Internship notice - Intern Project Assistant

 INTERNSHIP NOTICE
 
REF: SEECEL / IN – 01 / 2010
 
 
South East European Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (SEECEL)is pleased to offer a six-month internship (with a possibility of extension) for recent university graduates.
 
Name of the internship post: Intern - Project Assistant
Start date:  20 March 2010.
Eligibility: nationals of the Republic of Croatia who have completed at least the first cycle of a higher education programme (university education) and hold the corresponding degree
Location: Zagreb (SEECEL’s premises)
Commitment: Full-time
Application deadline: 10 March 2010
 
More details:
 

1. BACKGROUND

Keen on ensuring a more definite contribution of education to their competitive standing, the countries of South Eastern Europe (SEE) have signed up to a number of benchmarks which aim to promote more developed learning economies. Enshrined within the European Charter for Small Enterprise / the European Small Business Act as well as the Oslo Agenda for Entrepreneurship Education in Europe, lifelong entrepreneurial learning stands apart as a specific area for development.
 
In the course of 2007-2008, the National Charter Co-ordinators from the SEE countries took an initiative to establish structured co-operation amongst the SEE countries / pre-accession countries on lifelong entrepreneurial learning and agreed on the establishment of South East European Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (hereinafter referred to as SEECEL). Following the completion of the preparatory phase (during which theCroatian Chamber of Economy acted as a temporary host institution), SEECEL was established in July 2009 as an independent institution under the national legislation of the host country (Public Institution Act of the Republic of Croatia).
 
The mission of SEECEL is to support all participating countries in the alignment of policies and practice in lifelong entrepreneurial learning with those of the European Union (EU) as well as to identify other global models that may enhance the role of entrepreneurial learning in the context of knowledge-driven, small enterprise-dominated and highly competitive economies.
 
There is no clear consensus on the nature and purposes of the lifelong entrepreneurial learning and relevant concept at the European level is only just emerging. As a starting point SEECEL uses the following definition of the entrepreneurial learning:

• All forms of education and training, both formal and non-formal, including work-based learning, which contributes to entrepreneurship spirit and activity with or without a commercial objective.

 
The following SEE / pre-accession countries are involved in SEECEL’s activities (in alphabetical order):

• Albania;
• Bosnia and Herzegovina;
• Croatia;
• Kosovo[1];
• Macedonia[2];
• Montenegro;
• Serbia;
• Turkey.

 
SEECEL’s activities centre on a number of common areas identified through the 2008 assessment of each countries performance on the human capital areas of the European Charter for Small Enterprise.  Four strategic pillars will be addressed in the period 2009-2012:

• Development of the entrepreneurship key competence  (ISCED 2 level);
• Promotion of  the entrepreneurship / entrepreneurial learning at the third level education (ISCED 5/6 level) within non-business disciplines;
• Enterprise-driven training needs analysis;
• Dissemination and promotion of good policy and good practice.

 
SEECEL's 2009-2012 work programme is financially supported by:

• The EU - IPA Multi-beneficiary Programme;
• The Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship of the Republic of Croatia.

 
 

1. INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION
2. Aims

In the course of 2010-2012, SEECEL will offer several paid internships. An internship within SEECEL is a unique opportunity for recent university graduates (i.e. those who have recently obtained a university diploma and are at the beginning of a professional career) to work closely with an experienced team of professionals in the fields of education, entrepreneurship and project management. In general, the aims of SEECEL’s internship programme are as follows:

• To provide recent university graduates with a first-hand experience of the workings of SEECEL and, thus, to enable them to put into practice knowledge acquired during studies, particularly in their specific areas of competence;
• To contribute to the implementation of specific segment of the SEECEL work programme  by applying university graduates’ skills linked to their educational and university background;
• To provide recent university graduates with an understanding of the EU policies / acquis in the field of entrepreneurship / education (e.g. the European Charter for Small Enterprise / the European Small Business Act, the EU Oslo Agenda, a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training- the “ET 2020”, etc.) and relevantEU integration processes and, hence, to provide them with an insight into the daily application of those policies and processes through the SEECEL work programme;
• To give recent university graduates an opportunity to work in a multicultural and multiethnic environment, contributing to the development of mutual understanding trust and tolerance at the SEE / EU level;
• To enable them to acquire personal experience by means of the contacts made in the course of their everyday work with the staff members / officials of the European Commission Directorates General (EC DGs) and other international institutions active in the SEE region as well as national line institutions / individual experts from the SEE countries.

 
 

1. Responsibilities / Job description

The Intern-Project Assistant will be directly supervised by the Office & Event Manager who will guide and closely follow the Intern-Project Assistant  during his/her internship, acting as his / her mentor. The position is based in Zagreb (SEECEL’s premises).
 
The successful candidate should serve a minimum of six (6) months uninterrupted service. Preference will be given to candidates available of a full-time basis, i.e. 35-40 hours per week, Monday through Friday. Hence, the successful candidate should not pursue any other part-time activity or full-time / part-time studies during its internship. The Intern-Project Assistant shall be also required to comply with other specific rules governing the internship programme and the internal rules governing the functioning of SEECEL, in particular rule concerning security and confidentiality. Those rules as well as the the Intern-Project Assistant’s
 
The type of work will be equivalent to that of a junior executive-grade official. The main responsibilities  of the Intern-Project Assistant are the following:

• Assisting with high-level administrative / financial task related to a day-to-day office management, including the management of the grant awarded by the EC (the IPA Multi-beneficiary envelope);
• Carrying out other tasks related to a day-to-day operations of SEECEL, such as participating in team meetings, document handling, word processing, maintaining databases, updating web-portal content, data searching, etc;
• Assisting in the organisation  of different small / large scale events envisaged by the SEECEL work programme;
• Assisting in the implementation of additional assignments related to the specific strategic pillar / segment of SEECEL work programme, such as:
• participating in the work of relevant working groups and in monitoring of their day-to-day work / deliverables envisaged within the SEECEL work programme and, if applicable, other projects funded by the EU (e.g. Community Programmes) and / or other international donors;
• participating at the co-ordination meetings / consultations / networking with the SEE experts as well as the EC’s and other international institutions’ officials / staff members related to wide-ranging thematic and geographical issues in the field of entrepreneurship and education;
• participating in presentations at different high-level events (e.g. conferences);
• drafting letters, minutes / briefings and activity reports;
• assistance with statistical data collection & analysis, compiling information and delivering relevant inputs to the responsible staff members of SEECEL, including preparation of specific project proposals (most notably under the framework of the EU Community Programmes, such as Lifelong Learning Programme, CIP, FP 7, and/or other bilateral / mutlilateral support of the EU member states);
• responding to relevant information requests;
• participating in the work of relevant “Community of Practice” activities and other targeted visibility / dissemination activities of SEECEL;
• etc.;

 
A detailed description of the aforementioned additional assignments that are to be linked with the Intern-Project Assistant’s educational / university background and specific subject of interest will be jointly defined by the Intern-Project Assistant and the SEECEL Director at the beginning of the internship. Additional capacity building activities (e.g. participation at different workshops, seminars, study-trips, etc. in Croatia and abroad) may be organised for the Intern-Project Assistant, subject to the budget availability.
 
The internshipcontract shall start on 20 March 2010. However, in an exceptional and duly justified case, after agreement with the SEECEL Director, the date of commencement may be deferred, as long as the minimum internship period is respected. The internship period may be extended beyond the six-month length. 
 
 

1. Requirements (eligibility, qualifications & skills)

Only nationals of the Republic of Croatia are eligible to apply. Candidates must have completed at least the first cycle of a higher education programme (university education) and hold the corresponding degree by the closing date for applications.  The minimum national qualifications and the corresponding degree obtained as defined by the legislation of the Republic of Croatia (in Croatian language):

• Preddiplomskisveučilišnistudij(180-240 ECTS bodova) - akademskinazivsveučilišniprvostupnik(baccalaureus), odnosnosveučilišnaprvostupnica(baccalaurea), uznaznakustruke.

 
In line with specific priorities of the SEECEL work programme for the year 2010, SEECEL is looking for an intern with a degree in one of the following fields: economics, business administration, accounting and / or entrepreneurship.
 
As the nature of the SEECEL internship programme is university graduates at the beginning of their career.
 
In addition, the successful candidate must:

• Have excellent oral and written command of English language (equivalent to at least  C1 level as defined in the Europass Language Passport instructions) - required;
• Have good knowledge of a second EU official language – highly desirable;
• Have strong computer skills (Word, Excel, Power Point, databases, html) – required;
• Posses prior experience in organisation of events (workshops, seminars, conferences) – highly desirable;
• Have good analytical skills – highly desirable;
• Have basic knowledge of the EU institutional framework: policy making process, EC DGs, etc. – highly desirable

 
A priority will be given to the candidates who have not already benefited from previous internship, in-service training (formal or non-formal) or employment (paid or unpaid) with any of the EU institutions, bodies or representative offices (including the EC delegations) for more than six weeks.
 
The Intern-Project Assistant will be part of a small, entrepreneurial and dynamic team. Consequently, flexibility and ability to efficiently handle multiple tasks is crucial in SEECEL’ environment as the staff / external experts of SEECEL are constantly “on the go” and beneficiaries / strategic partners needs may arise at short notice.
 

1. Remuneration / Working conditions

The monthly remuneration is subject to special tax regulations of the Republic of Croatia applying to volunteers.
 
Accident insurance is compulsory and must be obtained by the selected intern before the start of the internship. SEECEL will reimburse the costs of relevant accident insurance valid for the duration of the internship. Adequate infrastructure (office space, computer, etc.) will be duly provided by SEECEL.
 
Accommodation expenses for the successful candidate who does not have a permanent residence (in Croatian: mjesto prebivališta)in Zagreb will not be covered.  Following the completion of a minimum 2 months of the internship period, the successful candidate who does not have a permanent residence in Zagreb is entitled to receive one travel allowance per month. If the successful candidate’s place of permanent residence is less than 50 km from the place of internship (Zagreb), he / she is not entitled to a travel allowance. The travel allowance will be calculated on the basis of the first class train or bus ticket, taking into consideration the trip between the Intern-Project Assistant’s place of permanent residence and the place of internship (Zagreb).
 
In the exceptional cases only, the SEECEL Director may grant authorisation for the Intern-Project Assistant to be sent on mission. For the reimbursement of these mission expenses, the general procedure of reimbursement (per-diems and travel allowance) for the staff members / associates of SEECEL will apply.
 
 

1. APPLICATION PROCESS

Candidates should only apply if they seriously intend to take up the offer of an internship within SEECEL. Notification of withdrawal from the internship after selection is unacceptable as it precludes others from this opportunity and is a source of inconvenience to both SEECEL and the EC DG Enlargement (in the capacity of an EU body that awarded funding for SEECEL activities in the period of 2009-2012).
 
Interested candidates are invited to send their applications in English language, including:

• A cover letter;
• An application form for the internship provided by SEECEL available here ;
• A self-assessment of the applicants foreign languages competences and qualifications – relevant Europass Language Passport template shall be used (available at  the following website: http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu);
• The most recent academic transcript;
• A copy of relevant university diploma(s) and other certificates;
• At least two letters of recommendation.

 
Applications must be submitted in an envelope by registered mail or private courier service at the address below:
South East European Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning
Attn: Ms Sandra Rončević, Office & Event Manager
Ref: SEECEL / IN – 01 / 2010
Selska 217
10000 Zagreb
 
Applications sent by any other means (e.g. by fax or by hand delivery) or delivered to other addresses will be rejected. The deadline for the submission of applications is 10 March 2010 as evidenced by the date of dispatch, the postmark or the date of the deposit slip
Failure to comply with one of the above formal requirements will result in the immediate disqualification of the applicant. The selection procedures will be carried out by the Internship Committee made up of SEECEL's 3 permanent staff members. SEECEL shall answer all applications. Only the short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview and testing of relevant skills.
SEECEL’s human resources policies and actions are based on a number of distinctive values / standards, which contribute to making SEECEL a modern administration:

• Efficiency;
• Knowledge sharing;
• Transparency;
• Ethics and conduct ;
• Equal opportunities;
• Application of modern Information and Communication Technologies;
• Environmental friendliness;
• Multilingualism.