Energy Lawyer

The Energy Community Secretariat is an institution set up under the Treaty establishing the Energy Community (the "Treaty"). The Energy Community is an International Organization with its seat in Vienna. The Secretariat has overall monitoring, coordinating and administrative functions in regard with the implementation of the Treaty by the Parties to the Treaty. Based on the ongoing Energy Community Work Program, the Secretariat looks for a professional who is interested in an engagement opportunity at a position of ENERGY LAWYER (ref.:ECS/10/2024).

Under the supervision of the Head of Legal Unit, Energy Lawyer shall be involved in the following tasks:

• Review compliance of measures taken by the Contracting Parties to the Energy Community Treaty ("the Treaty") with the Energy Community acquis;
• Contribute to the overall monitoring of the progress related to the implementation of the Energy Community acquis by the Contracting Parties to the Treaty, including the preparation of reports;
• Assist the Contracting Parties to the Treaty in implementing the Energy Community acquis;
• Contribute to the enforcement of the Energy Community acquis through the dispute settlement procedure under the Treaty;
• Maintain the Energy Community case file and organize the procedural aspects of the dispute settlement procedure;
• Perform analytical work and research on legal issues related to the Energy Community;
• Follow up actions on the ground of conclusions, decisions and recommendations of the competent Energy Community institutions where tasks to the Energy Community Secretariat have been assigned;
• Perform any other task, related to the activities of the Energy Community Secretariat as requested by the Head of Unit and the Director.

Requirements

The role requires a strong service-oriented approach, emphasizing data confidentiality and professional ethics. Proficiency in interpersonal and communication skills is vital for collaborating in diverse work settings and engaging with various stakeholders.

Core values and competencies:

• Professionalism: Demonstrates a high level of competence and ethical conduct in all tasks and interactions;
• Integrity: Consistently upholds the organization's core values and principles in all actions;
• Diversity: Respects and values diverse perspectives and contributions, fostering an inclusive work environment;
• Commitment: Actively contributes to the attainment of organizational objectives;
• Accountability: Takes ownership of both individual and delegated responsibilities, ensuring their successful completion;
• Collaboration: Effectively collaborates with colleagues to achieve shared goals and fosters a positive, trust-based working atmosphere;
• Result-oriented: Drives efforts toward achieving concrete outcomes and measurable results.

Selection criteria

Eligibility criteria:

• Citizenship of either EU Member States or of any Contracting Party to the Treaty1;
• Physical capability to fulfil the responsibilities associated with the position2;
• University degree in law, preferably with a specialisation in European energy law;
• Robust knowledge of the European energy acquis;
• Excellent analytical, legal argumentation and writing skills;
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in areas covered by the job description;
• Proven working experience in drafting legal documents in areas covered by the job description;
• Excellent command of English.

Supplementary criteria:

• Professional experience in the EU Member States and/or Energy Community Contracting Parties will be considered an asset;
• Professional experience in electricity law and/or law enforcement will be considered an asset;
• Proven experience of working in a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment;
• Capable of performing well under pressure.

Employment contract

The Energy Lawyer will be offered a contract for three years, with a probation period of 6 months, which may be renewed3. The duty station is in Vienna, Austria.

The salary ranges are defined by the Energy Community budget. For this position, the Energy Community Secretariat offers a minimum tax-exempted salary of EUR 6.473. The final remuneration will be determined based on qualifications, experience, and outcome of the recruitment process.

Other benefits consist of:

• 30 annual leave days per calendar year, as well as the official national holidays of the duty station;
• Up to three work from home days per calendar month;
• Accident insurance fee coverage of 100%;
• Health insurance scheme in the form of a monthly reimbursement of up to EUR 500 of the actual cost of the individual health prime;
• Coverage of selected individual development and trainings.

The terms and conditions of employment adhere to the provisions outlined in the Energy Community Staff Regulations.

The commencement date of the employment is expected to be as soon as possible, preferably in September 2024.

Selection procedure and next steps

According to Article 69 of the Treaty, the Director selects and appoints the staff of the Secretariat.

The Director will be supported in the selection procedure by a Selection Committee established in accordance with item III.15. of the Rules for Recruitment, Working Conditions and Geographical equilibrium of the Secretariat’s staff of the Energy Community. The Selection Committee will agree on the shortlist of candidates meeting best the selection criteria as referred to in this vacancy notice.

Shortlisted candidates are expected to be invited, in July 2024, for an interview to take place in Vienna at the premises of the Secretariat, unless specified otherwise. They may be also invited to a written test in accordance with Article lll.18 of the Energy Community Recruitment Rules.

Non-discrimination

Any form of discrimination during the selection process is strictly prohibited, regardless of the grounds. All positions are equally accessible to any gender, with no consideration of race or creed. There shall be no favoritism towards specific individuals or nationals from any country, party, or signatory.

Applications and deadline

For applications to be valid, candidates must submit their application using the on-line recruitment form for the position. CV and motivation letter, must be attached.

Please fill in all the requested fields, avoiding sentences such as “Please find this information on my CV”.

Supporting documents (e.g. certified copies of degrees/diplomas, references, proof of experience, etc.) should not be sent at this point but must be submitted at a later stage of the procedure if requested.

Applications have to be sent by July 14, 2024, 24:00 CEST (submission date of recruitment form) at the latest.

Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Data Protection

Please note that your personal data will be stored and processed by the Secretariat in line with and for the period required by the purpose of the recruitment procedure.

For this particular position, a reserve list shall be established. The reserve list shall include short- listed candidates and shall be valid 12 months. The recruitment procedure is deemed to be finalized once the reserve list expires.

The Energy Community Secretariat is committed to protect the right to privacy and has implemented measures to ensure data protection. If you want to learn more or have concerns, please send an email to data-protection@energy-community.org.

Should you encounter difficulties in submitting your application, please, contact recruitment@energy-community.org.