Interact Programme vacancy - Head of Interact Office Viborg

About Interact

We are an experienced international team who are passionate about cooperation. 
Cooperation can be complex; our job is to make it easier. 

We ensure the exchange of experience, information and innovation in order to promote best practices and make cooperation easier. We achieve this through targeted events, publications and tools. 

Our services are targeted at cooperation programmes under the European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) objective of Cohesion Policy 2021-2027 - known as Interreg. We are co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). 

Our work covers the Member States of the European Union, as well as Norway and Switzerland. We also support programmes in pre-accession, and European Neighbourhood countries. 

Interact’s Managing Authority and Interact Secretariat (MA/IS) are based in Bratislava. Four Interact offices, in Turku (Finland), Valencia (Spain), Viborg (Denmark) and Vienna (Austria), deliver services to Interreg programmes and other cooperation stakeholders. 

Each of the four implementing offices host specialists in Programme Financial Management, Programme Content and Programme Communication. Each office also has lead responsibility for certain Operations of Strategic Importance which are vital to the Interact programme, and have a significant impact on our target audience, such as keep.eu, EC Day, HIT and Jems.  

Full details regarding the aims, objectives, coordination framework and operational strategy for the programme can be found in the Interact IV Cooperation programme, available to download at www.interact.eu.

Profile

Interact Office Viborg is looking for a Head of Office to lead a team of 10 highly motivated international Interreg experts. This post demands a strategic vision for leading the team and implementing the Interact IV programme, excellent communication skills and operational efficiency. This is a perfect opportunity for a skilful manager who thrives in a demanding, service-orientated environment, and who values the diversity of that multi-cultural environment.

In this position, you will be part of the coordination body of the Interact programme, and you will have the opportunity to initiate, design and work with organisational development and change practices.  

The position also includes responsibility for the delivery and management of Interact Office Viborg's operations and services, and for the continuous development of the Interact programme services together with other programme bodies. 

This position combines manager, organiser and expert roles, as follows:

•    Skilful manager able to operate in a multicultural stakeholder environment and motivate international expert staff 
•    Expert and facilitator in Interact services supporting exchanges across Interreg
•    Expert and facilitator in building bridges and facilitating exchange between Interreg programmes and other policy instruments, where relevant
•    Expert in advocating and enabling development within territorial cooperation programme management structures 
•    Resilient manager able to use the opportunities available in an adhocratic structure

Core tasks:

•    Overall management and leadership of Interact Office Viborg and of the Interact programme (in close cooperation with the Interact Managing Authority/Secretariat and other Interact Offices)
•    Elaboration and implementation of joint workplans 
•    Management of the day-to-day operations of the office
•    Accountability for the management of the tasks allocated to the team
•    Overseeing the Operations of Strategic Importance (OSI) IO Viborg is leading on; namely, the Interact Academy and Interreg.eu
•    Expert contribution to the service provision of Interact Office Viborg and Interact programme
•    Acting on behalf of the hosting institution and being accountable to the Managing Authority (based on the decisions of the hosting institution)
•    Responsibility for the financial management of Interact Office Viborg
•    Representation of the Interact programme, including liaising with the European Commission, Interact Programme bodies and other relevant bodies
•    Regular reporting to the Managing Authority, the Monitoring Committee and the hosting institution on progress, achievements and results
•    Responsibility for the correct maintenance of the audit trail for management verifications on all expenditures, including support to the Audit Authority in audit of operations

The position involves travel and work outside regular office hours, when necessary.

Our expectations:

The minimum requirements for this position, and which applicants should regard as eligibility criteria are:
•    Working experience of at least 7 years in Interreg, or with other European Union funded programmes and/or projects
•    Experience in management/leadership of at least 3 years
•    Master or post-graduate degree (or equivalent) in relevant fields of study (EU- or International Studies, Public Management, Economy, etc.)
•    High level of proficiency in written and spoken English

Applicants who do not meet these requirements will not be considered for the position.

Professional skills/assets necessary for this position:

•    In-depth experience with Interreg programmes and their projects, including management challenges
•    Extensive knowledge and understanding of EU Regional Policy and regulations
•    Experience with organisation processes, systems and changes
•    Excellent understanding of the Interact Programme, its framework and related work experience
•    Strong experience in financial management and budgeting

Personal skills/assets essential for this position:

•    Experience in managing, leading and motivating multinational teams
•    Ability to plan, coordinate and implement activities with the support of the expert team
•    Strong organizational and administrative skills
•    Strong facilitation and moderation skills
•    Excellent communication, networking and presentation skills
•    Drive and determination for the delivery of high-quality results within tight deadlines
•    Flexibility, pro-activeness and teamwork skills
•    Strong analytical skills for data interpretation
•    Ability to work well under stress

We are looking for a motivated, goal-oriented and diligent professional who values working in an international environment, often in a virtual setting. Tasks and responsibilities often require initiative and self-drive, attention to detail, quality and assertiveness. Strong customer orientation, verbal and written communication and presentation skills, matched with team spirit and flexibility, are key.

Terms and conditions

The terms and conditions for employment/contracting period are:

•    The position is full-time and based in Viborg, Denmark. The successful candidate will be employed in accordance with relevant Danish labour market agreements by the Central Denmark Region. 
•    While remote work is possible to a certain extent, the position requires physical residency in Denmark.
•    The start date would be as soon as possible. 
•    The length of the contract is subject to the funding and strategic decisions from the Interact IV Programme, but indicatively until the end of 2029, with a possibility for extension.
•    We offer a competitive annual salary which includes pension arrangements.

Application procedure

Your application must be submitted in English, via the Emply recruitment system.

Please note that applications sent directly by email will not be considered.

You will have to attach 2 documents as part of your application; a CV and a motivation letter. There is no need to summarise your work experience in the letter. Instead, please focus on answering the following questions:
•    Why would you like to join Interact team?
•    What is your experience in managing multinational teams?
•    To what extent and in which way will you be able to contribute to the implementation and evolution of the Interact Academy?

Regarding work experience information in your CV, please indicate a contact person we can approach for references on your employment. Please contact us, should this be an issue. All applications will be treated confidentially, and referees will not be contacted without prior agreement with the applicant.

Applications should be received no later than 10 April 2025 at 13.00 CET. Applications received after this date will not be considered. Short-listed candidates will be invited for an in-person interview in Viborg, Denmark, indicatively on 5 or 6 May 2025. Please be aware that pre-selected candidates may be requested to undergo psychometric tests and/or be expected to complete a practical task prior to the interview.

For further information, please contact Polona Frumen, Head of Interact Office Viborg: +45 29 62 75 25; [email protected].

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