EPO - European Patent Office

Munich, Germany

Job group 3
Grade G13

Directorate buildings, technical installations and property
Principal Directorate General Administration
EPO Munich (DE) 

The European Patent Office (EPO) – the second-largest public institution in Europe, with 7 000 staff and a self-financed annual budget of EUR 2bn – is looking for a Director for Buildings, Technical Installations and Property (D 4.4.1) in Principal Directorate 4.4 (General Administration, PD 4.4). PD 4.4 is responsible for all buildings-related services, facility management, internal services and language services. In total, it comprises some 200 staff spread over the four EPO sites (Munich, The Hague, Berlin and Vienna).

Reporting direct to the Principal Director 4.4, the director will be responsible for building projects and the technical management of the EPO-owned buildings at all four EPO sites, with a total gross floor area of approx. 688 000 m². The directorate currently has about 45 staff.

Applicants should be energetic and committed individuals who relish the prospect of redesigning and optimising the EPO's processes for its buildings, technical installations and property. You will be motivated by a varied job offering many interesting challenges at the multiple interfaces between technical and construction projects and day-to-day running of the buildings. One of your main tasks will be to position the directorate to meet future challenges and manage changes that result from the principal director's strategic roadmap.

Main duties

• Leading, organising and strategically positioning the directorate in technical and construction projects and in the day-to-day running of the buildings;
• Management and target-oriented leading of direct reports;
• Fostering the professional development of all staff in the directorate, especially with a view to meeting the strategic challenges facing it;
• Developing the directorate's strategic objectives; controlling target performance;
• Evaluating and optimising organisational processes within the directorate and efficiency-oriented co-operation with other units;
• Supporting the principal director in developing and implementing her strategic roadmap for the entire principal directorate, and implementing the changes for the directorate;
• Drawing up, harmonising and monitoring service-level agreements with internal customers and external service providers;
• Budget responsibility for the directorate, drafting budget and financial-planning proposals and exercising delegated financial authority.

Candidate profile

• University degree in civil engineering, architecture or a similar discipline;
• Sound knowledge and practical experience of building projects and facility management, ideally in an office environment;
• At least 10 years' experience in similar positions in industry, the public sector or an international organisation of comparable size;
• Several years' experience of exercising line-management authority, ideally whilst leading cross-site teams;
• Ability to work analytically and conceptually, ability to prepare clear and comprehensive input for senior management decisions;
• Strong communication skills, fostering transparency and clear understanding;
• Excellent people-management skills, the ability to implement changes, and experience in mitigating conflicting interests and targets;
• Excellent knowledge of English and German, ability to understand French.

Minimum qualifications

Diploma of completed studies at Master's level or – in exceptional cases – equivalent professional experience. Excellent knowledge of one official language, and ability to understand the other two.

Salary and benefits

The EPO offers competitive salaries, an excellent social package, and varied work in a modern international environment. The net monthly salary for this vacancy is approximately EUR 9 800. The EPO also operates contributory medical-insurance and pension schemes. In addition, depending on their personal circumstances, EPO staff may be entitled to relocation benefits and various allowances.

Duration of the contract

The contract will be for the duration of five years with the possibility of conversion into a permanent appointment.

Process and timeline

The successful candidate will be selected on the basis of qualifications and tests. Before the formal interviews, shortlisted candidates will be asked to attend an assessment centre for exercises and discussions designed to assess their management skills and personal qualities. The results will go to the selection board for consideration in the subsequent stages of the selection procedure.

It is intended to hold an assessment centre in week 22 (26-29.05.2015) and the interviews in week 24 (8-14.06.2015). Both will take place in Munich.

Please apply online, using the link, reference number EUR/5787.

Click here to apply!

Application until: 27 April 2015.

www.epo.org/jobs

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