Head of Governance, Strategy and Planning

WHO WE ARE

Money laundering and the financing of terrorism are major concerns for the EU. They pose significant risks to the EU economy, to the integrity of the EU financial system and, even more importantly, to the security of its citizens.

The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Authority (AMLA) was established in June 2024 as a new European Union body to safeguard the European Union’s financial system and its citizens against money laundering and terrorist financing. It is located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany and will expand to over 400 staff members by the end of 2027.
AMLA’s key responsibilities include:

Directly supervising selected financial sector entities that operate on a cross border basis and present a high risk of money laundering and terrorism financing, as well as indirectly supervising other entities in the financial and non-financial sectors
Supporting and coordinating the activities of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) by, for example, facilitating the joint analyses of cross-border cases, enabling information exchange, providing capabilities, advanced data analytics and managing the FIU.net information system
Complementing EU Anti-Money Laundering (AML)/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) rules by developing regulatory and implementing technical standards and issuing guidelines

For more information about the Authority, please visit our website. We are an equal opportunities employer, committed to diversity and non-discrimination.

Are you interested to contribute to our mission? Then see below what it takes to accomplish the role.

YOUR ROLE

AMLA is organising a selection procedure for the function of Head of Governance, Strategy and Planning (Middle Management). 

As a newly established EU agency, AMLA offers a unique opportunity to shape its Governance, Strategy and Planning function from the ground up. The selected candidate will lead the team supporting the Authority’s governing bodies, oversee the development of governance structures, and drive strategic planning and reporting. The role is central to ensuring effective, transparent, and accountable decision-making, and requires strong managerial skills and the ability to translate strategic priorities into results.

As a member of AMLA’s middle management, the jobholder will, under the authority of the Chair, lead the Unit’s work on governance support, strategic coordination, planning, and performance monitoring, contributing to AMLA’s strategic direction and institutional accountability.

Key responsibilities for this role include:

Governance and Decision-Making Support: Lead the preparation, coordination, and follow-up of AMLA’s governing bodies. Ensure high-quality secretariat support, timely documentation, and compliance with internal rules and procedures governing AMLA’s boards and committees.
Institutional Development: Oversee the establishment, development and implementation of internal governance frameworks, policies and procedures. Support the establishment and evolution of AMLA’s governance structures in line with EU best practices.
Strategy, planning and reporting: Oversee the coordination of the strategic planning, programming and reporting activities as well as the work programme.
Stakeholder Engagement: Act as a key interface with EU institutions, bodies, agencies and offices, Member States, and other stakeholders on governance-related and external affairs matters. Ensure alignment regarding AMLA’s internal functioning and institutional accountability.
Horizontal Coordination and Internal Collaboration: Contribute to AMLA’s strategy, internal policies, and institutional governance as a member of the middle management team. Work closely with senior management, including the Executive Director and Executive Board members, as well as other units to ensure coherent decision-making, coordinated input to governance processes, and smooth internal workflows, supporting initiatives requiring senior-level alignment.
Leadership and Team Management: Provide strategic and operational leadership to the Governance, Strategy and Planning unit. Ensure effective planning, prioritisation, and delivery of tasks aligned with AMLA’s institutional mandate. Oversee the unit’s work programme, set objectives, and monitor performance, while fostering a high-performing, motivated, and collaborative team. Support staff development through coaching, mentoring, and training, promoting a strong sense of purpose and alignment with AMLA’s values, as well as a culture of excellence and accountability.

The successful candidate might be required to perform other duties as necessary under the responsibility of their line manager according to the evolution and development of AMLA’s structure and activities.

QUALIFICATIONS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility criteria

To be admitted to the selection process you must meet the following eligibility criteria on the closing date for application and on the date of filling the vacant post:

Be a national of a Member State of the European Union.
Completed university studies of at least 3 years attested by a diploma.
Thorough knowledge (C1 level as per the CEFR [1]) of one of the 24 EU official languages and a satisfactory knowledge (B2 level) of another EU official language for the performance of your duties [2].
Enjoy full rights as a citizen and meet the character requirements for the duties involved [3].
Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by national laws concerning military service.
Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post [4].

This vacancy is also open for internal mobility at AMLA and inter-agency mobility at the grade bracket AD9 - AD14.

Education and Professional Experience:

A university degree (minimum 4 years studies), followed by at least 12 years of relevant professional experience.

OR
A university degree (minimum 3 years studies), followed by at least 13 years of relevant professional experience.

[1] Common European Framework Reference Language Skills

[2] Mother tongue English speakers will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of a second EU language.

[3] An official certificate confirming the absence of any criminal record must be submitted prior to recruitment.

[4] If you are not currently working for an EU institution, you will be required to undergo a pre-employment medical examination at a center we specify.

Selection Criteria

To be considered for the assessment phase you must meet the following essential criteria on the closing date for applications. Should you not meet one of the essential criteria, you will be excluded from the next assessment phase.

The following criteria will be assessed during the application screening phase:

At least 9 years’ professional experience in governance, strategy, planning or institutional coordination roles, including implementation of governance frameworks and secretarial support at board or senior decision-making body level in the public or private sector.

Please clearly indicate in the application form for each role the level of seniority, the type of institutional coordination roles and type of governance frameworks implemented.
Professional experience of at least 5 years in managing teams of at least 7 staff members, including formal line management responsibilities (e.g. responsibility for staff supervision, performance management, task allocation, and day-to-day staff management) [5].

Please indicate clearly in the application form the level and type of responsibility, the size of team coordinated and/or the number of direct reports as well as the number of years in each work experience listed in the application under the Section "professional experience".
At least 5 years’ professional experience in engaging with senior stakeholders, including members of governing bodies, senior executives, or external institutional representatives, in a European or international context.

Please clearly indicate in the application form for each role the level of seniority and the type of stakeholders.

Desirable Criteria

The following criteria are considered as desirable and may be taken into account during the applications assessment phase:

Experience in coordinating or supervising programming documents such as annual work programmes or planning and reporting cycles.
Experience in setting up governance structures in newly-established organisations, including strategic planning and reporting frameworks.
Knowledge of and/or experience in AML/CFT.

[5] Experience limited to task or project coordination without formal line management responsibility will not be considered as fulfilling this requirement.

Skills

The following skills will be evaluated during the the written test and/or interview phases.

Technical Competencies

Sound understanding of the EU institutional governance context.
Expertise in building or running governance frameworks and processes.
Expertise in strategic planning, and programming.

Middle Management competencies 

General Management skills.
Strategic thinking and vision.  
Ability to work closely with Senior executives and to manage conflicting priorities.
Organisational awareness and judgement.
Integrity, discretion & diplomacy.
Leadership and people management. 
Coordination and prioritisation.
Communication skills

Language Skills

A strong command of both written and spoken English (min. C1 level). English oral and written skills will be assessed throughout the assessment phase.

Motivation

Candidates will also be tested on their motivation for this position.

APPLICATION, SELECTION & RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please submit your application in English. Applications not indicating the minimum required English proficiency level of C1 will be rejected.

Before submitting your application look at our careers page and check out the Guide for candidates. Proof of compliance with specific criteria may be requested at any stage during the selection process. If you fail to comply with the eligibility and essential criteria, your application will be disqualified.

The selection process will be organised in several consecutive stages: 

Screening and shortlisting: After the deadline for online registration, the Selection Committee will check the eligible applications against the selection criteria as described above. Upon completion of the initial assessment, the Selection Committee will establish a shortlist of the candidates best matching the criteria. 

Assessment phase: The shortlisted candidates will be invited to the assessment phase which will be organised remotely. This phase will be conducted in English. The assessment phase may involve an oral interview with the Selection Committee and a written test. The oral and written test aim at testing the specific competencies and knowledge with reference to the selection criteria of the present vacancy notice. At the end of this phase, the Selection Committee will establish a reserve list. 

Assessment Centre & interview with ED/ EB: Candidates on the reserve list may be required to undergo a managerial assessment centre organised by an external service provider, and an interview with the Executive Director and Executive Board Member(s).

Details of the date and time of the assessment will be communicated to the shortlisted candidates in due time. Assessments are foreseen to take place in June/July 2026. Please note that timelines are subject to change. 
 
Reserve list & Appointment: The adopted reserve list will be valid until 31 December 2027. The validity of the reserve list may be extended by decision of the Executive Director of AMLA. The Executive Director will appoint the selected candidate(s). 
 
Candidates should note that the inclusion in the reserve list does not imply any entitlement to employment at AMLA. 

This position requires access to sensitive EU classified information. Selected candidates may undergo a security clearance process in accordance with EU and national regulations. Failure to obtain clearance may result in disqualification. By applying, you consent to this process. 

All candidates will be informed about the outcome of the procedure throughout the selection process. Recruitment is subject to budgetary availability. 

DATA PROTECTION & APPEAL PROCEDURE

The information provided in the application form is collected for the purpose of the selection/ recruitment procedure(s) at AMLA. Consult the data protection notice for more information about the processing of personal data in the selection and recruitment process.

If you believe a decision made during the selection process has negatively impacted your interests, you can request a review of your application, lodge an administrative complaint, a judicial appeal or a complaint to the European Ombudsman. You can find more information on the appeal procedure in our Guide for candidates.

CONTACT

In case of questions related to careers at AMLA, email us at careers@amla.europa.eu