Administrative Officer

COST Association

Hours
37.5 hours per week

Duration
End 31st October 2026

About the Organisation

COST – European Co-operation in Science and Technology – provides networking opportunities for researchers and innovators to strengthen Europe’s capacity to address scientific, technological, and societal challenges. There are three strategic priorities: promoting and spreading excellence, fostering interdisciplinary research for breakthrough science, and empowering and retaining young researchers and innovators. COST implements its mission by funding bottom-up, excellence-driven, open, and inclusive networks for peaceful purposes in all areas of science and technology.

The COST Association is an international non-profit association based in Brussels with a membership of 43 European countries. It draws its funding from the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon Europe, through Specific Grant Agreements signed under the umbrella of a Framework Partnership Agreement with the European Commission.

About the role

The Administrative Officer’s primary responsibility is to provide excellent administrative stewardship to COST Actions Grant Holders and, more generally, to all Leadership roles and COST Action participants. The Administrative Officer works together with the Science Officers to ensure an adequate organization of COST meetings and events.

• Administrative advice to the Action Grant Holder on how to best apply the Annotated Rules in the frame of their Action and stewardship to the Actions at large to ensure they make the best use of their grant.

• Technical facilitation on how the Grant Holder can manage their Action through the e-COST platform, including procedures and deadlines;

• Training & Networking opportunities through the planning, coordination, and delivery of various network activities directed at Grant Holders and other Leadership roles, on topics highly relevant for the performance of the Action.

Responsibilities

Administrative Officer reports directly to will Head of Science Administration:

• Stewarding the Action Grant Holders towards a responsible management of their grant to create long-term value for their Action network and the science community. This includes providing support, advice, and follow-up (financial and/or administrative corrections and improvements during the lifetime of the Action) to ensure the Grant Holders have the information to perform the tasks related to their role in line with the expectations.
• Providing administrative support to Action Chairs/Grant Holders/COST Action Participants. This includes appropriate and up-to-date information on the COST rules and practices during meetings with the Action network and presentations of administrative rules to medium and large audiences, both online and face-to-face.
• Deliver appropriate technical instructions and guidance regarding the management and implementation of the COST Actions in e-COST to the COST Action Grant Holders;
• Assuring that the administrative requirements per networking tool are fulfilled in e-COST;
• Coordinating and supporting the creation and maintenance of networks of Grant Holders through various training events and communication means. This includes the conceptualisation, planning, and delivery of Grant Holder (and other leadership roles, when applicable) focused events under the supervision of the Senior Administrative Officer in charge of Customer Support, and the participation and monitoring of virtual networking platforms and communication means ( Newsletter);
• Organizing cost-effective meetings and scientific events, mainly in Brussels but not exclusively.
• Supporting the organisation of Action events in close collaboration with the relevant Science Officer/event owner, including e-COST management of the event, registrations and post-meeting follow-up, and reimbursement processing;
• Ensuring quality control and best practice of documentation for meetings and for internal use.
• Representing the COST Association in Action meetings, as requested;
• Ensuring the e-COST set-up and the verification and control of travel reimbursement requests related to events centrally managed by the COST Association;
• Archiving and electronic filing;
• Fulfilling other responsibilities and tasks in the interest of the organisation, as mandated by the Head of Science Administration or by the COST Association Director.

Skills, Competencies & Experience

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 to 7 years’ experience in administration and finance;
• Good, practical working knowledge of MS Office systems (especially MS Word, Access, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint) – experience with e-learning portal, digital and print communication tools is a plus;
• High standard of spoken and written English, knowledge of other European languages appreciated.
• Experience in academic and not-for-profit environments.

Specific Competencies:

• Good understanding of project administration and working knowledge/experience of financial and budgetary control;
• Proven administrative expertise and knowledge of office procedures in the organization of meetings and travels.
• Excellent presentation and public speaking skills.
• Ability to manage several projects at once;
• Ability to develop event concepts independently.

Other Competencies:

• Service-oriented attitude with a strong sense of purpose and drive to make a meaningful contribution to the COST mission;
• Team-oriented work ethic;
• Excellent organizational skills;
• Commitment to deliver on tasks allocated and respond in a timely manner to deadlines;
• Openness to travel;
• Action-oriented, responsible, and self-managed, creative, and willing to take initiatives and continuously improve-minded;
• Good inter-personal and communication skills within a multi-national context, including diplomacy, discretion, and confidentiality;
• Positive and constructive attitude in an evolving environment.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in administration or equivalent

Compensation & Benefits

• 20 days of legal holidays per year  + 2.5 days of extra-legal holidays per year.
• Legal holidays, possibility to take unpaid leave maximum of 10 days per year, and European holidays.
• Teleworking/homeworking maximum 8 days per month – Teleworking only possible in Belgium
• Meal vouchers 8 EUR net per day 
• Contribution employee EUR 1,09 net per day 
• Transport costs reimbursed according to the legal prescriptions
• Joint Committee (commission paritaire) 337 – private sector
• Group insurance and hospitalization insurance - fully paid by the employer

Conditions of employment

• You must be eligible to work in the EU or Belgium.

Working locations

• Remotely working in Brussels, Belgium

How to apply

• Electronic applications - cover letter start date mentioned + CV in English maximum 2 pages , and at least 2 recent reference letters signed in English by should be Barbara Bottiau and sent to [email protected], mention reference code AO2025 in the subject line. Mention on the CV the complete months and years of experience

Interviews

• Will only contact the candidates invited to the interview. No individual feedback will automatically be given to unsuccessful candidates.
• The 1st round of interviews will take place in the premises of the COST Association on 18th July 2025. Successful candidates will be invited to the second round, which will take place on 28th July 2025. Address where the interviews will take place: COST Association – avenue du Boulevard/Bolwerklaan 21 – 1210 Brussels – (Near the Brussels North trainstation).

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