Quality Assurance Officer

COST-ESF - European Co-operation in the Field of Scientific & Technical Research

Brussels, Belgium

COST - European CO-operation in Science and Technology - is a unique means for European researchers to jointly develop their own ideas and new initiatives across all scientific disciplines through trans-European networking of nationally funded research activities. Based on a European intergovernmental framework for cooperation in science and technology, COST has contributed since its creation 40 years ago to closing the gap between science, policy makers and society throughout Europe and beyond. COST mission is to enable break-through scientific developments leading to new concepts and products and thereby contributing to strengthen Europe’s research and innovation capacities. 

The COST Office, located in Brussels, is provided by the European Science Foundation (ESF) – the implementing agent for COST, through a Grant agreement with the European Commission. The COST Office implements Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) decisions and supports all COST activities, in particular the evaluation and selection of proposals, the monitoring and assessment of COST Actions and the communication and outreach activities to promote their outcomes and impact. 

The ESF-COST Office is currently looking for a Quality Assurance Officer. He/she will be responsible to design, propose and implement systems for Quality management. He/she will pilot the projects to direct and control the quality of the COST Office processes applied to the organisation, procedures, guidelines, services and products. Directly attached to the Director, the Quality Assurance Officer will be in charge of coordinating all quality actions for the COST Office. 

She/he will conduct regulatory intelligence, guarantee legal compliance and fulfil stakeholders’ expectations while coordinating the activities required and meeting quality standards. The Quality Assurance Officer will also develop reporting tools on the performance of the Quality management and will produce data measuring against set standards. His/her primary responsibility will be to ensure that the Quality control is an effective system for integrating the quality development, quality maintenance, and quality improvement efforts of the various groups in the organisation so as to enable production and service at the most economical levels which allow full customer satisfaction. 

The Quality Assurance Officer will report directly to the COST Director. The candidate should be available to start as soon as possible.

Position responsibilities:

• Developing, implementing, maintaining and communicating the Quality Assurance plan to bring the COST Office Quality systems and policies into compliance with European quality system requirements;
• Coordinating the Quality Assurance Officers in the analysis of business needs and areas for improvement;
• Developing new guidelines and procedures that ensure high quality or methods in the overall COST Office operations and activities;
• Leading a thorough review of Office policies and procedures based on best understanding of various internal rules, and business standards to identify areas that can be improved upon, and creating more contented staff members and customers;
• Developing and implementing tools and quality methodologies adapted to the Quality Policy of the COST Office;
• Ensuring an overall higher quality of Action management and monitoring, streamlining processes, better adhering to organisation rules;
• Fostering Quality Standards by training and advising team members of the COST Office;
• Leading with the Quality Officers internal and/or external Quality Audits;
• Managing the Quality Surveys and analyse of statistical outcome;
• Evaluating the efficiency of the Quality tools;
• Responding to any demand requested by the COST Office Director.

Profile and competencies:

The successful candidate should demonstrate the following competencies:

Education

• University Degree preferably in Science Administration, Business Management, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.

Experience

• Recognised 5 to 8 years’ experience in Quality Assurance Management;
• Knowledge of the European and national research structures and institutions;
• Good understanding of European and international science and innovation policies;
• Experience in academic or not-for-profit environment is an asset.

Profile

• Excellent inter-personal skills, including diplomacy, discretion and confidentially;
• Strong team work capacities and relationship building abilities;
• Demonstrated ability to balance multiple tasks and work well independently and collaboratively;
• Strong aptitude to offer interesting solutions to increase efficiency within the organisation;
• Improvement-minded to enable process review in a spirit of simplification;
• Collaborative and flexible style, with a strong service mentality, sound judgment and initiative;
• Assertiveness and capability to follow decisions from governance and management;
• Commitment and accountability to deliver on allocated tasks as entrusted by the Director;
• Adaptability to the changing environment;
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills;
• High standard of spoken and written English, knowledge of other European languages appreciated.

Team Coordination Skills

• Demonstrated motivational skills: being able to match the motivations and strengths with the tasks for each staff member;
• Leadership skills for coordinating 2 staff members and overseeing projects;
• Excellent team work capacities and relationship building abilitie.

Specific Competencies

• Excellent knowledge of Quality Assurance Management tools;
• Excellent knowledge of International Quality Standards (ISO 9001, ISO 17025, ENQA, GLP, …);
• Excellent working knowledge of MS Office systems and of electronic databases and Web sites – a proven experience in collaboration with IT teams appreciated;
• Critical attention to detail; demonstrated capacities of simplification and automation.

ESF-COST Office offers:

• A full-time contract under the Belgian law with a duration linked to the FP7 COST Grant Agreement II (ending 31 May 2014), with an initial probation period of 4 months;
• An international working environment located in Brussels (Avenue Louise 149, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium);
• Candidates must be eligible to work in Belgium and must have a Work Permit.

Electronic applications (motivation letter with possible start date mentioned+CV) should be addressed to Barbara Bottiau and sent to job@cost.eu with Reference code: QAO by 14th April 2013. 

Please note that the COST HR Team will only contact the candidates who are invited to the first round of interviews. Contact will be made as from 30th April 2013 to organise the first and second rounds of interviews (to be held in May 2013). 

For more information, please visit our website http://www.cost.eu.