The Financial Mechanism Office (FMO) is the Brussels-based secretariat of the EEA and Norway Grants. Each year, a few talented recent graduates are selected to participate in a 12-month traineeship programme where they get an excellent opportunity to put their knowledge into practice and gain skills to enrich their future careers.
Kick-start your career by joining one of the best #traineeship programmes in Brussels! Interesting work + pay and housing are provided. pic.twitter.com/FyLNiEm3RB
— EEA & Norway Grants (@EEANorwayGrants) February 7, 2017
The selected trainees will join the FMO on 1 September 2017. The traineeship will last until 31 August 2018.
What are the EEA and Norway Grants?
The EEA and Norway Grants are the contribution of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to reduce social and economic disparities in Europe and strengthen bilateral relations with 15 European countries.
Through the Grants, the three donor countries provided € 1.8 billion in the financing period 2009-2014 to 150 programmes and over 6400 projects. The key supported sectors include research and innovation, social inclusion, environment, civil society, and justice and home affairs. The allocation for the financing period 2014-2021 totals €2.8 billion.
What will you do?
The work you do will depend on the department you’re assigned to. You may, for example, work in the field of communication, law or grant management within specific sectors.
Typical tasks include:
- assisting with programme management
- coordinating events
- drafting information material and reports
- assessing and communicating progress and results using indicators, statistics and other information
This year we offer traineeship positions in the following fields:
- Communication
- Country and Bilateral Cooperation
- Finance and Control
- Legal Affairs
- Results and Evaluation
- Sectors and Funds
You can find more detailed information about the different roles here.
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for recent graduates from a range of educational and professional backgrounds with high motivation to learn about grants management and European cooperation. Fluency in English and a university graduate degree are required.
The traineeship programme is open to nationals of EFTA and the EU member states.
What do we offer?
An exciting international environment
The trainees gain work experience in a truly international and multicultural environment. The FMO has close to 60 staff members of 18 nationalities. Together we work with the three donor countries and 15 beneficiary countries in Europe.
A mentoring system
We want our trainees to have a quality experience. Each trainee is therefore assigned a mentor. The mentor is a member of the FMO staff who provides the trainee with supervision and guidance.
A monthly allowance and housing
We believe that traineeships should be an equal opportunity for talented young people to kick-start their careers irrespective of their financial background. This is why our trainees receive a monthly allowance of EUR 1 510 and accommodation in individual studio apartments. The trainees also receive accident/health insurance, and reimbursement of their travel expenses.
How to apply
The FMO is affiliated to the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). All applications must be submitted via the EFTA e-recruitment tool.
The deadline for applications: 5 March 2017.