Policy Officer - various areas: Civic Space, National Human Rights Bodies, Roma Empowerment & Incl.

Function group/grade FG IV
Type of contract Contractual agent
Ref. FRA-CA-POLOF-FGIV-2026
Deadline for applications 30/04/2026 13:00
Place of employment Vienna, AUSTRIA
Contract duration up to 3 years
Monthly basic salary €4,449.31

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) is organising a selection procedure to draw up a reserve list and to fill at least one vacant position of Policy Officer to work under the projects carried out in the framework of FRA’s cooperation with the EEA and Norway Grants.

The position is funded by the EEA and Norway Grants under its agreement with FRA and is therefore only for a limited duration (with a maximum total duration of 7 years), without prospect of permanent employment. Please refer to the section “engagement and conditions of employment” for further details. The selection procedure is published inter-agency and externally.

Background

Background

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) provides independent, evidence-based advice to policy-makers, to help ensure full respect for fundamental rights across the EU, for everyone. To this end, the Agency collects and analyses information and data on a range of fundamental rights issues, provides assistance and expertise to EU institutions and to EU Member States’ governments, raises rights awareness, communicates its findings and strengthens cooperation and ties between fundamental rights actors.

The EEA and Norway Grants

FRA cooperates with the EEA and Norway Grants on fundamental rights related programmes and projects in a number of EU Member States which are beneficiaries of the Grants. It also provides strategic advice to the Grants on fundamental rights issues, under a specific cooperation arrangement which the two organisations have concluded. Funding is provided for a limited period for agreed projects.

Project areas

In the context of this new cooperation, funded under the EEA and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms 2021-2028, FRA will implement the following projects:

A.     Strengthening the Civic Space:

The overall objective of the project is to improve the civic space situation in the 15 beneficiary countries, through fostering an enabling environment and strengthening the resilience of civil society actors. Amongst other activities, the project will set up a ‘civic space information hub’, which will bring together monitoring data, recommendations and resources to protect civil society, in the form of a virtual one-stop shop. It will also help organise national civic space dialogues involving public authorities and civil society in selected countries.

B.     Strengthening National Human Rights Bodies:

The project will enhance the capacity of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and other human rights bodies in the 15 beneficiary countries to effectively carry out their oversight and other mandated roles in areas covered by EU law, such as Artificial Intelligence, border monitoring, fundamental rights conditionality of EU funds, and the implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Through peer-learning and capacity-building, the project contributes to improving the protection and promotion of fundamental rights across the beneficiary states.

C.     Roma Empowerment and Inclusion: 

The project’s main objective is empowerment of local Roma youth and Roma women in Bulgaria, Czechia and Romania. This will be done through the development, piloting and implementing a system of local level (lowest territorial level) data collection and facilitating partnerships with local authorities to provide evidence on the enjoyment of fundamental rights of the Roma. The project seeks to shift perception of Roma from being merely subjects of surveys to active agents contributing to the design, analysis and communication of evidence on their enjoyment of their fundamental rights.

Candidates must indicate at the end of the application form which of the above projects they are applying for. Only one project can be selected; applicants indicating more than one project will be disqualified.

Duties

The Policy Officer will be assigned to one of the designated EEA/Norway Grants-funded projects and will contribute to the effective delivery of project activities under the EEA and Norway Grants framework, in cooperation with FRA experts and national partners. In particular, they will carry out the following key activities in close collaboration with the appointed Project Coordinator, within the area of their designated project:

 

General Duties (all Policy Officers)

  • Monitor and analyse legal, policy, and social developments relevant to the assigned project area;
  • Synthesise complex information from a variety of sources and derive key messages relevant to the assigned project area;
  • Plan, implement, and report on project activities, ensuring compliance with grant requirements;
  • Engage and maintain effective relations with diverse stakeholders such as EU institutions, national authorities, civil society, and other relevant actors in the assigned project area;
  • Organise and participate in meetings, conferences, workshops, and stakeholder dialogues; present project results and draft reports;
  • Contribute to project communication and act as a focal point for dissemination of key information on the assigned project, ensuring visibility of the assigned project;
  • Contribute to budget management, progress monitoring, and the preparation of financial and activity reports;
  • Collaborate with FRA experts and external partners to ensure smooth project execution and knowledge exchange.

 

Profile-Specific Duties

A. Civic Space:

  • Lead on the development of a comprehensive online repository that brings together civic space data, policy guidance, and practical resources to support the protection of civil society organisations;
  • Facilitate the organisation and moderation of national civic space dialogues through participatory and inclusive methodologies;
  • Design and deliver capacity-building initiatives, including training sessions, workshops, and peer-learning activities, aimed at bolstering the resilience, operational capacity, and skills of civil society actors across beneficiary countries;
  • Collaborate with relevant national authorities, EU institutions, and civil society representatives to identify emerging challenges and opportunities within the civic space and contribute to the identification and dissemination of best practices in civic space protection.

B. National Human Rights Bodies:

  • Design and implement capacity-building and peer-learning activities for national human rights institutions and other national oversight bodies;
  • Coordinate best practice exchanges in domains where oversight mandates are defined by specific EU legislation. Focus areas are expected to include Artificial Intelligence, migration, and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights;
  • Facilitate training, knowledge-sharing, and development of operational frameworks to support high standards of rights protection in these fields;
  • Promote collaboration among national bodies to strengthen the effectiveness of oversight and regulatory practices in accordance with evolving EU requirements.

C. Roma Empowerment and Inclusion: 

  • Develop local initiatives aimed at enabling Roma youth and women to actively participate in the design, analysis, and communication of evidence related to their fundamental rights;
  • Oversee structured monitoring activities across various locations in Bulgaria, Czechia, and Romania, facilitate collaboration and dialogue between Roma communities and local authorities, and support the establishment of secure platforms for data validation and reporting;
  • Contribute to policy feedback mechanisms and prompt dissemination of evidence to guide project development, and support Roma participation and representation in both local and national policy discussions.

Eligibility requirements

Only candidates who meet all of the following eligibility criteria by the deadline for submission of applications will be marked as eligible. Candidates who do not meet one or more criteria will not be considered further:

General conditions[1]

  • Be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union and be entitled to full rights as a citizen;
  • Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the laws concerning military service;
  • Meet the character requirements as to suitability for the performance of the duties involved[2];
  • Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post[3].

Education[4]

A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years, attested by a diploma.

Language skills

  • Have a thorough knowledge (level C1) of English, as this is the working language of FRA, and
  • Have a satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2) of another language of the EU.

The levels indicated correspond to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages[5].


[1] See Article 12 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union.

[2] Prior to appointment, successful applicants will be required to prove that they do not have any criminal record.

[3] Before being engaged, successful applicants will be required to undergo a medical examination attesting to their fitness for work.  

[4] Only diplomas and certificates that have been awarded in EU Member States or that are the subject of equivalence certificates issued by authorities in the Member States shall be taken into consideration. Any certificate of equivalence should be obtained by the deadline for applications.

[5] See https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/sites/default/files/cefr-en.pdf

Selection criteria

In order to select the best-qualified candidates for the test and interview phase, FRA will assess the following essential and advantageous criteria.

Please note that all essential criteria are mandatory. If a candidate scores zero on any individual essential criterion, their application will not be assessed further.

The following criteria will be considered as essential:

  • At least 3 years of work experience relevant to the tasks linked to the “General Duties” and “Profile-specific Duties” mentioned above, in the chosen project area;
  • Applied professional knowledge of policy and legal frameworks at local, national or international level in the chosen project area;
  • Proven experience in producing policy-relevant outputs (policy papers and/or reports, impact assessments, stakeholder dialogues, etc.) in the chosen project area;
  • Proven experience of identifying and engaging with various relevant stakeholders, including civil society (in case of selecting Roma Inclusion project, this must include Roma and Roma civil society organisations at local level), local authorities and/or national human rights institutes;
  • Experience in capacity-building and peer-learning activities involving various human rights bodies and organisations at local, national or international level.

 

 

The following criteria will be considered as advantageous[1], with specific criteria considered depending on the selected project area:

  • For applicants applying to the civic space project:
    • Proven work experience in a civil society organisation;
    • Demonstrated experience in facilitation/moderation of multi-stakeholder dialogues.
  • For applicants applying to national human rights bodies project:
    • Proven work experience in a national human rights body;
    • Demonstrated experience in one of the EU policy areas covered by the project, namely: migration/asylum, artificial intelligence and/or the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
  • For applicants applying to the Roma Inclusion project:
    • Experience in data collection and monitoring or evaluation of policies targeted at the Roma community;
    • Satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2) in at least one of the national languages of the countries covered by the project (Czech, Bulgarian or Romanian).

In addition to the essential and advantageous criteria, candidates invited to the interview and test phase will also be assessed behavioural competencies relevant for the position. In particular, the successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate:

  • Strong organisational and time management skills;
  • Good communication skills in English and an ability to form and maintain productive working relationships with various stakeholders;
  • An ability to foster team spirit and motivate colleagues to work together towards common objectives.

[1] Regarding the project specific advantageous criteria, candidates will be screened against those of their chosen project aera.

Selection criteria

In order to select the best-qualified candidates for the test and interview phase, FRA will assess the following essential and advantageous criteria.

Please note that all essential criteria are mandatory. If a candidate scores zero on any individual essential criterion, their application will not be assessed further.

The following criteria will be considered as essential:

  • At least 3 years of work experience relevant to the tasks linked to the “General Duties” and “Profile-specific Duties” mentioned above, in the chosen project area;
  • Applied professional knowledge of policy and legal frameworks at local, national or international level in the chosen project area;
  • Proven experience in producing policy-relevant outputs (policy papers and/or reports, impact assessments, stakeholder dialogues, etc.) in the chosen project area;
  • Proven experience of identifying and engaging with various relevant stakeholders, including civil society (in case of selecting Roma Inclusion project, this must include Roma and Roma civil society organisations at local level), local authorities and/or national human rights institutes;
  • Experience in capacity-building and peer-learning activities involving various human rights bodies and organisations at local, national or international level.

 

 

The following criteria will be considered as advantageous[1], with specific criteria considered depending on the selected project area:

  • For applicants applying to the civic space project:
    • Proven work experience in a civil society organisation;
    • Demonstrated experience in facilitation/moderation of multi-stakeholder dialogues.
  • For applicants applying to national human rights bodies project:
    • Proven work experience in a national human rights body;
    • Demonstrated experience in one of the EU policy areas covered by the project, namely: migration/asylum, artificial intelligence and/or the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
  • For applicants applying to the Roma Inclusion project:
    • Experience in data collection and monitoring or evaluation of policies targeted at the Roma community;
    • Satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2) in at least one of the national languages of the countries covered by the project (Czech, Bulgarian or Romanian).

In addition to the essential and advantageous criteria, candidates invited to the interview and test phase will also be assessed behavioural competencies relevant for the position. In particular, the successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate:

  • Strong organisational and time management skills;
  • Good communication skills in English and an ability to form and maintain productive working relationships with various stakeholders;
  • An ability to foster team spirit and motivate colleagues to work together towards common objectives.

[1] Regarding the project specific advantageous criteria, candidates will be screened against those of their chosen project aera.

Engagement and conditions of employment

A contract as a member of the contract staff will be offered pursuant to Article 3(a) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union for up to 3 years. The contract may be renewed up to a maximum total duration of 7 years, subject to the continuation of funding under the agreement between the EEA and Norway Grants and FRA.

The successful candidate will be recruited in the function group FGIV. The monthly basic salary for the grade FGIV ranges from €4,449.31 (grade 13) to €6,444.59 (grade 16) depending on the number of years of professional experience. In addition to the basic salary, staff members may be entitled to various allowances, in particular a household allowance, expatriation allowance (16% of basic salary + household allowance), dependent child allowance and education allowance. The salary is subject to a Union tax deducted at source and it is exempt of national taxation.

FRA also offers a comprehensive welfare package including pension scheme, medical, accident and occupational disease insurance coverage, unemployment and invalidity allowance and travel insurance.

Under certain circumstances, in particular where staff members are obliged to change their place of residence in order to take up employment, the Agency may also reimburse various expenses incurred on recruitment, notably removal expenses.

Additional information can be obtained from the website of the European Commission. 

For any further information on the contractual and working conditions please refer to the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union and the Conditions of Employment of other Servants. 

Submission of applications and deadline

Candidates are requested to submit their application electronically through the Agency’s website: fra.europa.eu. Only online completed applications submitted in English via the e-recruitment system will be accepted.

Applications must be sent no later than 30/04/2026 13:00 Central European Time (CET).

Information concerning the status of the selection procedure can be found at http://fra.europa.eu/en/about-fra/recruitment/vacancies .

In case you experience technical problems during your application please contact, recruitment@fra.europa.eu.

Please note that due to the large number of applications we receive, the system may face problems in processing data when reaching the deadline for submission of applications. We therefore advise to apply well ahead of the deadline.

Selection procedure

A Selection Committee is nominated by the Appointing Authority.

Eligibility of candidates will be assessed according to compliance with all formal requirements by the closing date for the submission of applications (see section Eligibility requirements).

Only the applications of eligible candidates will be evaluated in accordance with the selection criteria as specified in the publication notice (see section Selection criteria). Given the mandatory nature of the essential criteria, candidates who score zero on any individual essential criterion will not be assessed further. The Agency will invite for an interview and test the top candidates among those who have obtained at least 60%.

The selection procedure will be composed of an interview and a written test, which will be held in English. They will take place either in Vienna (Austria), the place of employment where the Agency has its seat, or online. The shortlisted candidates will receive further detailed information in due time.

Candidates invited to an interview will be requested to submit a non-certified copy of their diploma(s) and evidence of their professional experience, clearly indicating the length and nature of their experience and whether full time or part time work. Prior to contract signature, the successful candidate/s will be requested to provide FRA with copies of all relevant documents proving the eligibility requirements.

Successful candidates will be included on a reserve list drawn up by the Selection Committee and adopted by the Appointing Authority of FRA. This reserve list will be valid from the date of its establishment (in year ‘N’) until 31 December of year ‘N+2’. Its validity may be extended. The reserve list may be used for future recruitment, should vacancies arise. Candidates should note that inclusion on a reserve list does not guarantee recruitment.

On the basis of the adopted reserve list, the Appointing Authority of FRA may offer a contract of engagement.

Please note that the Selection Committee’s work and deliberations are strictly confidential and that any contact with its members is strictly forbidden.

Equal opportunities

FRA is an equal opportunities employer and ensures that its recruitment procedures do not discriminate on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age, gender identity or sexual orientation. 

FRA encourages candidates with disabilities to apply. If you consider yourself to have a physical, mental, intellectual or sensory disability, please indicate any adjustments or arrangements needed, relating to your disability, to recruitment@fra.europa.eu, so FRA can ensure your full and equal participation in the interview.

Data protection

Personal data shall be processed solely for the purpose of the selection procedure.

Please note that FRA will not return applications to candidates. The personal information FRA requests from applicants will be processed in line with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data. This applies in particular to the confidentiality and security of such data.

Should the candidate have any query concerning the processing of their personal data, they shall address them to: recruitment@fra.europa.eu.

For further information with regard to the processing of personal data, please see FRA’s Privacy Statement published on the vacancies page.

Appeal procedures

If a candidate considers that they have been adversely affected by a particular decision, they can lodge a complaint under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations of Officials and Conditions of employment of other servants of the European Union, at recruitment@fra.europa.eu.

The complaint must be lodged within 3 months of the date of the contested decision.

Should the complaint be rejected, pursuant to Article 270 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 91 of the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union, a candidate may request judicial review of the act. The appeal must be lodged within 3 months from the date of notification to the following address:

Court of Justice of the European Union

Rue du Fort Niedergrünewald

L-2925 Luxembourg

Luxembourg

 

It is also possible to lodge a complaint to the European Ombudsman pursuant to Article 228(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and in accordance with the statute of the Ombudsman and the implementing provisions adopted by the Ombudsman. Before the Ombudsman can accept a complaint, it is necessary that the complaint is first addressed to the Agency. Any complaint to the Ombudsman (http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu) must be made within two years of receiving the Agency’s final position on the matter.

Apply online