The Secretariat of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA 2006) was established in Brussels, Belgium, on 8 September 2008.

The Secretariat supports the Joint Committee and all CEFTA bodies established by the Joint Committee, in accordance with the mandate of the Secretariat. The CEFTA Parties and the European Commission currently finance the Secretariat and its activities.

In recent years, the CEFTA Joint Committee has agreed on an ambitious agenda to further contribute to economic growth. This includes additional liberalisation and trade facilitation, as well as advancing investment-related issues outlined in the Agreement.

CEFTA plays an important role in delivering the regional economic integration agenda set out in the Common Regional Market (CRM) Action Plan 2025-2028 and translated each year into annual chairmanship priorities and working programmes of the CEFTA bodies. CEFTA activities have three important pillars: trade in goods (free movement of goods), trade in services (free movement of services), and horizontal trade measures relevant to both goods and services. These include, but are not limited to, trade dispute settlement, competition, public procurement, statistics, trade-related aspects of environmental policies, intellectual property rights, and transparency.

Furthermore, the CEFTA Secretariat plays an important role in securing and managing additional financing for the functioning of the Secretariat and for CEFTA-related activities. To date, the Secretariat has secured substantial funding under the European Commission’s IPA programme. Much of these funds are used to provide technical assistance and targeted expertise to assist the CEFTA Parties in implementing the Agreement and the various decisions of the Joint Committee. Thus, the Secretariat has an important role to play in the project management of technical assistance activities.

As the number of CEFTA structures has expanded, so too has the scope of the work programmes. The Secretariat has adapted accordingly to support this broader mandate. In line with the Joint Committee Decision No. 10/2024 amending Decision 1/2018 on the Functioning of the Secretariat, the core team of the CEFTA Secretariat is comprised of a Director, Trade Experts, and administrative staff. Since July 2015, the Secretariat has also benefited from a rotating system of secondments from the CEFTA Parties, which continues to this day.

In line with the mandate of the CEFTA Secretariat, the Head of Administration leads the Administrative Unit and oversees the Secretariat’s administrative, financial, procurement, and HR functions, ensuring compliance with internal rules, European Commission requirements, and Belgian legislation.

The main tasks and responsibilities include the following:

Strategic Planning and Administrative Leadership

• Lead the Administrative Unit and define annual operational objectives aligned with the Secretariat’s mandate and work programmes.
• Contribute to institutional planning processes, including annual budgeting, procurement plans, and administrative inputs to project proposals.
• Ensure that administrative operations support the effective delivery of CEFTA priorities under the Common Regional Market Action Plan.

Financial Management and Oversight

• Coordinate the preparation and implementation of the Secretariat’s annual budget, ensuring sound financial management and expenditure control.
• Supervise financial reporting to donors and governing bodies, including quarterly and annual reports.
• Coordinate and facilitate external audits, ensure timely follow-up of audit recommendations, and maintain audit tracking mechanisms.

Procurement and Contract Management

• Coordinate procurement planning and implementation in accordance with applicable public procurement rules and EU frameworks.
• Act as a Project Manager for HR-related contracts.
• Review and validate contracts before signature.
• Participate in/or chair evaluation committees, ensuring transparent and compliant procurement processes.

Human Resources Administration

• Oversee HR administrative processes, including contract preparation, payroll coordination, personnel record management, and secondment arrangements and ensure compliance with Belgian labour legislation.
• Supervise onboarding and administrative support to staff members, including liaison with relevant Belgian authorities.
• Contribute to performance management processes within the Administrative Unit.

Internal Policies, Procedures and Risk Management

• Maintain and update internal administrative, financial, and HR policies and procedures.
• Strengthen internal control systems and ensure proper archiving and documentation practices.
• Coordinate risk management measures and propose improvements to administrative systems where necessary.

Operational and Office Management

• Oversee office management, infrastructure maintenance, and coordination of service providers.
• Ensure that administrative and IT support systems operate effectively and meet institutional needs.

Required:

• Master’s degree in management, business administration, public administration, finance, law or economics.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Required:

• Minimum 8 years of professional experience, including at least 4 years in financial and/or procurement management roles with responsibility for budget oversight and/or public procurement procedures.

TECHNICAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• Languages: Fluency in English at C1 level (written and spoken) is required, as well as a good knowledge of French or Dutch (B2 level).
  Knowledge of CEFTA languages is considered an asset.
• HR Management: Proficiency in managing HR administration across the full employment cycle, including knowledge of Belgian labour law.
• Financial Management: Solid knowledge of finance, accounting, budgeting, EU financial reporting, and external audit processes; familiarity with EU grant management and banking systems.
• Diplomatic Protocols: Familiarity with administrative procedures related to diplomatic post requisites is an asset.
• Procurement: Good knowledge of public procurement procedures, including EC procurement frameworks (familiarity with EU PRAG).
• IT and Office Management: Experience overseeing IT and office management functions.

SOFT SKILLS

• Results orientation – Consistently aligns actions with the Secretariat’s mission, delivers timely and high-quality work, demonstrates perseverance and initiative, seeks to add value, operates independently while recognising limitations, and remains resilient under pressure.
• Working with people – Demonstrates proactive communication and knowledge sharing within the team, consistently treats colleagues with respect, offers support, addresses issues openly, avoids non-constructive behaviours, and contributes to a positive work environment by recognising collective achievements.
• Planning and organising – Plans and organises work strategically in line with objectives, taking into account timelines, contingencies, and the workload of others, while setting clear standards and adhering to internal principles and procedures.
• Integrity – Prioritises the organisation’s interests over individual or unit interests, promotes fairness, upholds the Secretariat’s external image, adopts a constructive approach in conflict situations, and maintains confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Communication – Communicates effectively by presenting information clearly and concisely, simplifying complex topics, actively listening to ensure understanding, and adapting messages based on audience needs and feedback while emphasising key points.
• Analytical thinking – Analyses complex information and problems effectively, anticipates the impact of potential solutions, develops innovative approaches, applies analytical reasoning to practical scenarios, and proactively identifies and mitigates risks.
• Learning and development – Actively identifies and addresses personal knowledge and skill gaps, seeks feedback and adjusts behaviour accordingly, pursues continuous professional development, and applies lessons learned to future actions.
• Partner alignment – Engages proactively with internal stakeholders to understand and respond to their needs, proposes tailored solutions, maintains timely communication, balances technical and administrative requirements, and monitors stakeholder satisfaction.
• Operational management – Aligns team objectives with the Secretariat’s goals, assigns clear roles and SMART objectives, communicates the rationale behind priorities, considers individual strengths and workloads in task allocation, establishes and monitors KPIs, and ensures quality delivery.
• Leading people – Leads by example, aligns tasks with individual motivations, establishes clear performance expectations and evaluation criteria, rewards positive behaviours, addresses performance issues proactively, and supports team members’ development while considering their individual needs.

The place of employment is Brussels, and the position is based on an effective 40-hour work week (38 hours per week on average taking into account compensatory time off). The role may require travel.

The monthly salary for this post (regular employee) is paid on a basis of 13.92 months per year (taking in account vacation pay and 13th month as per Belgian legislation). The salary is subject to Belgian social security contributions (with a potential opt-out) and taxes. The minimum gross salary is EUR 6,422 per month (equivalent to EUR 89,400 annually).

The salary is supplemented by a competitive benefits package.

Employees are entitled to 20 days of annual leave per year and 10 official public holidays observed in Belgium, as well as those observed by the European Commission. In addition, one additional day per month worked is granted (compensatory time-off so as to respect an average working time of 38 hours per week).

The position allows for telework, subject to organisational needs, and based on prior approval by the Director of the CEFTA Secretariat.

The type and duration of the contract is a fixed-term contract of three years, with the possibility of a one-time extension of up to three additional years, based on the needs of the service and availability of funds. The exact duration of any extension will be determined in accordance with the respective Joint Committee decision.

All new staff must successfully complete a six-month probationary period.

The Secretariat is an equal opportunities employer.

Applications must be submitted through the CEFTA Secretariat’s designated online Application Form, accessible at the following link.

Applications must be received no later than the deadline specified in this Vacancy Announcement. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Receipt of all applications will be confirmed by email acknowledgment.

Candidates may review the CEFTA Candidate Journey here, outlining the key stages of the recruitment process.

A Selection Committee shall be established in accordance with CEFTA Joint Committee Decision No. 2/2019 and other applicable internal rules.

The Selection Committee will conduct the procedure in line with the provisions set out in the above-mentioned Decision and the Secretariat’s internal recruitment framework.

Applications will first be assessed against the eligibility requirements and minimum qualifications specified in this Vacancy Announcement. Only candidates meeting the mandatory criteria will proceed to further evaluation.

Eligible applications will then be evaluated against the selection criteria outlined in the Vacancy Announcement.

Shortlisted candidates may be invited to participate in one or more assessment stages, which may include a written technical test and/or competency-based assessments.

The final stage of the procedure will consist of structured interviews with the highest-ranked candidates.

Applicants must be able to provide, upon request, professional references attesting to their ability to perform the duties of the position.

Applicants must have no personal interest (financial, family relationship, or other) that could conflict with the impartial performance of their duties within the CEFTA Secretariat.

The CEFTA Secretariat and/or CEFTA Parties may request documentary evidence supporting the information provided in the application (e.g. diplomas, certificates, and employment records), particularly from shortlisted candidates.