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Recruitment of a new Secretary General for Ecma International

20.05.2022

Open call for candidates

Ecma International is looking for applications for the position of the Secretary General (SG). Applications may come from candidates within or outside the current Ecma membership.

The SG reports to the Ecma General Assembly represented by the Ecma Management.

The Ecma Secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland. The Secretary General (hereafter, “SG”) of Ecma International is expected to reside permanently in the Geneva area. A part-time position is a possibility.

Task description

The SG is responsible for the overall management and representation of the Organisation.

The SG works under the responsibility of the Ecma General Assembly, represented by the Ecma Management (President, Vice President and Treasurer), in the following areas:

  1. Operational responsibility of Ecma
  • To be an experienced and inspired leader of a successful small team of highly specialized staff.
  • To prepare the annual budget and to manage the assets and budget of the organisation in a prudent and productive manner, in conjunction with the Ecma Treasurer.
  • To manage legal and regulatory aspects of Ecma.
  • To organize and participate in the Ecma Executive Committee and General Assembly meetings, and to take instructions and directions from the Ecma membership.
  1. Standardization responsibilities
  • To ensure that the standardization work in Ecma takes place as directed by the Ecma membership.
  • To facilitate the standardization process in Ecma through ensuring the right work structure, environment, timely progress and                 possibly further acceptance/endorsement by ISO/IEC, ETSI or other bodies. To manage business and political issues so to foster the participants’ contributions. This requires a deep understanding of the structure, culture and institutions of standardization.
  • To organize the provision of the necessary support and advice to technical working groups. Ecma’s historical core competencies are the efficiency of its process and quality of its output; these must be strengthened for the organisation to retain its premier position in the world of standardization.
  • To organize the provision of advice and guidance on standardization policy issues associated with new technology developments. This requires in-depth discussions with Ecma members in order to develop a strategy that provides the best chances for the development and acceptance of a new standard. For this, the ability to analyse, and to reconcile all aspects of the ongoing standardization effort is necessary and of pivotal importance.
  • To keep the Ecma membership, through Management and the Executive Committee, aware in a timely manner of all technical and IP and legal issues that may be occurring, on an ongoing basis.
  1. Strategic responsibilities
  • To continue and strengthen Ecma’s role as a key player within the International standardization systems for ICT & CE, and an attractive place for new standards developments.
  • To ensure that members’ requirements and priorities are gathered and addressed, so that Ecma best serves its members’ interests. This requires regular dialogue with both member representatives and their own constituencies within the companies and organisations they represent.
  • To keep Ecma at the forefront of technology through the development of new projects to serve members, increasing the international profile and positioning of Ecma in the ICT standardization domain. This requires following trends and understanding of needs for new standardization topics.
  • To attract new Ecma members by creating awareness of the advantages of standardization within Ecma, taking advantage of the Ecma high quality and high efficiency standards process.

Profile

The desired candidate should have experience and skills working in an international environment and in the area of business collaboration. Candidates from all backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to apply. Ecma is a multicultural organisation committed to diversity and non-discrimination. The following provides an outline of elements for the candidate profile:

  • Any person from any nationality may apply. The selected applicant, depending on their nationality and country of residence, may need approval by the Swiss immigration authorities. EU/EFTA nationality might be an advantage due to strict immigration and employment conditions in Switzerland. (More details: https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/themen/arbeit/nicht-eu_efta-angehoerige/grundlagen_zur_arbeitsmarktzulassung.html)
  • Proven management skills and experience; ability to motivate and direct a small team.
  • Financial responsibility and overall not-for-profit organisation management.
  • Effective external representation including at highest levels. Experienced public speaker; negotiation skills including at high level. Experience in business development is an advantage.
  • Experience in working in multicultural environments, and willingness to adapt.
  • Extensive experience (in theory and in practice, including in leadership roles) in standardization, including knowledge of the National, European and International standardization systems, and of (some) Industry Fora; Good practice of the standardization processes; practical experience with the tools commonly used in standardization.
  • Experience of the Open Source technology and business ecosystem. Understanding about Open Source governance and development processes.
  • Knowledge and understanding of Intellectual Property Rights policies relevant to standardization.
  • Broad background knowledge of ICT is mandatory. Understanding of the European system of regulations and CE mark are an advantage.
  • Readiness to develop a thorough understanding of local laws and business culture of Switzerland.
  • Fluency in English both written and spoken is mandatory. Professional working knowledge of French is required. Knowledge of German would be an advantage.
  • The position is located in Geneva; extensive travel is expected.
  • A relevant university degree or equivalent.

Time schedule

Applications with detailed Curriculum Vitae in English, shall be received by the Ecma Secretariat, at the attention of Patrick Luthi, no later than 1 August 2022. Letters of endorsement are welcomed.

Email: job@ecma-international.org
Ecma International
Rue du Rhône 114
CH-1204 Geneva
Switzerland