Head of Sector Justice and Home Affairs

Type of post/type of contract AD

Grade/function group AD5-AD12

Publication under Article 29(1)(a), (b) and (c) of the Staff Regulations

Place of employment Brussels (Belgium)

Deadline for applications 03/03/2026 (Brussels time GMT+1) at 12:00 midday

WHO ARE WE?

The EDPS - a young and dynamic institution

The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) is the independent data protection authority of the EU institutions and bodies and the advisor to the EU legislator on data protection matters. Established in 2004 and based in Brussels, the EDPS works to promote a strong data protection culture across the EU institutions and in EU legislation. We also closely monitor technological developments and seek to anticipate their impact on the individual's privacy. Additionally, since the entry into force of the AI Act, we ensure that the EU institutions use, develop, and deploy AI in line with its rules. The EDPS employs around 170 staff members, including EU officials, Contract Agents, Temporary Agents, Seconded National Experts and Trainees, working on a full-time or part-time basis.

The EDPS - a great place to work

We value a strong culture of respect, flat hierarchical structures and an open door policy to foster innovative ideas and a strong collaboration between colleagues. To ensure our staff's well-being and motivation, we believe that it is essential to create a healthy organisational climate and to strike a good work-life balance. To achieve this, we offer various flexible working arrangements, as well as learning and development opportunities, such as job-shadowing and training programmes.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

Someone who

• fits in an informal and friendly yet professional working environment;
• appreciates working collaboratively with other colleagues on a variety of different projects;
• brings their creativity and initiative to the table;
• engages constructively with stakeholders, based on our core values: integrity, impartiality, transparency and pragmatism.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Our job vacancy is in the Justice and Home Affairs Sector of the Policy & Legislative Consultation Unit. The unit is in charge of advising European institutions on data protection matters, in particular in the context of legislative consultation in accordance with Regulation (EU)2018/1725 which lays down the rules for data protection in the EU institutions (EUDPR). This includes in particular:

• Advising the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council on legislative proposals, draft implementing and delegated acts, and international agreements that have an impact on the protection of personal data.
• Developing and maintaining expertise related to data protection in various areas of EU law, including AI and digital regulation, as well as judicial and police cooperation in criminal matters, interoperability and large-scale IT systems.
• Contributing and coordinating the EDPS involvement as a member of the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and the EUDPR.
• Contributing and coordinating the EDPS international cooperation activities, including international cooperation among data protection authorities and/or in the context of intergovernmental organisations.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Carrying out and supervising legislative consultation and other tasks assigned to the Justice and Home Affairs Sector;
• Developing and implementing the strategy and objectives of the Sector, as well as supporting the day-to-day management of resources and ensuring business continuity and availability;
• Putting in place smooth working methods for the team to perform their duties and to ensure the cohesion and well-functioning of the team;
• Ensuring the respect of procedures in place, contributing to a smooth workflow and respect of deadlines;
• Conducting quality checks and coherence of the documents produced by the team, in line with the guidance provided by hierarchy;
• Ensuring the coordination and cooperation with the other sectors of the Policy and Legislative Consultation Unit, and with the other EDPS units;
• Providing input for the budget and planning in relation to the Sector's activities and monitoring progress of the Sector's deliverables;
• Representing the Sector towards internal and external stakeholders, where appropriate.

You may also be required to carry out additional tasks when necessary and in the interest of the service.

OUR ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Eligibility criteria

For your application to be considered, you must meet the following criteria by the deadline for submitting applications:

• be an EU Official in the function group 'Administrator' and a grade between AD5 and AD12

OR

• be a laureate of an EPSO competition for ''Administrators''.

Selection criteria

For this job vacancy, we are looking for someone with the following essential and advantageous skills and experience:

Essential

• a level of education corresponding to completed university studies of at least three years, attested by a diploma, in the field of law;
• to have at least three years of professional experience in the field of data protection and justice and home affairs, preferably from a legal and policy perspective;
• very good knowledge of the EU legislation on personal data protection and the relevant case law of the Court of Justice of the EU and its implications for EUIs;
• very good knowledge of the EU legislation on justice and home affairs;
• excellent problem-solving skills and creativity in proposing possible solutions in compliance with the applicable rules;
• proven leadership and coordination skills and the capacity to motivate and develop a team to the best of its potential and expertise;
• excellent communication skills;
• a management style that fosters cooperation across sectors and units, as well as with external stakeholders;
• demonstrated resilience in view of high workload periods and the ability to respond quickly and decisively in the case of urgencies; capacity to prioritise competing issues and tasks in a very varied workload and contribute effectively as part of a team, often with demanding deadlines;
• good knowledge of the structure and functioning of the European Union and of its institutions;
• a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union and a good knowledge of another EU language is required. For practical reasons, an excellent knowledge of English is required;
• the willingness to obtain security clearance.

Advantageous

• experience or knowledge of the data protection implications of the use of artificial intelligence and other similar technologies in the field of justice and home affairs;
• training in people management;
• a good knowledge of modern information technology, including IT management and IT tools.

HOW TO APPLY?

Interested in this position? Please apply via the following link by 03/03/2026 at 12:00 midday (Brussels time):

You will have to complete the online application form and upload the following documents :

• Cover letter detailing why you are suitable for this role (PDF format of maximum size of 1MB);
• Official statement confirming current status as an official with date of establishment and grading and copy of the last two evaluation reports (for officials) OR EPSO attest (for EU competition laureates only). Contract agents and temporary agents are not eligible.
• CV (preferably in Europass format);
• Optional: Other supporting documents, such as references, certificates, which must be merged into one single PDF document of a maximum size of 1MB.

Do not hesitate to contact in case you have any questions.

OUR SELECTION PROCEDURE

All eligible applications will be scrutinised by a selection panel. Candidates whose applications best match the selection criteria will be invited for an interview during which the selection panel will assess each candidate's performance. In addition, a second interview or written tests may be carried out. At the EDPS we aim for all selection panels to have a gender-balanced composition.