Informatics Unit

The European Parliament stands for European democracy. We help connect it to people.  

This entails providing complete and impartial information to citizens and media about the European Parliament, and assisting Members in their communication activities. The Directorate-General for Communication (DG COMM) strives to reach and engage the right audience with the right message at the right time and in doing so, deliver world-class communication. We are committed communication professionals coming from various professional and academic backgrounds.

You will be involved with all aspects and activities relevant to Application Software Project, Product and Service Management, in the context of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework, a structure providing best practices for IT Service Management (ITSM). 

By integrating ITIL practices into Application Software Project, Product and Service Management, our Unit can ensure that our Application Software Product and Services are:

• aligned with the stated business goals and needs;
• delivered in a consistent, reliable, efficient and performant manner. 

It also helps our Unit to manage the overall application software lifecycle, from the initial design to ongoing operation, continual improvements and finally decommissioning and retirement. 

In the context mentioned above, you will be involved with the following key tasks and activities pertaining the Unit’s projects and applications:

Service Strategy :

• Defining Service Portfolio: Identifying and managing the software applications as part of the organization’s service portfolio. This includes evaluating and prioritizing new software projects based on business value, cost, and risk;
•  Demand Management: Understanding and influencing customer demand for software products and managing the resources required to meet that demand. This involves forecasting future demand and preparing accordingly;
• Financial Management: Budgeting, accounting, and charging for the software project or product. It involves cost-benefit analysis to ensure the financial viability of the software services.

Service Design :

• Service Level Management (SLM): Defining service level agreements (SLAs) for software products, ensuring that they meet business requirements. This includes setting targets for availability, performance, and support;
• Capacity Management: Ensuring that the software application can handle current and future demand without performance degradation. This involves planning for scalability and resource allocation;
• Availability Management: Designing software applications to maximize uptime and reliability, including planning for disaster recovery and redundancy;
• Security Management: Implementing security measures to protect the software application from threats, ensuring compliance with security policies, and managing risks;
• Supplier Management: Managing relationships with third-party vendors or suppliers involved in the software project, ensuring they deliver services that meet defined requirements.

Service Transition :

• Change Management: Controlling changes to the software application to minimize risk and ensure that updates are aligned with business goals. This includes managing patches, upgrades, and new feature releases;
• Release and Deployment Management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling the build, test, and deployment of new versions of the software. Ensuring that new releases do not disrupt existing services;
• Configuration Management: Maintaining a detailed record of the software application’s components, configurations, and dependencies to ensure accurate tracking and control over the application’s lifecycle;
• Knowledge Management: Capturing and sharing information related to the software application, including documentation, user guides, and troubleshooting procedures, to ensure that stakeholders have access to the necessary knowledge. 

Service Operation  :

• Incident Management: Managing and resolving any issues or incidents that affect the software application’s performance. Ensuring quick restoration of service and minimizing disruption to users;
• Problem Management: Identifying and resolving the root causes of incidents related to the software application to prevent recurrence. This involves analyzing incident trends and implementing long-term fixes;
• Access Management: Ensuring that only authorized users have access to the software application and its data. This includes managing user permissions and security controls;
• Service Desk: Providing a single point of contact for users to report issues, request support, or seek information related to the software application. 

Continual Service Improvement (CSI) :

• Measuring and Reporting: Regularly assessing the performance of the software application against SLAs and other key performance indicators (KPIs). Identifying areas for improvement;
• Process Evaluation: Reviewing and improving the processes involved in the management of the software application, including development, deployment, and support processes;
• Service Review: Periodically reviewing the software application’s effectiveness and efficiency, gathering feedback from users, and making adjustments to enhance service quality;
• Improvement Initiatives: Implementing projects or changes aimed at enhancing the software application's functionality, performance, or user experience. 

A university graduate invited to work in the area of application software project, product, and service management would typically have a profile that blends technical knowledge with strong project management and communication skills. Here’s a detailed description of such a profile:

This profile should represent a well-rounded university graduate with a solid foundation in both the technical and managerial aspects of application software projects, products, and services. You are also expected to have a good mix of theoretical knowledge and practical experience, combined with the soft skills necessary to succeed in a collaborative, multi-cultural environment.

Educational Background 

• Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a related field. A Master's degree or additional certifications (e.g., PMP, ITIL) would be advantageous;
• Relevant Coursework: Courses in software development, project management, systems analysis, software architecture, business analysis, and IT service management.

Technical Skills 

• Software Development Fundamentals: Understanding of application software development lifecycle models (e.g., Agile, Waterfall, etc.), coding basics and familiarity with programming languages such as Java, Python, or C#; 
• Project Management Tools: Proficiency in using tools like Jira, Microsoft Project, or GitHub/GitLab, etc. for tracking project progress, tasks, and deadlines;
• Product Management Tools: Experience with tools and methods such as customer survey tools, SWOT analysis, PESTLE analysis, Porter’s Five Forces model, roadmap visualization, etc., to manage product roadmaps, gather user feedback, and prioritize features; 
• Service Management Frameworks: Basic knowledge of ITIL principles and IT service management (ITSM) processes, including incident, problem, and change management;
• Analytical Tools: Ability to use data analytics and visualization tools like Excel, Power BI, etc. for reporting and decision-making.

Project Management Skills :

• Task and Time Management: Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize tasks effectively to meet project deadlines. Familiarity with techniques such as Gantt charts, Kanban boards, etc;
• Risk Management: Understanding of risk assessment techniques and how to mitigate potential risks in software projects;
• Resource Management: Basic knowledge of how to allocate resources (e.g., team members, budget, time) efficiently to ensure project success. 

Product Management Skills 

• Product Lifecycle Understanding: Knowledge of the stages of product development, from concept and design through to deployment and maintenance;
• User-Centric Design: Familiarity with user experience (UX) principles and the ability to collaborate with designers to create user-friendly software products;
• Environment and Competitor Analysis: Basic ability to conduct market research, analyze competitors, and identify trends that could influence product strategy.

Service Management Skills 

• Customer Support and Satisfaction: Understanding of customer service principles, including how to handle customer feedback, complaints, and support requests effectively;
• Service Level Management: Basic knowledge of defining and monitoring service levels to ensure the software meets performance and availability targets;
• Continuous Improvement: An interest in process optimization and the ability to contribute to ongoing improvements in software and service delivery.

Soft Skills

• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills for interacting with team members, stakeholders, and customers. Ability to translate technical concepts into non-technical language;
• Teamwork and Collaboration: Ability to work effectively in a team environment, collaborate with cross-functional teams (e.g., developers, designers, marketers), and contribute to a positive work culture;
• Problem-Solving: Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills to identify issues and find effective solutions quickly;
• Adaptability: Flexibility and adaptability to handle the dynamic nature of software projects and the ability to learn new technologies and methodologies quickly. 

Work Experience (Optional) 

• Internships or other type(s) of work: Previous internships or academic projects related to software development, project management, or IT service management. Hands-on experience with managing or contributing to a software project is highly desirable;
• Team-leader Role(s): Participation in university clubs, organizations, or volunteer activities where the graduate had a chance to lead projects or teams.

Certifications (Optional)

• Project Management: Certifications such as Project Management Institute (PMI), Project Management Professional (PMP), etc., demonstrate an understanding of project management best practices;
• ITIL Certification: An ITIL Foundation certification will demonstrate an understanding of IT service management principles;
• Agile/Scrum: Certification in Agile methodologies, such as AgilePM, ScrumMaster, etc., indicating a strong underpinning in Agile/Scrum project management practices.