Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands or ESAC, Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain.

Description

As Head of the Programme Planning & Management Support Office (SCI-M), you will report directly to the Director of Science, and be responsible for the Directorate’s overall workforce and financial resources planning, controlling and reporting. The Office provides project control and management support services to all units of the Directorate. The role also includes the responsibilities of the Senior Financial Controller (SFC) for the Directorate and will report functionally to the Head of the Finance, Planning and Controlling Department.

Duties

As the Head of SCI-M you will be responsible for leading and managing the Office in carrying out its tasks, which include:

supporting D/SCI in the definition of the Programme's long-term strategy by ensuring its alignment with the long-term financial plan and the corresponding long-term resource plan;
consolidating and maintaining short-, medium- and long-term plans for all activities of the Directorate, as well as related schedules, financial plans, workforce plans (staff and contractors), procurement plans;
defining the Directorate’s budgets and the budgetary flexibility margins, including managing the Scientific Programme contingency;
monitoring the progress of the Directorate activities and controlling that financial commitments, workforce planning, procurements and contractual agreements are within the established Directorate targets and the Agency’s corporate policies;
support the implementation of the geo-return policy of the Programme, in accordance with the Agency's strategy, and in coordination with SCI-D and the relevant implementation organizational units;
coordinating the implementation of risk management for all activities of the Directorate, providing the SCI risk coordination function and representing the Directorate in the Agency’s Network of Risk Coordinators;
providing project control, schedule control, logistics and risk management support to all operational units of the Directorate and contributing to/participating in the relevant reviews for the Directorate’s missions;
in close coordination with D/CIC, advising and supporting the Director and senior management in relation to the implementation of the Agency’s industrial policy;
in close coordination with D/HIF, performing workforce planning and resource management across the Directorate, including the Directorate management of manpower frame contracts;
facilitating payload planning and development in Member States, including overseeing the PRODEX Programme, in full coordination with SCI-F which will provide payload technology expertise and technical hardware.

Technical competencies

Program and project controlling including risk management

Budgeting, cost control and resources and activities planning

Cost and financial regulatory framework, including accounting standards and auditing

Extensive knowledge of controlling related information systems

Understanding of the relevant ESA procurement regulations

Knowledge of industrial policy and geo-return reporting

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education

A master's degree in Business Administration or Engineering in a relevant field is required for this post.

Additional requirements

Proven experience in the area of project and programme management and controlling is required.

In addition, you are expected to have:

proven experience of leading, motivating and developing a team;
the ability to provide strategic direction to the individuals and teams within the Office;
the ability to drive performance and foster cooperation within and across teams throughout the organisation;
demonstrated excellent leadership, relationship management;
excellent communication skills, both oral and written;
a proven track record of representing the Agency’s interests to external interfaces;
excellent cognitive, analytical, delegation, planning and organisational skills;
the ability to anticipate problems, solve complex issues and relate situations to their context;
the ability to reach solution-oriented, pragmatic and timely decisions of a high standard and with integrity as well as to support others (team members, upper management, other stakeholders) in this process.

People management experience is required, international experience is an asset, including outside your home country, as well as experience in diverse functional areas relevant to ESA activities.
Mobility is inherent to management functions and this position may be subject to rotation.
Therefore, mobility opportunities may be offered to you as part of your career evolution at ESA, starting after approximately five years in this role.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics. Applications from women are encouraged.

At the Agency we value diversity, and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace. The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact us via email at contact.human.resources@esa.int.

Important Information and Disclaimer
During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures.

Note that ESA is in the process of transitioning to a Matrix setup, which could lead to organisational changes affecting this position.

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.

Nationality and Languages
Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.

According to the ESA Convention, the recruitment of staff must take into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the ESA Member States*. When short-listing for an interview, priority will first be given to internal candidates and secondly to external candidates from under-represented Member States*.

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.

*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.

Head of the Programme Planning and Management Support Office

Job description