The general role of administrators (AD) is to support decision-makers in fulfilling the mission of their institution or body. They typically work in areas such as policy formulation, operational implementation, coordination and management of resources and programmes.

Their tasks may vary depending on the institution and the specific position and are always described in detail in the Notice of Competition or vacancy notice.

Administrators cover grades from AD 5 to AD 16, reflecting different levels of responsibility and seniority:

• AD 5: entry level for university graduates, generally with no professional experience required 
• AD 6–AD 7: specialist roles requiring several years of relevant professional experience 
• AD 9–AD 12: middle management positions requiring proven management experience 
• AD 13–AD 16: senior management roles with high-level strategic and leadership responsibilities

Assistant-Secretaries (AST/SC), also referred to as Secretaries/Clerks, generally work in office management and administrative support roles within EU institutions. Their tasks may include preparing files, supporting the coordination and organisation of departmental activities, handling documents, and providing general administrative support to teams, managers, and services.

Assistant-Secretaries cover grades from AST/SC 1 to AST/SC 6, reflecting different levels of responsibility and experience:

• New staff usually enter at grades AST/SC 1 or AST/SC 2
• AST/SC 1: entry level, requiring secondary education and either relevant professional experience or a relevant vocational qualification 
• AST/SC 2: sometimes used for more experienced candidates 
• Higher AST/SC grades involve increasing levels of responsibility and experience

Assistants (AST) generally work in administrative, technical, or executive support roles within EU institutions. Their work may include areas such as financial and budgetary management, human resources, communication, policy support, IT, document management, research, or scientific and laboratory work. They play an important role in the internal functioning of the institutions.

Assistants cover grades from AST 1 to AST 11, reflecting different levels of responsibility and experience:

• AST 1: entry level, requiring at least secondary education and relevant professional experience or a relevant vocational qualification 
• AST 3: typically requires secondary education, a relevant vocational qualification, and/or several years of relevant professional experience 
• Higher AST grades involve progressively greater responsibility and experience requirements