL PURPOSE | Contribute with risk analysis, credit risk modelling and monitoring to the design and implementation of EU budgetary guarantees, in particular the European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD) guarantee, the External Lending Mandate (ELM), the External Action Guarantee (EAG) and the Ukraine Guarantee established under the Ukraine Facility regulation, as well as relevant financial instruments under the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus. Please note that this post is financed under the Ukraine Facility and limited in time. The end date of the post is expected to be 31 December 2027 (initial contract and possible renewal(s) where appropriate), subject to budget availability. |
| CONTACT | Barbara [dot] BANKI (Please indicate your CAST candidate number in your application and mention the post number in subject line). |
| DEADLINE | 17 December 2024 |
- Candidates should be aware that they are only eligible for posts which have at least the same function group level as the function group level of the EPSO test they succeeded (e.g. holder of a FGIV CAST are eligible for CA FG IV, III and II) or the function group for which they have registered within the Commission call for expression of interest for contract staff in generalist profiles.
- Candidates who passed an EPSO test which is still valid. Please bear in mind that for EPSO CAST 27, EPSO CAST 2008 and EPSO CAST 2010, only DB3 candidates who also passed the test held in July 2011 are eligible. Candidates who passed CAST Croatia cannot apply for vacant contract agent posts in EU delegation as this CAST competition was not organised in full (DB2 only).
Who may apply?
- Candidates who have passed a full CAST competition or who have created a profile on the EPSO website and linked it with the respective Call for expressions of interest. However, before being recruited in the European Commission the candidates should have passed the CAST competition.
Please note:
- Posts in Headquarters are covered by 3b contracts. This means that a contract agent working in delegations and covered by 3a contracts selected for a post in Headquarters (outside the annual mobility exercise) will have to resign his/her 3a contract and conclude new 3b contract for maximum 6 years. First contract will be concluded for 1 year. Extension of 2 years will follow provided positive probation period report. Any subsequent extensions will be of 1 year up to a maximum of 6 years in total.
- The selection procedure is organised by NEAR Headquarters (unit to which the post is attached).
Who may apply?
- Contract agents who have served in the same job in the same delegation for at least 3 years or more.
- Contract agents whose request for early mobility on personal grounds outside the annual mobility exercise was accepted by Headquarters. Please note that contract agents included in the mobility exercise for duly substantiated personal reasons are automatically authorised to also apply for vacancies published outside the annual mobility exercise for the same reasons.
- Candidates who have passed a full CAST competition or who have created a profile on the EPSO website and linked it with the respective Call for expressions of interest. However, before being recruited in the European Commission the candidates should have passed the CAST competition.
Please note:
- The selection procedure is organised by each delegation concerned;
- After a pre-selection based on the CVs, the delegation will invite pre-selected candidates to participate in a phone interview panel and will request the recruitment of the selected candidate to NEAR Headquarters for validation.