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Promotion
Vice-President "Administration" (INT/EXT/4557)
likely to arise
The European Patent Office in Munich is seeking a Vice-President, Directorate-General 4 "Administration" *
Deadline for applications: 2.6.2008
Main duties
The Vice-President is responsible for Directorate-General 4 (DG 4) "Administration" in the European Patent Office (EPO). The function of DG 4 is to deliver Office-wide support in the following areas:
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Principal
Directorate Personnel - developing, proposing, following-up and implementing human resource
policies, procedures and standards; dealing with matters related to
personnel administration and welfare for all staff; managing appropriate
relationships with the staff committees of the EPO.
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Principal
Directorate General Administration - building projects, internal services and facility management. Also
responsible for non IT-procurement across all sites.
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Principal
Directorate Language Service - translating and
interpreting in the three EPO official languages.
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Principal
Directorate Patent Information - carrying out the
EPO's duty to provide patent information services to the public and to
national patent offices; taking care of patent publications (this unit may
be transferred to another DG in the foreseeable future).
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Directorate
Health Service - advising management and staff on all
matters related to health in the workplace.
- Directorate Application Management - defining and communicating user needs and monitoring the development and implementation of new automation projects.
In these areas the Vice-President DG 4 (VP 4) has the lead role for developing and implementing strategies and new policies, and is directly responsible for significant elements of the EPO´s budget (salaries, compensation and benefits, operating expenditure for infrastructure, etc).
VP 4 is responsible for planning, controlling and motivating the highest level of performance among DG 4 staff (over 600 staff members working at four locations: Munich, The Hague, Berlin and Vienna).
The duties include liaising with the Office's other organisational units (DG 1, DG 2, DG 3, DG 5 and the Presidential area), as well as co-operating with the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation and its sub-committees, and, where appropriate, with external bodies (outside stakeholders and other international organisations).
VP 4 is a full member of the EPO's Management Committee (MAC) and reports directly to the President.
Minimum qualifications
Candidates must have completed studies at university level or have acquired equivalent knowledge over many years of professional activity. They are required to have at least 15 years' working experience, including at least 7 years in senior management positions. They should have managed a large organisational unit in a responsible position in the national or international, public or private sector. They should also have exercised effective leadership in human resources and have developed, implemented and delivered efficient use of human resources and innovative procurement policies. They should have a proven record in developing and implementing effective and cost-efficient service strategies.
Other requirements include excellent leadership skills through the management of managers, good communication skills and a thorough knowledge of at least one of the EPO's official languages (English, French and German) and the ability to understand the other two, a clear service orientation, the ability to deal efficiently with the various stakeholders (member states, users of the patent system, etc.) and a convincing way of managing people in a multicultural environment.
Interesting to know
For nearly 30 years, the EPO has been a very successful organisation. Along with the rest of the patent world, it is now facing a number of challenges. The successful candidate for the post of VP 4 will play a key role in determining how the EPO meets and overcomes these challenges - not least in view of the strategic responsibilities for the evolution of its human resource policies, e.g. with regard to the terms and conditions of employment, as well as for the general administrative support infrastructure.
To reflect the requirements for this challenging position, the EPO is offering an attractive compensation package and generous social benefits.
Closing date and application procedure
Completed applications, including CV and references and quoting Ref. INT/EXT/4557, should be sent to:
European Patent Office,
Principal Directorate Human Resources,
Ms Melina Boch,
Erhardtstrasse 27,
D-80469
Munich.
The closing date for applications is 2 June 2008. Additional information about the activities of the European Patent Office and the dynamic field of intellectual property can be found at www.epo.org. Applicants will receive a comprehensive information package providing further details of the post. An individual assessment centre will form part of the selection procedure.