This job opening is for the purposes of Reserve list recruitment on multiple positions.
ESA is initiating a Reserve list recruitment process to meet the consistently high demand for Governance and Business Operations Specialists in support of the Agency’s cutting-edge space projects and programmes. This Reserve list will comprise of candidates who have been pre-assessed and pre-approved by the ESA hiring team and who have already undergone a basic background screening. If selected, you will remain on the Reserve list for a period of 24 months, during which you will be fast-tracked for positions in upcoming projects. While inclusion in the Reserve list does not guarantee recruitment, it positions you as a valuable resource to fill ESA's future vacancies. When a relevant position arises, your candidacy will be reviewed. In that context, you may be invited to a brief follow-up interview and, if successful, an offer will be made. No action is required on your part if you are placed on a Reserve list; ESA will contact you directly about relevant opportunities.
Location
Noordwijk, Cologne, Darmstadt, Frascati, Harwell, Paris, Redu, Villanueva de la Cañada (Madrid)
The Governance and Business Operations Specialist ensures the effective coordination, quality and alignment of corporate governance and operational processes across the organisation. Acting as a key interface between stakeholders, you will contribute to the reliability, consistency and efficiency of the Agency’s activities, supporting well-informed decision-making and the sound execution of business processes.
Operating within defined institutional frameworks, in this role, you will enable and structure complex processes by ensuring the integrity, timeliness and compliance of documentation, data, workflows and stakeholder interactions, while contributing to their continuous improvement. In addition, you will provide structured coordination of management activities, ensuring effective planning, monitoring and follow-up of a portfolio of priorities and activities.
If selected for this role, you may support various functional areas, including but not limited to:
- procurement and contracting planning processes;
- industrial policy implementation;
- HR support services and staff administration;
- Agency-level planning, budgeting , monitoring processes and tools;
- strategy, programmatic, international relations and coordination activities;
- coordination of management support activities.
The list below highlights the types of responsibilities and tasks you may carry out.
Your specific duties will be further defined depending on the final appointment.
Governance and organisational process coordination:
- Coordinate the end-to-end preparation, execution and follow-up of organisational processes contributing to the delivery of the Agency’s programmes, projects and activities ;
- Ensure coherence, timeliness and alignment of inputs across contributing organisational units, identifying dependencies and supporting their resolution;
- Structure and manage workflows and planning cycles, ensuring efficient, consistent and compliant execution of activities.
Stakeholder interface (procedural and operational):
- Act as a key operational interface with internal and external stakeholders, including Member State delegations, institutional partners, industry and other ESA directorates;
- Ensure the smooth functioning of high-level representatives’ exchanges with ESA, following up on protocol obligations;
- Facilitate alignment across stakeholders by ensuring clear, structured and timely exchanges of information, data and documentation;
- Provide guidance on processes, procedures and tools, supporting consistent understanding and application across organisational units.
Information integrity, compliance and internal control:
- Ensure that outputs, such as documentation, data, tender actions, payroll inputs and governance artefacts, meet applicable rules, standards and regulatory frameworks;
- Apply “need-to-know” principles in determining access to and dissemination of information, ensuring appropriate use and handling of sensitive and restricted data;
- Contribute to audit readiness, internal control and risk mitigation by ensuring compliance with institutional, financial and data protection requirements.
Process implementation, monitoring and improvement:
- Contribute to the continuous improvement and digitalisation of communication, coordination and workflow processes, including the implementation and optimisation of digital tools, platforms and dashboards supporting operational efficiency and transparency;
- Coordinate and monitor the implementation of organisational processes across domains such as procurement, HR, governance and industrial policy;
- Identify inefficiencies and contribute to the continuous improvement and harmonisation of procedures, tools and working methods.
- Contribute to the implementation and evolution of digital systems and tools, ensuring alignment with operational needs, translating operational requirements into structured inputs for process and system enhancements.
Data management, reporting and decision support:
- Ensure the quality, consistency and reliability of data supporting governance and operational processes, including financial, budgeting, Agency-level planning, HR and project data where relevant;
- Monitor timelines, deliverables and performance indicators, ensuring follow-up of actions and decisions;
- Produce structured reports and analyses to support management oversight and informed decision-making.
Management support and coordination:
- Coordinate and monitor the planning and execution of departmental activities, ensuring alignment of priorities, schedules and deliverables across organisational units;
- Facilitate the translation of strategic priorities into actionable activities, ensuring alignment of departmental objectives, plans and deliverables
- Act as a central coordination point across teams, management and service providers, ensuring coherence, prioritisation and effective flow of information across activities, including contractual, financial and operational aspects;
- Anticipate dependencies, risks and bottlenecks, supporting their resolution and ensuring continuity and consistency of operations;
- Oversee and ensure alignment of administrative and operational processes, relating for example to procurement, contracts and resource planning, contributing to their efficiency, traceability and compliance in coordination with the dedicated functions, such as controllers and procurement officers;
- Ensure structured follow-up of management decisions and actions, monitoring implementation and supporting escalation where required;
- Contribute to the optimisation and structuring of workflows, practices and coordination mechanisms.
Knowledge of the Agency’s regulatory framework and governance processes relevant to the domain of assignment, such as programme/project governance, procurement and contracting, Agency-level planning and budgeting, industrial policy, corporate governance and administrative/financial frameworks
Good knowledge of applicable rules, procedures and standards, such as financial regulations, procurement rules, HR frameworks and data protection, ensuring compliant execution of activities
Proficiency in the Agency’s information systems and digital tools supporting business processes relevant to the domain
Ability to manage, validate and analyse structured data, for example financial, HR, project or operational data, ensuring quality, consistency and traceability to support decision-making
Ability to translate operational needs into structured requirements for process and system enhancements
Experience in data handling, reporting and analysis, ensuring data quality, consistency and traceability to support governance and operational decision-making
Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking
For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook
Education and professional experience
Vocational qualification (EQF level 5) in a relevant discipline, and a minimum of 4 years of relevant, post-related professional experience is required.
A minimum of four years of relevant, post-related professional experience.
Depending on the area of assignment, knowledge in specific domains such as:
- procurement and contracting processes;
- HR administration and payroll frameworks;
- planning, budgeting and controlling;
- industrial policy and geo-return processes.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
Excellent spoken and written command of English and French. Knowledge of another Member State language, as well as relevant specialised education, advanced training, or certification, would be an asset.
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, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.
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.
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, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.
According to the ESA Convention, staff shall be recruited on the basis of their qualifications, taking into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the 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.
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