Deputy Director of the Rectorate

The College of Europe is seeking applications for the position of Deputy Director (100% FTE), joining the Rectorate at its Bruges campus from 1 September 2025 onwards.

About the College: Welcome to the laboratory of European integration

The College of Europe is the oldest postgraduate institute of European studies, with campuses in Bruges (est. 1949), Natolin/Warsaw (est. 1992) and Tirana (est. 2024). Across the campuses, and under the motto of “studying and living Europe together”, the College hosts every year approximately 500 students of over 50 different nationalities,  pursuing advanced Master’s programmes with a duration of 10 months in a residential format. Beyond a broad spectrum of additional executive education activities, the College also implements comprehensive training programmes for junior diplomats/officials from EU member states and the enlargement region.

Centred around its core educational and training activities, the College of Europe has the mission to contribute to the construction of Europe and to good relations between the European Union and its international partners. All staff members contribute to the College mission with professional dedication, a spirit of pro-active collegiality and mutual respect. 

For more information about the College, please visit our website.

The Role

Based in Bruges, the Deputy Director of the Rectorate will be working under the direct supervision of the Director of the Rectorate and in close collaboration with the Rector, taking on the key liaison role on all administrative matters related to the branch of the College of Europe in Tirana, Albania.

The main tasks and responsibilities of the Deputy Director will include:

  • Coordinate the operations of the Rectorate and support the work of the Rector as regards the branch of the College of Europe in Albania, in general, and the liaison with the Head of Administration in Tirana, in particular;
  • Prepare decisions and projects related to the branch on the level of the Rectorate and ensure implementation/monitoring in coordination with the Head of Administration and the respective services in Tirana;
  • Support the administrative offices of the Bruges campus in their liaison/coordination with the Tirana branch, i.a. in the implementation of policies and procedures;
  • Plan and prepare the missions of the Rector to Albania and the Western Balkans; 
  • Guide and contribute to reporting obligations to external stakeholders for Tirana-related operations;
  • Oversee the administrative alignment of the Tirana branch with the College of Europe standards; 
  • Monitor the overall planning and execution of the general Tirana-related budget (in cooperation with the Head of Administration in Tirana and the Finance Director in Bruges); 
  • Plan and execute the specific Tirana-related budget lines in the Rectorate; 
  • Contribute to the preparation of documentation for the College of Europe’s decision-making bodies on administrative matters;
  • Act as the contact point in the Rectorate for external stakeholders on matters related to the operations in Tirana; 
  • Provide general support for the implementation of administrative processes and systems for the Tirana branch;
  • Consult with and report to the Director of the Rectorate on the areas of responsibility;
  • Represent and/or substitute for the Director of the Rectorate, if needed.

Your Profile

For the position of Deputy Director of the Rectorate, the College is looking for candidates with:

  • A postgraduate degree in Management, Public Administration, Business Administration, Law, European Studies, or a related field;
  • Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in project management and/or administrative coordination roles, preferably in a higher education and/or EU context;
  • A good understanding of the Western Balkans region and EU enlargement;
  • Excellent command of English; knowledge of French and/or Albanian is considered an asset;
  • Strong coordination, communication and interpersonal skills;
  • Ideally, experience or familiarity with the activities and operations of the College of Europe;
  • Full digital literacy (including MS Office 365 and alike);
  • Result-oriented, proactive and cooperative approach;
  • Outstanding analytical and organisational skills, with an eye for detail; 
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, with respect for deadlines.

Our offer

  • A pleasant and stimulating international working environment;
  • An employment contract under Belgian law of indefinite duration;
  • A competitive remuneration;
  • A comprehensive benefits package including the legal holiday pay and an end-of-year bonus, meal vouchers, a transportation allowance, hospitalisation insurance, and a complementary pension scheme;
  • Legal holidays plus two extra public holidays (9th of May and 11th of July) and eight closing days during the winter break;
  • A telework policy (up to two days per week) and allowance;
  • An invaluable opportunity to contribute to a renowned project of European integration.

How to apply

Applications in English, comprising a detailed CV (max. 2 pages) and a motivation letter (max. 1 page) should be submitted by 7 May 2025 to the HR Office at recruitment.be@coleurope.eu, mentioning “Deputy Director Rectorate” in the subject line.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

For further information on the position, please contact Carsten Gerards, Principal Coordinator in the Rector’s Office (carsten.gerards@coleurope.eu). 

For HR related questions, please contact Julie Favril, HR Co-Director at recruitment.be@coleurope.eu.

 

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By submitting your application, you consent to have your personal data processed for the purpose of recruitment and the specific position you are applying for. You acknowledge that your data, as well as data we receive from academic institutions we can contact for verification purposes, will be processed by the College of Europe, the members of the selection committee appointed by the College of Europe related to this recruitment process. All information will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and in line with the current data processing regulations. For more information on how we use the information you have provided and how to exercise your rights, please see our privacy notice for recruitment (https://www.coleurope.eu/privacy).

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The College of Europe is committed to equal treatment and opportunity. It aims to reflect the diversity of our society and to offer an inclusive work and study environment for all members of its community. Consistent with these goals, the Bruges campus has a zero-tolerance policy for any acts against the dignity and integrity of individuals, whether in the form of discrimination, bullying, harassment, stalking, violence, or sexual misconduct. Candidates are therefore recruited and selected on the basis of skills and experience, regardless of sex, age, ability, ethnicity, class and background, political belief, race, religion, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, culture, or any other grounds.