Administrative Assistant - Local Agent Group II

Administrative Assistant - Local Agent Group II

The European Union Delegation to New Zealand is seeking an Administrative Assistant to support the efficient administration of the Delegation. This full-time position involves responsibilities across finance, procurement, HR, logistics, and general administration. The successful candidate will work under the supervision of the Head of Administration and will be involved in managing budgets, procurement procedures, and HR matters. The role requires a proactive and organized individual who can thrive in a multicultural environment.

Candidate Requirements:

• New Zealand citizenship or valid residency visa
• University/bachelor's degree or equivalent with 2 years experience, or upper secondary education with 5 years experience
• Minimum 2 years experience in accountancy, administration, procurement, HR or relevant field
• Excellent knowledge of English (C1)
• Very good knowledge of MS Office tools, especially Excel, Word, and Outlook

Contract type: Local Agent

We offer a full-time permanent position as Administrative Assistant (Local Agent Group 2) in the Administration Section of the Delegation. The Administration Section consists of four people. Under this post, the recruited person will be attributed functions depending on the needs of the Delegation and on the changes of these needs and will contribute to the efficient administration of the Delegation in various fields, such as general administration, finance and accountancy, procurement, HR management, infrastructure, logistics and assets management. The administrative assistant replaces the Head of Administration during his/her absence.

As part of the Administration Section and under the supervision and responsibility of the Head of Administration, the successful candidate will contribute to the smooth, efficient and compliant functioning of the Administration Section and the EU Delegation Office.

The Administrative assistant role will cover a broad range of responsibilities, undertaking tasks and duties which will comprise the following:

• Finance & Budget: Support the management and monitoring of the Delegation's administrative budget, financial transactions, payments and Imprest Account, ensuring compliance with EU financial rules.
• Procurement & Contracts: Manage and follow up procurement procedures, contracts and purchases for the Delegation and Residence, from tendering through to implementation.
• Human Resources: Support recruitment, payroll, leave, staff administration and social security matters, as well as the arrival and departure of staff and management of accommodation files.
• Infrastructure & Logistics: Contribute to the effective management of the Delegation's office, Residence, assets and logistical needs, including support with the organisation of official meetings and events when required.
• Compliance & Procedures: Help ensure compliance with EU rules and procedures, follow up controls and corrective actions, and contribute to improving internal administrative processes and guidelines.
• Business Continuity: Provide back-up to the Head of Administration and take on delegated responsibilities when required, contributing to the continuity and resilience of the Administration Section.
• Other Administrative tasks in line with the needs of the Delegation.

The position offers a varied and hands-on role, with the opportunity to work across finance, procurement, HR, logistics and administration in a dynamic and multicultural EU environment.

We are looking for someone who is:

• Organised, proactive and reliable, with a strong sense of responsibility and initiative.
• Analytical and detail-oriented, with good numerical and accounting skills and the ability to handle complex information accurately.
• Able to prioritise and manage multiple deadlines, while maintaining a high standard of quality.
• A clear and effective communicator, able to present information in a concise and logical way.
• Collaborative yet self-sufficient, comfortable working independently as well as within a multicultural team.
• Flexible and solution-oriented, able to adapt to changing priorities and respond effectively to operational needs.

The place of employment is Wellington, New Zealand. This is a local agent post, classified in the function group 2. The gross base salary will depend on relevant and verified employment experience, typically starting from NZD 6,486.00 per month (plus 6% employer KiwiSaver contribution). Local agents are responsible to pay their own taxes directly to the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) locally. The working hours are 37h30 per week or 7.5h/day, from Monday to Friday. There can be occasional atypical working hours. There is a competitive benefits package, subject to certain conditions, including personal leave days and public holidays.

The successful candidate will be offered an open-term contract with a preferable start date in late November/early December 2026. Work travel may be part of the tasks. Due to the time difference with Europe, participation in virtual meetings or trainings outside of normal working hours (most often in the evening) may be occasionally required.

Applicants should have New Zealand nationality or residency allowing for full-time permanent work in New Zealand and must currently reside in the country. Candidates who do not meet this criterion or the minimum requirements indicated below will be excluded from the selection process.

Minimum requirements / eligibility criteria (necessary for the application to be considered)

• The candidate must be a New Zealand citizen, or holder of a valid residency visa authorizing to reside and work full time permanently in New Zealand, and must currently reside in New Zealand.
• Education: Minimum of University/bachelor's degree or equivalent, attested by a diploma, followed by 2 years professional experience in accountancy, administration, procurement, HR or other relevant field OR Upper Secondary Education or equivalent, attested by a diploma, followed by 5 years professional experience in accountancy, administration, procurement, HR or other relevant field.
• Professional experience: Minimum of 2 years proven working experience in the field of accountancy, administration, procurement, HR or other relevant, after completion of bachelor's degree or equivalent OR 5 years proven working experience in the field of accountancy, administration, procurement, HR or other relevant, after completion of upper secondary education or equivalent.
• Language skills: Excellent knowledge (C1) of English (Common European Framework of Reference of Languages).
• Computer Literacy: Very good knowledge of commonly used MS Office tools, particularly Excel, Word and Outlook, and ability to use other office software and applications.

Assets/selection criteria (basis for awarding points to select the best applicant)

• Knowledge and experience with accounting and accounting matters in New Zealand.
• Knowledge and experience of local legislation in regards social security, insurances and tax.
• Work experience in a multi-national environment or a foreign/diplomatic entity (embassy, foreign company, international organization).
• Knowledge of Māori language.
• Post-graduate studies or equivalent in a relevant field
• Knowledge of EC and/or EEAS internal software or applications, such as Ares, Sysper2, SUMMA, P2P, HR HUB etc.

How to apply

The applicant must apply by sending:

• a cover letter, signed;
• a detailed Curriculum Vitæ (to include, at the minimum, exact job titles and employment dates, employers names and detailed tasks descriptions), using one of the Europass templates available at https://europass.europa.eu/en;

and

• a confirmation of nationality or, for non-New Zealand citizens, of residency visa in New Zealand allowing for full-time permanent work and currently residing in the country.

Please send your application package above in PDF format to the following email address:

eeasjobs-201@eeas.europa.eu

Please mention in the email subject:

"Ref: 246884 – ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (LA2) "

The deadline for the submission of applications is:

Friday 6 November 2026 at 18:00 New Zealand Standard Time (NZST)(UTC+12:00).

Applications submitted in a format other than PDF, sent via any means other than the specified email address, or received after the deadline indicated above will not be taken into consideration.

The process

After the deadline for applications, the eligible applications will be reviewed by the Selection Committee set up for this purpose. Depending on the number of applications received, successive phases of Selection may include shortlist