Head of the Secure Connectivity Ground Segment and Operations Office

Vacancy in the Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communications.

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.

This post is classified A2-A4 on the Coordinated Organisations’ salary scale.

Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Description

The ESA Programme Related to EU Secure Connectivity, hereinafter referred to as Secure Connectivity, is intended to support the effective development and validation of the EU Secure Connectivity governmental infrastructure and the services provided by it, as well as the validation and demonstration of services based on the commercial infrastructure developed by the contractor(s) delivering the EU Secure Connectivity governmental infrastructure.
Reporting to the Head of the Secure Connectivity Programme Department, you will be responsible for all tasks relating to the design, development and deployment of all elements of the Secure Connectivity Ground Segment, including the User Segment.

Duties

• Management of the design, development, qualification and deployment of the Secure Connectivity Ground Segment within the agreed schedule, cost and technical requirements, including implementation of the applicable security requirements;
• Management of the design, development, qualification and deployment of the Secure Connectivity User Segment within the agreed schedule, cost and technical requirements, including implementation of the applicable security requirements;
• Management and organisation of all Ground Segment-level reviews;
• Analysis of Ground Segment-related requests for changes, waivers and deviations, as well as non-conformances, anomalies and alerts, providing support to the relevant analyses at system level as and when required;
• Support to the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP), satellite commissioning, the in-orbit test (IOT) campaign and the satellite nominal operations, as well as evolutive maintenance and correction of in-orbit anomalies;
• Provision of support to the development of the system-level ConOps (Concept of Operations) and its implementation through dedicated flight operations procedures, as well as direct support system operations as and when required;
• Maintenance of the Secure Connectivity Ground Segment development plan, schedule, risk register and relevant parts of the cost plan, with the required key performance indicators, for consolidation and approval at project level;
• Implementation and enforcement of risk and security management processes at Ground Segment and operations level;
• Close coordination with other project disciplines, including the Space Segment Office, the System Office, the Programme Liaison Office and the Product Assurance and Safety Team.

In the execution of the above tasks, you will be supported by a dedicated team, for which you will have direct management responsibility.

You will also be responsible for identifying, assessing, managing and reporting the health and safety risks in your area of responsibility.

Technical competencies Strong technical background in the area of Ground Segment and/or system design, development and validation.Experience with the implementation of large space programmes or projects, ideally in the area of telecommunications.Experience in the management and monitoring of industrial activities, including technical and contractual negotiations, and the management of technical reviews.Multi-disciplinary and comprehensive knowledge of Ground Segment architecture, definition of related technical requirements, and on-ground and in-orbit validation activities.Experience in managing industrial activities from a cost and schedule point of view.Experience with product assurance and safety standards and their application in a project environment.Experience with complex project risk management processes

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

A master’s degree in engineering or a related technical or scientific discipline is required for this post.

Additional requirements

You should, in addition, have:

• the potential to manage individuals or a team of experts in a project setting;
• the ability to organise individual and team activities and ensure a motivating work environment;
• strong leadership capabilities, with proven relationship management and communication skills;
• the ability to drive your team’s performance, developing your people by encouraging learning, delegating responsibility and giving regular and constructive feedback;
• strong problem-solving skills to deal with day-to-day operational challenges, together with demonstrated planning and organisational skills;
• a strong result orientation with the ability to set priorities and present practical solutions both orally and in writing;
• the ability to manage challenging situations proactively and constructively and to be customer-focused.

People management experience is an asset, as is international experience, i.e. outside your home country, as well as experience in diverse functional areas relevant to ESA activities.

Other information

For behavioural competencies expected from ESA staff in general, please refer to the ESA Competency Framework.

For further information please visit: Professionals, What we offer and FAQ

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.

Applicants must be eligible for security clearance by their national security administrations.

The Agency may require applicants to undergo selection tests.

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 email contact.human.resources@esa.int.

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

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*.

In accordance with the European Space Agency’s security procedures and as part of the selection process, successful candidates will be required to undergo basic screening before appointment conducted by an external background screening service.

In principle, recruitment will be within the advertised grade band (A2-A4). However, if the selected candidate has less than four years of relevant professional experience following the completion of the master’s degree, the position may be filled at A1 level.

*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.