General Information

• Type of contract: Traineeship
• Who can apply?: EU nationals eligible for our traineeship programme
• Grant: The trainee grant is €1,170 per month plus an accommodation allowance (see further information section)
• Working time: Full time
• Place of work: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
• Closing date: 25.03.2025

Your team

You will be part of the Employee Services Division in the Directorate General Human Resources. Our Directorate has more than a hundred staff providing operational, talent management and advisory services to around 5,000 ECB employees and trainees. 

The HR function has undergone a digital transformation, incorporating future-oriented policies and practices into the way we work. Our business and customer interaction approach has been revamped to be more impactful and agile, while reducing complexity. We are simplifying our processes through digitalisation and automation to deliver people-focused and data-driven solutions.

In your role as trainee, you will be part of the HR Systems team of six members of staff responsible for managing the technologies and solutions that support HR functions and processes and provide support services for end users. We work closely with all teams in our Directorate General and with colleagues in the Directorate General Information Systems. 

The ECB is an inclusive employer and we strive to reflect the diversity of the population we serve. We encourage you to apply irrespective of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or other characteristics.

Your role

As a trainee you will:

• contribute to system design and development for smaller and larger innovations and adjustments to HR systems, including planning, coordination and testing;
• assist with the daily maintenance and operation of HR systems;
• help resolve technical issues and system bugs;
• support end users and troubleshoot technical issues they may encounter;
• prepare and/or update training material and carry out training sessions with end users on specific tasks;
• explore new technologies and contribute to innovation in the Division.

The position offers you excellent opportunities to gain experience working in HR, contribute to HR digitalisation and transformation and work with cutting-edge technologies in a dynamic and inspiring environment. 

In this team, you will help to advance the ECB’s portfolio of HR services and applications. You will be exposed to the diverse technologies we use, including SAP S/4HANA (core HR modules) and cloud SaaS environments, such as Avature (recruitment and talent management) and IMC (learning). You will interact with ECB end users on business requirements, business analysis and project management tasks and help develop solutions hands-on.

Coaching will be provided to help you gradually become involved in the daily business tasks associated with your role.

Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to work closely with numerous different business areas at the ECB. You will be part of a multicultural team that strives for continuous innovation to make a positive impact on the lives of European citizens.

Qualifications, experience and skills

Essential: 

• a bachelor’s degree or higher in business information systems, computer science, data science, statistics, mathematics, business analytics, HR management, business administration, social or organisational psychology, or another relevant discipline;
• a sound general understanding of information systems and information technology; interest in digitalisation, AI and new technologies;
• strong problem-solving skills and ability to think creatively;
• excellent analytical and conceptual skills;
• a good knowledge of the MS Office package; 
• an advanced (C1) command of English and an intermediate (B1) command of at least one other official language of the EU, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Desired:

• familiarity with HR processes and systems;
• practical experience using HR IT solutions;
• experience with low-code and RPA platforms;
• knowledge and practical experience of developing AI/ML solutions;
• familiarity or direct experience with agile methodologies;
• experience in testing software systems;
• the capacity to act constructively when facing challenges.

You are curious and eager to learn, and want to further develop your ability to analyse complex information. You are keen to collaborate with others, pursue team goals and learn from other people’s diverse perspectives. You strive to know and anticipate stakeholder needs, and will signal any need for change and propose alternative solutions.

You are motivated to contribute to the ECB’s mission, to serve the citizens of the EU as a member of a public institution and to work with colleagues from all over Europe. You are keen to be part of our team and to use your skills and competencies to achieve the aims of this position.

Further information

Initial traineeship of six months, with a possible extension to up to 12 months in total.

Other details on the conditions applicable to traineeships at the ECB can be found on our website.

Application and selection process

The recruitment process for this position will include a remote written exercise and an online interview. 

Further information on how to apply is available on our website.

If you are not selected for this position but are still considered suitable, you will be placed on a reserve list for 12 months from the closing date for applications, from which you might be considered for other traineeship positions within the ECB.