Service Manager - Deadline 09/10/25

The consultant will act as a Service Manager part time in the area of indirect taxation, with a focus on digital systems supporting the implementation of the VAT and Recovery of Claims legislations and part time on governance. The consultant may also be involved in projects related to direct taxation or excise duties.

The main tasks will include:

•        Service Coordination and Delivery

o     Manage and coordinate the full lifecycle of digital tax services, including planning for service transition, operational readiness, maintenance, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement.

o   Coordinate the work of multiple stakeholders, including external contractors.

o   Ensure service delivery in line with agreed service levels, business continuity requirements, and legal compliance.

o   Support and monitor ITSM workflows, including incident, problem, and change management processes.

•        Technical Oversight and Compliance

o Validate technical and architectural deliverables to ensure consistency with Client’s standards.

o   Contribute to the development and maintenance of technical artefacts, including specifications, process/data models, and system documentation.

o   Monitor Member State implementations and support conformance testing activities, ensuring alignment with EU specifications.

•        Quality Assurance and Risk Management

o      Ensure contract performance, including reporting obligations.

o     Support testing, quality control, and feasibility/cost-benefit analysis.

o   Identify service-related risks and interdependencies, propose mitigation actions, and escalate when needed.

•        Stakeholder Engagement and Change Management

o   Facilitate communication and consensus-building with Member States and internal/external stakeholders.

o   Provide input to communication, training, and change management strategies.

o   Support the preparation of user materials, training content, and workshop facilitation.

•        Reporting and Continuous Improvement

o        Report on service performance, risks, incidents, and decisions to relevant stakeholders.

o   Propose improvements to tools, processes, and methodologies.

•        IT Governance and Strategic Alignment

o         Contribute to the definition and monitoring of IT governance processes related to digital taxation and customs systems.

o   Support alignment with the Commission’s enterprise architecture and governance frameworks (e.g. IT Governance Board, PM² methodology, MASP-T alignment).

o   Collaborate with Unit B2 and other stakeholders on the integration of strategic digitalisation objectives into the IT service lifecycle.

o   Ensure coherence between service delivery and long-term governance/compliance frameworks (e.g. MASP-T, Interoperability Framework).

o   Assist in the preparation of IT governance documentation and participate in governance boards or architectural review meetings.

o   Participate in the definition and computation of indicators related to the Fiscalis Programme.

SPECIFIC EXPERTISE  

•        Domain Expertise

o        Proven experience managing large trans-European digital service operations in the field of EU tax legislation, especially indirect taxation (e.g. VIES, VAT Refund, eCommerce), with exposure to direct taxes and excise systems considered an asset.

o   Strong knowledge of the Administrative cooperation in the field of VAT and Recovery of Claims.

o   Familiarity with tax reporting, cross-border data exchange, and administrative cooperation mechanisms between Member States.

•        Stakeholder and Institutional Experience

o       Experience working with or for EU Member States, including knowledge of national implementation challenges and sensitivity to the political context.

o   Experience working within EU-funded, multinational, or public sector IT environments.

•        Technical and Systems Knowledge

o      Expertise in reviewing operational documentation (e.g., SLAs, performance reports, incident logs).

o   Familiarity with large-scale distributed digital systems (TES), and their integration and deployment across EU Member States.

o   Experience supporting and monitoring service delivery across national systems, including conformance and operational compliance.

•        IT Governance and Strategy

o   Knowledge of EU IT governance frameworks (e.g., PM², ITGB, ISA², MASP-T).

o   Ability to contribute to governance board documentation and evaluation processes.

•        Tools and Emerging Topics

o      Proficiency with collaboration and project tools such as JIRA and Confluence.

o   Knowledge of emerging technologies and how they can be leveraged for innovation in public administration or cross-border IT systems.

Knowledge of the eIDAS (2) regulation and cryptographic technologies

Level : 10

Delivery mode: Near Site (Brussels)