The College of Europe is seeking applications for the position of Legal Officer and Procurement Support (100% FTE, 38h/week), based in Bruges, Belgium (with responsibilities covering both Bruges and Tirana campuses), starting as soon as possible. The successful candidate must be fluent in Dutch.
About the College: Welcome to the Laboratory of European Integration
The College of Europe, with its Bruges campus established in 1949 and its Natolin campus established in 1992, is the oldest postgraduate institute of European studies. Currently, the College of Europe hosts more than 340 students in Bruges and 120 students in Natolin. Students come from approximately 50 nationalities every year and follow advanced Master’s programmes of 10-month duration in a residential format (“studying and living Europe together”). Starting in September 2024, a new study department "Master of Arts in European Transformation and Integration – The EU and Southeastern Europe” (ETI) – at the recently established Albanian branch (“Tirana campus”) of the Belgian foundation of the College of Europe – will enrol over 30 students in its first cohort and grow in numbers over time. The first academic year of the Tirana campus is implemented under the EU-funded project: “Implementation phase for the establishment of a College of Europe campus in Tirana (Albania)”, IPA 2024 455-237.
Position
The Legal Officer will advise on and manage the legal aspects of the College's operations, offering and coordinating legal consultation, conducting contract reviews, and ensuring the harmonisation of legal practices, in particular between the Bruges and Tirana campuses. This multifaceted role includes the preparation and management of contracts and financing agreements, providing expert legal guidance to colleagues and partners, and ensuring compliance with legal standards.
In addition, there will be a particular focus on supporting procurement procedures. The selected candidate will have access to comprehensive resources and training on procurement matters to enable them to support the timely and compliant procurement of goods and services in strict accordance with College standards and regulations.
Profile
For the position of Legal Officer and Procurement Support, the College is looking for candidates with:
- Belgian Master's degree in law;
- Minimum 3 years of legal experience, e.g. as a lawyer or legal counsel in a company, academic institution or international organisation;
- Strong legal reasoning and drafting skills;
- An understanding of and interest in (public) procurement procedures;
- Excellent analytical, negotiation, and communication skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders;
- Full digital literary, especially regarding MS Office applications;
- Fluency in Dutch and English is essential, and knowledge of Albanian or French is an asset;
- Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Role
The Legal Officer and Procurement Support will be working under the direct supervision of the Rector and in close cooperation with the Heads of Services of the Bruges campus as well as the Head of Administration of the Tirana campus.
Tasks include:
- Provide general support in the drafting and reviewing of legal documents, notably contracts and procurement procedures ;
- Coordinate external legal advice and guide internal implementation and follow-up across the College’s various areas of operation (e.g. corporate law, education law, GDPR);
- Advise on legal risks and implications associated with the institution’s decisions, offering solutions to mitigate potential liabilities;
- Interpret and ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations and legal requirements related to the institution’s activities;
- Contribute to and, over time, take the lead on the further development and implementation of the institution’s procurement policies and strategies in compliance with relevant regulations and guidelines;
- Support procurement processes from planning and sourcing, drafting, publication of the tender files via the eProcurement platforms to contract management and supplier relationship management;
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders to understand their procurement needs and provide support (if needed under the guidance of specialised external consultants);
- Stay updated on regulatory/legal changes and best practices in the area of higher education, public procurement and other relevant topics.
This is a full-time position based in Bruges, Belgium (occasional visits to the Tirana campus are possible).
The College offers:
- An excellent professional setting in a pleasant, international and dynamic working environment;
- The opportunity to actively contribute to a historic project for the College and the Western Balkans region;
- A diversified legal scope within a unique academic institution;
- Specialisation courses on procurement;
- An employment contract under Belgian labour law of indefinite duration;
- A competitive salary;
- A comprehensive benefits package including compulsory holiday pay and an end-of-year bonus, meal vouchers, a transportation allowance, a telework allowance, a hospitalisation insurance, and a complementary pension scheme;
- Legal holidays plus eight days closing during the winter break, and two extra public holidays (9th of May and 11th of July);
- An attractive work-life balance.
Application
Applications in English comprising a detailed CV and a motivation letter (max. one page) should be submitted by 12 August 2024 to Rector Federica Mogherini (applications.rector@coleurope.eu) mentioning “Legal Officer Application” in the subject line.
Early applications are highly encouraged. As applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if a suitable candidate is found.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a selection interview that will take place on-site in Bruges. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Starting date: as soon as possible
Should you require any further information on this position, please contact Mr Carsten Gerards, Principal Coordinator in the Rector’s Office (carsten.gerards@coleurope.eu).
For more information on the remuneration and related matters, please contact Ms Isabelle Hillewaere, HR Director (isabelle.hillewaere@coleurope.eu).
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By submitting your application, you consent to have your personal data processed for the purpose of recruitment and the specific position you are applying for. You acknowledge that your data as well as data we receive from academic institutions we can contact for verification purposes, will be processed by the College of Europe, the members of the selection committee appointed by the College of Europe related to this recruitment process.
All information will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and in line with the current data protection regulations.
For more information on how we use the information you have provided and how to exercise your rights, please see our privacy notice for recruitment (https://www.coleurope.eu/privacy).
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The College of Europe is committed to equal treatment and opportunity. It aims to reflect the diversity of our society and to offer an inclusive work and study environment for all members of its community. Consistent with these goals, the Bruges campus has a zero tolerance policy for any acts against the dignity and integrity of individuals, whether in the form of discrimination, bullying, harassment, stalking, violence, or sexual misconduct.
Candidates are therefore recruited and selected on the basis of skills and experience, regardless of age, ability, ethnicity, class and background, political belief, race, religion, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, culture, or any other grounds.