Skip to content

General Information

Vacancy number
1035/2025
Recruitment type
External recruitment (international)
Type of contract
Fixed-term appointment
Posted date
25-Jul-2025
Deadline to apply
01-Sep-2025
Duty station
Strasbourg
Grade
A1/A2
Entity
European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare

Description & Requirements

Your Team

The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare (EDQM) is a leading organisation whose mission is to contribute to public health protection by engaging with an international community of experts and stakeholders. We achieve this by promoting acces to safe medicines and healthcare through the elaboration of quality standards, which are recognised as a scientific bookmark worldwide. the EDQM's standards for medicines and their ingredients, compiled in the European Pharmacopeia, are legally binding in its 39 member states (and the European Union) and are also widely used across the globe in the human and animal health sectors. The EDQM also plays a crucial role in the areas of blood transfusion, organ, tissue and cell transplantation and in developing and setting consumer health standards, such as for cosmetics and food contact materials.

The team within which you will work, the Supply Chain Department (SCD), is responsible for supply and operation planning, scientific procurement of raw materials, manufacturing, logistics operations (warehousing and dispatch), processing orders and dealing with related queries. Within SCD’s Logistics Division, you will head the section responsible for the international dispatch of reference standards and other EDQM products, while ensuring regulatory compliance, efficient logistical performance and a high-quality service to users, member states and international partners.


Your Role

As the Head of the Dispatch Section, you will :

  • organise and manage the human and financial resources allocated to the Section to ensure that it is effective, efficient and results-oriented, including:
    • leading, motivating and co-ordinating staff members from a variety of professional backgrounds; fostering team spirit and a positive working environment;
    • preparing and supervising the budget and other resources required for the Section’s activities;
    • continuously enhancing workflows and processes to boost efficiency and performance, while also identifying and leveraging synergies with other activities within the Division and Department.
  • manage dispatch activities, including: 
    • co-ordinating all shipments of reference standards, samples and publications (including specific goods such as dangerous goods and biological material) and ensuring they are shipped in strict compliance with transport regulations for shipment by road, air and sea, working closely with service providers/suppliers and carriers;
    • ensuring smooth and appropriate communication with external and internal clients;
    • managing the picking stockrooms for EDQM finished products (reference standards and publications) as well as various packaging materials, including assigning storage spaces and monitoring storage capacity; ensuring compliance with rules for occupational safety, hygiene and working conditions in these areas;
    • identifying, analysing, formulating and testing solutions for different issues in collaboration with other EDQM entities.


Important: trips to the EDQM’s secondary site in Ars-Laquenexy (Metz) may be required.

Requirements to apply

You must:

OR

  • have proven knowledge of international customs regulations and Incoterms, especially in the context of controlled substances or temperature-controlled goods;
  • have proven knowledge of regulations for the transport of dangerous goods (ADR and IATA); 
  • have good computer skills of standard tools in office applications and sound experience in the use of IT tools related to logistics and supply chains (e.g. SAP MM, WM and SD modules or similar ERP systems);
  • have a very good knowledge of English or French and good knowledge of the other language.


You must also:

  • be a citizen of one of the member states of the Council of Europe and fulfil the conditions for appointment to the civil service of that state;
  • have discharged any obligation concerning national service (military, civil or comparable);
  • not be the parent, child, stepchild or grandchild of a serving staff member of the Council of Europe;
  • be under the age of 65 years.

 

Your application must demonstrate to what extent you have the competencies listed below. To help you doing so, feel free to consult our competency framework.

Key competencies
  • Managerial - Management of teams
  • Managerial - Decision making
  • Operational - Planning and work organisation
  • Interpersonal - Service orientation
  • Professional and technical expertise:
    • ability to design and implement logistics strategies that align with organisational goals, ensuring timely, secure and cost-effective delivery of goods across international borders;
    • understanding of international trade regulations, including customs procedures, export/import controls; ability to liaise effectively with customs authorities and resolve clearance issues efficiently;
    • experience in managing the shipment of temperature-sensitive or high-value products, including the use of validated packaging and monitoring systems, and in contingency planning in the context of risk mitigation;
    • ability to select, negotiate with and manage freight forwarders and courier services, with a focus on performance monitoring and continuous improvement.
Desirable competencies
  • Interpersonal - Teamwork and co-operation
  • Interpersonal - Communication
  • Professional and technical expertise:

    • current valid driving licence for use in France (recognised as equivalent to a French Class B licence);

    • ability to identify and mitigate risks in the supply chain, implement quality assurance measures and ensure traceability in line with regulatory and internal standards;

    • experience leading cross-functional projects, implementing new logistics solutions and managing organisational change in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment.
What we offer

This job vacancy is for an international external recruitment. You can consult the conditions of employment (salaries, allowances, pension scheme, social insurance, etc.) on the webpage What we offer. 

Applications and selection procedure

For more information on how we recruit, you can consult the page Our recruitment process. This recruitment is carried out in accordance with Article 490 of the Council of Europe Staff Rules. The deadline for applications is indicated in the General information section of this vacancy notice (see above) and is fixed at 23:59:59 (CET/CEST). When applying, make sure your motivation shows how your competencies make your profile the best for the role.

Important information

As an equal opportunity employer, the Council of Europe welcomes applications from all suitably qualified people, irrespective of sex, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic or social origin, disability, religion or belief. Under its equal opportunity policy, the Council of Europe is aiming to achieve gender parity in staff employed in each category and grade. At the time of appointment, preference between suitable people shall be given to the person of the gender which is under-represented in the relevant grades within the category to which the vacancy belongs.

Applicants with specific needs are encouraged to request reasonable accommodations at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact us at [email protected], we will ensure that your request is handled.

The information published on the CoE’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication of the vacancy notice. Any changes to these conditions during the recruitment process will be updated on our Portal and will apply at the time of the job offer. Our career's website is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have. Should you have remaining questions, please contact us at [email protected].