Senior Policy Advisor (2 posts)
Bruxelles, BE
Location
ESA Headquarters, Paris, France
Description
Senior Policy Advisor, EU Relations Office, Directorate of Strategy, Legal and External Affairs. You will report to the Head of the EU Relations Office and will be based in the ESA Brussels Office.
Under the authority of the Head of the EU Relations Office, your overarching responsibilities will include:
- liaising with the EU institutions, such as the various Cabinets and Directorates General of the European Commission, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament, as well as EU agencies;
- actively promoting the Agency’s policies and programmes with such institutions and fostering coherence between the objectives of EU policies and ESA’s programmes, notably through monitoring of EU policy and programme implementation and evolution;
- supporting the Director General’s Services and Programme Directorates in their relationships with the EU institutions and in the definition and implementation of ESA programmes pertaining to EU policies, as well as identifying new areas in which the development of cooperation would benefit ESA.
Duties
Your duties will involve:
- developing and managing close contact with EU institutions;
- building an effective “space network” in Brussels to identify and promote common positions;
- contributing to the definition of the ESA Brussels Office strategy, policy and positioning on the various topics affecting ESA (regulations, policies and programmes);
- liaising as appropriate with the directorates to provide feedback and relevant information;
- analytically assessing and summarising background and contextual information from a wide variety of formal and informal sources;
- drafting of briefings, notes or lines to take as required by ESA management;
- supporting ESA staff seconded to EU institutions;
- any other activity deemed necessary in the context of the EU’s policy, news and agenda.
You will also be assigned specific ESA directorates to support and advise, based on needs, as well as the capabilities and interests of staff members in the Office.
Technical competencies
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 political science, international relations, engineering or law is required for this post.
Additional requirements
- 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.
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
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.
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, 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.