Head of Council Secretariat - Munich, Deutschland - Europäische Patentorganisation

Beschreibung

The Administrative Council, together with the European Patent Office and the Boards of Appeal, form the European Patent Organisation. The Council, comprising representatives of the 39 member states, acts as the Office's supervisory body.

The Council Secretariat is the official secretariat of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation. It is placed at the disposal of the Administrative Council to enable it to carry out its duties.

The Secretariat is responsible for organising and co-ordinating all meetings of the Administrative Council and its bodies and for providing administrative support to the Organisation's Board of Auditors.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) concluded between the Office and Council in early 2020 defined the scope of the Secretariat's support to the Council.

The Strategic Plan 2023 programme on the modernisation of external governance complemented the MoU with particular emphasis on the ongoing modernisation and digitalisation of services.

Among the Secretariat's achievements is the support it provided to the Council in swiftly and effectively responding to the pandemic to ensure the Council's seamless functioning.

The Secretariat, in collaboration with other Office units have been working steadily to provide the Council with new services, to streamline procedures for greater efficiency as well as to facilitate the new ways of working, making hybrid meetings standard practice.

To build on the progress already made, the Office is now seeking to appoint a Head of Council Secretariat to lead a team of professionals in delivering these important missions.

The Head of Council Secretariat will report direct to the Vice-President in charge of the Directorate-General Legal and International Affairs.

With us you will:

- assist and advise the chairpersons of the Administrative Council and its committees on all operational matters, in particular all aspects of proceedings, and facilitate liaison with delegations and collaboration with Office stakeholders as well as the President of the Boards of Appeal
- organise and co-ordinate all meetings of the Administrative Council, including drawing up agendas, processing CA documents, drafting minutes and documents on behalf of the chairpersons, preparing topics for discussion, co-ordinating communication with the Council
- support and handle procedures for the recruitment, appointment and promotion of Council appointees
- interact closely with all EPO departments contributing to the activities of the Council Secretariat, in particular Legal Affairs and BIT
- exercise the role of delegated controller within the meaning of the Data Protection Rules for the Council and the Select Committee
- provide the Board of Auditors with administrative support
- lead the Council Secretariat team, managing the performance and development of its members
- implement measures to deliver services of the highest quality and timeliness as required by the legal framework and/or expected by the chairpersons, delegations and other stakeholders
- a comprehensive understanding of the European Patent Organisation, its mission and institutional framework, as well as a sound understanding of the European Patent Office and its strategy or, alternatively, experience and understanding of a similar international organisation
- a solid understanding of the Administrative Council (or similar supervisory body) and its institutional set‐up and function
- background and experience in international relations, including significant experience in international negotiations, preferably within international organisations
- track record in building strong professional networks and the ability to establish collaborative and effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- proven ability to react swiftly and decisively when faced with unforeseen situations in a dynamic environment, while remaining calm and dealing with matters quickly and professionally in an agile manner
- demonstrated management ability to lead a team in an area where political, legal and procedural understanding is key to solving complex issues
- capacity to manage performance effectively, providing feedback and staff development to create a highly focused, connected and supported team
- ability to plan and prioritise and a proven track record in the effective delivery of services
- significant experience, knowledge and interest in digital innovation and the use of digital tools to lead the Council Secretariat towards a more digitalised future, driving and delivering initiatives to simplify and digitalise processes and restructure workflows accordingly
- embrace the Office's sustainability efforts and embed them smoothly in your own area of competence
- high degree of service orientation, diplomacy and integrity
- ability to handle highly sensitive information with the utmost confidentiality and discretion
- personal resilience and ability to handle multiple issues effectively, e