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 the 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.

The CEFTA Joint Committee in recent years 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 regional economic integration agenda in line with CEFTA Agreement, and other activities set in the Common Regional Market (CRM) Action Plan 2025-2028 and each year translated in 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 which are relevant for both goods and services. These include, but are not limited to: trade dispute settlement, competition, state aid, public procurement, statistics, trade related aspects of environmental policies and 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 EC’s IPA programme.  Much of these funds are used to provide technical assistance and targeted expertise to assist the CEFTA Parties implement 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 programme. 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.

Under the mandate of the CEFTA Secretariat, the Coordination Officer will ensure effective internal and external coordination across selected CEFTA structures, facilitate efficient information and communication flows within the Secretariat, and provide organisational support to high-level meetings and events. The Officer will play a central role in preparing documentation, ensuring timely follow-up of decisions, and supporting the Secretariat’s communication and partnership activities.

The main tasks and responsibilities will include the following:

Coordination and Support to CEFTA Structures

• Coordinate the functioning of the Joint Committee, Committee of Contact Points, Steering Committee, and other designated CEFTA Bodies, ensuring structured preparation, documentation, and follow-up of activities in coordination with the senior trade experts.
• Support the organisation of official meetings and events (e.g. Joint Committee meetings, Committee of Contact Points, Steering Committee, CEFTA Week), including drafting agendas, annotated agendas, discussion papers, background notes, draft minutes, and ministerial conclusions.
• Ensure a structured follow-up of commitments deriving from ministerial and committee conclusions, coordinating internally on the implementation of commitments and monitoring progress.
• Provide technical advice and administrative support during the preparation of meetings and follow-up on specific tasks and outcomes, ensuring timely communication with CEFTA Parties.

Donor Coordination and Technical Assistance

• Support the coordination of donor-funded assistance for regional trade policy activities, including the CEFTA Technical Assistance Programming.
• Assist in the development of requests for assistance, monitor implementation, and ensure follow-up with CEFTA Parties and bilateral/multilateral donors.
• Contribute to the preparation of reports and updates on the use of technical assistance resources and their alignment with CEFTA priorities.

Communication and analytics

• Support the Secretariat’s communication and outreach activities, including preparation of press releases, communication materials, and social media content, in close coordination with technical staff.
• Assist in the organisation of promotional events (e.g. CEFTA Week, study visits, outreach activities), ensuring consistency in messaging and visibility.
• Represent the Secretariat at selected events and public engagements, supporting the Director and technical staff in external communication.

Support to the Director and Institutional Partnerships

• Provide assistance to the Director in coordinating strategic partnerships with stakeholders, including CEFTA Parties, regional organisations, donors, private sector, and academia.
• Support the Director in maintaining and strengthening relations with CEFTA’s key partners and donors, including the European Commission, RCC, GIZ, Transport Community, ReSPA, FAO, OECD, and others.
• Contribute to the internal coordination of the Secretariat, supporting the Director in task allocation, monitoring progress, and ensuring structured follow-up across staff responsibilities.

Other Duties

• Perform any additional tasks assigned by the Director to support the effective functioning of the CEFTA Secretariat.

Required:

• First-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in Political Science, International Relations, Business Administration, Economics, Communications, or another field directly relevant to the role.

Professional Experience

Required:

• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in one or more of the following areas: organisation of high-level regional meetings and conferences; coordination of events and processes related to regional cooperation and EU integration, development and implementation of communication strategies; management of digital and social media outreach.
• Proven experience in preparing briefs for high-level meetings, analytical papers, and communication materials, including digital media outputs.
• At least 2 years of professional experience working with public administrations, international organisations, or entities governed by public law, preferably in CEFTA-related policy areas and EU integration.
• Demonstrated experience in the implementation or coordination of technical assistance projects financed by the EU or other international donors is considered an advantage.

Technical Skills and Knowledge

• Languages: Fluency in English at C1 level (written and spoken) is required. Knowledge of one or more CEFTA Party languages is considered an asset.
• Trade and Policy Familiarity: General understanding of trade-related issues and familiarity with the functioning of public administration institutions.
• Institutional Knowledge: Good understanding of CEFTA’s institutional framework and working structures, as well as familiarity with the role of the European Commission in regional economic integration.
• Communication Skills: Strong drafting, editing, and presentation skills, with proven ability to communicate clearly and effectively in both written and oral formats.
• Digital Competence: Proficiency in MS Office Suite and digital communication tools, including social media platforms and content management systems.

Soft Skills

• Result orientation – consistently aligns actions with the Secretariat’s mission, delivers timely and quality work, demonstrates perseverance and initiative, seeks to add value, operates independently while recognizing personal limitations, and remains resilient under stress.
• 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 celebrates team achievements.
• Planning and organising – strategically plans and organizes tasks based on objectives, considering timelines, contingencies, and others’ workloads, while setting clear standards and adhering to internal principles and procedures.
• Integrity – prioritizes the organization’s interests over individual or unit interests, promotes fairness, upholds the secretariat’s image externally, adopts a constructive approach in conflicts, and maintains confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Communication – effectively communicates by presenting information clearly and concisely, simplifying complex topics, actively listening for understanding, and adapting messages based on the audience’s feedback, all while emphasizing key points.
• Learning and development – actively recognizes and addresses personal knowledge and skill gaps, seeks out feedback and adjusts behaviour accordingly, continuously pursues professional growth, and capitalizes on lessons learned to inform future actions.
• Partner alignment – proactively engages with internal clients to understand and meet their needs, proposes tailored solutions, maintains timely communication, balances technical and administrative requirements, and continually assesses client satisfaction.
• Analytical thinking – effectively analyses complex information and problems, foresees solution impacts, innovates with creative solutions, applies analogical thinking to practical scenarios, and proactively identifies and mitigates potential risks or issues.

The place of employment is Brussels, and the position is based on a 40-hour work week. The role requires approximately 30% travel.

The monthly salary for the post (regular employee) is paid on a basis of 13.92 months per year. The salary is subject to Belgian social security contributions (with potential opting-out) and taxes. The minimum gross salary is EUR 5,129 per month.(equivalent to annual EUR 71,400).

The salary is supplemented with competitive benefits package.

Employees are entitled to 20 days of annual leave per year, plus 1 additional day per month worked, and 10 official public holidays observed in Belgium and the ones observed by the European Commission.

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

The type and duration of the contract is fixed-term contract of 3 years, with the possibility of a one-time extension for up to 3 additional years, based on the needs of the service and the availability of funds. The exact duration of any extension will be determined according to the respective ministerial decision.

All new staff must successfully complete a 6-month probationary period.

The Secretariat is an equal opportunities employer.

How to apply

Applications must be received by the CEFTA Secretariat no later than the deadline specified in this vacancy notice. Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted. Receipt of all applications will be confirmed by an email acknowledgment.

Evaluation and Selection procedure

The Director of the CEFTA Secretariat will establish a Selection Committee, chaired by the Director and composed of a representative of the Secretariat and a representative of a contracted HR agency.

The Selection Committee will assess the applications received to make an initial selection of candidates who meet all eligibility criteria. The Committee will examine the qualifications, experience, and skills of these candidates against the selection criteria set out in the vacancy notice.

The Selection Committee will invite a shortlist of the 5 highest scoring candidates, who also meet the minimum requirements outlined in the vacancy notice, to the next phase. All candidates with a score equal to the 5th highest scoring candidate will also be included in the list of invited candidates.

The final evaluation will consist of technical and competency-based interviews, written technical test and psychometric assessments. This evaluation will be conducted to assess the candidates’ experience, qualifications, and whether they possess the key skills required for the role.

Eligible applicants include individuals from public administrations, international organisations, the private sector, civil society, and academia. The successful candidate will be offered a competitive employment contract by the CEFTA Secretariat.

Reserve list

After the selection procedure, the Selection Committee will identify a suitable candidate.

The selected candidate will be informed by the CEFTA Secretariat.