Project Officer Logistics

Contract type: Seconded National Expert

Directorate: Capability, Armament and Planning Directorate (CAP)

Group: N.A.

Grade: AD10/AD11

Level of Security Clearance: SECRET UE/EU SECRET

Management of staff: N.A.

Location: Brussels

Indicative starting date: 01/12/2026

Closing date for applications: 16/09/2026

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  • BACKGROUND THE AGENCY'S WAY OF WORKING THE CAPABILITY, ARMAMENT AND PLANNING DIRECTORATE (CAP) DUTIES CONDITIONS FOR SECONDMENT SELECTION CRITERIA INDEPENDENCE AND DECLARATION OF INTEREST APPOINTMENT AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR SECONDED NATIONAL EXPERTS (SNE) AT EDA EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR SECONDED NATIONAL EXPERTS (SNE) DATA PROTECTION

1. BACKGROUND

The European Defence Agency (EDA) was established on 12 July 2004, and is governed by Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/1835 defining the statute, seat and operational rules of the European Defence Agency. The Agency has its headquarters in Brussels.

The main task of EDA is to support the Council and the Member States in their effort to improve the Union's defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) as it currently stands and as it develops in the future.

The Agency is structured into four directorates. The Corporate Services Directorate (CSD) and three operational directorates: Industry, Synergies and Enablers (ISE); Capability, Armament & Planning (CAP); Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI).

2. THE AGENCY'S WAY OF WORKING

The Agency is an “outward-facing” organisation, constantly interacting with its shareholders, the participating Member States, as well as with a wide range of stakeholders. It works in an integrated way, with multi-disciplinary teams representing all of the Agency’s functional areas, to realise its objectives. Its business processes are flexible and oriented towards achieving results. Staff at all levels need to demonstrate the corresponding qualities of commitment, flexibility, innovation, and team-working; to work effectively with shareholders and stakeholder groups, formal and informal; and to operate without the need for detailed direction.

3. THE CAPABILITY, ARMAMENT AND PLANNING DIRECTORATE (CAP)

The Capability, Armament & Planning Directorate (CAP) supports EU Member States in identifying and preparing possible cooperation projects and programmes ranging from long term military capability development to short term armament procurement. This includes obtaining agreement on shared needs and related priorities, harmonising capability requirements and conducting capability development preparatory activities, and also aggregating demand towards joint procurement.

The Directorate is operating several EU tools related to capability development and planning, in cooperation with other competent EU institutions and bodies. The Capability Development Plan (CDP), managed together with the EU Military Staff (EUMS) leads to identification of Capability Development Priorities agreed at EU level as a reference for all EU initiatives on Defence. The Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), ran together with the EUMS, enables to characterise the “State of the Union on Defence” and to identify opportunities for cooperation. The Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), conducted together with the European External Action Service (EEAS), including EUMS, coordinates the analysis of the annual PESCO National Implementation Plans to assess the participating Member States’ fulfilment of the PESCO commitments, assesses Member States’ PESCO project proposals and monitors their progress. These tools are operated with Member States throughout a structured EU Capability Development Planning System (EU-CDPS).

Within EU CDPS, the Directorate engages with Member States’ Capability planners and experts to implement the EU Capability Development Priorities based on agreed collaborative Roadmaps. When preparatory activities enable to identify a possible cooperation project, the Directorate support Member States interested in the project by elaborating with them a Business Case.

The CAP Directorate comprises six Units; four are addressing capability development and armament procurement activities of operational domains associated to EU agreed priorities and two are operating EU related processes and tools:

  • Air Domain Unit: Air Combat, Airborne Command and Inform Capabilities, Integrated Air and Missile Defence, Air Transport
  • Land and Logistics Unit: Ground Combat Capabilities, Land-Based Precision Engagement, Future Soldier Systems, Logistics, Military Mobility, CBRN Defence, C-IED
  • Information Superiority Unit: Communication & Information Systems, Surveillance & Reconnaissance, Space, Cyber Defence
  • Maritime Unit: Naval Combat and Maritime Interdiction, Underwater and Seabed Warfare, Maritime Domain Awareness
  • Cooperation Planning Unit: Capability Development Priorities, CARD, Defence Data
  • PESCO Unit: PESCO secretariat, assessment of fulfilment of commitments as well as new PESCO project proposals, support to PESCO projects

4. DUTIES

Under the supervision of the Head of Unit Land and Logistics, the jobholder(s) will be responsible for/contribute to the following activities:

  • contribute to capability development activities in support of EU Member States for improved land-related and cross-domain logistics capabilities;
  • support the development of concepts addressing current and future logistic challenges, considering evolving operational environments, innovation needs and shorter development cycles, addressing all relevant DOTLMPFI dimensions;
  • implement EDA Core Tasks 3, 4 and 5; notably harmonisation of military requirements in the field of logistics and sustainment while considering military mobility aspects; aggregation of demand and preparation of Business Cases to support Member States launching collaborative capability development or procurement projects; and ensure that Member States’ defence interests are coherently expressed and reflected across relevant ad broader EU‑level initiatives and policies;
  • manage and, when required, chair the dedicated Capability Expert Groups Sustainable and Agile Logistic (CEG SAL) as well as the related Ad-Hoc Working Groups, and any other related and subordinated working groups (such as cat. B projects Sharing of Spare Part or Additive Manufacturing for Logistic Support);
  • support the management of the existing Category A/B programmes/projects in the dedicated areas, as well as prepare/coordinate potential new collaborative initiatives, including the development of specific Business Cases and the establishment of ad-hoc projects/programmes as required;
  • plan and manage activities funded by the EDA Operational Budget, as required;
  • ensure strong alignment between Sustainable and Agile Logistics and Military Mobility work strands, with particular emphasis on digitalisation, strategic lift, interoperability, energy security, data exchange solutions and innovative approaches to enabling movements, resilience and support to military forces across the EU;
  • ensure coherence between all Logistic activities cross-domains and relevant Support Functions, including cooperation with relevant RTI and ISE areas (e.g. HEDI);
  • interact, as appropriate, with all relevant external stakeholders relevant to the dedicated areas of interest and involved in the implementation of logistic capabilities notably DG DEFIS, EUMS, MPCC, EATC, MLCC and appropriated NATO counterparts;
  • contribute to the further development and improvement of the Capability Development Plan (CDP), including identifying, promoting and proposing meaningful collaborative opportunities framed under the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) within the jobholder’s area of responsibility;
  • contribute, as appropriate, to the assessment of the European Defence Fund (EDF) Support-related topics of the annual work programmes, including other DG DEFIS-led initiatives related to the jobholder’s area of responsibility;
  • provide technical advice related to the jobholder’s area of responsibility to EU defence-related policies and concepts;
  • represent the Agency during conferences and seminars;
  • take on additional tasks as required in the interest of the service.

Duties may evolve according to the development of EDA’s structure and activities, and the decisions of EDA management.

5. CONDITIONS FOR SECONDMENT

In accordance with the Rules applicable to national experts and military staff on secondment to the European Defence Agency (Council Decision (EU) 2016/1352), Seconded National Experts are seconded to the Agency while remaining in the service of their national employer and continue being paid their national salary by that employer.

Therefore, to be considered in the selection process, candidates for SNE posts must be sponsored by their national authorities. Confirmation is required in the form of a letter of sponsorship addressed to the Agency as far as possible by the closing date for the receipt of applications and in any case before a decision is taken by EDA on the candidate to be selected for a secondment.

The Rules are available on the EDA website http://www.eda.europa.eu - vacancies.

To qualify for secondment to the Agency, experts shall:

  • have worked for their employer on a permanent or contract basis for at least 12 months before their secondment;
  • remain in the service of their employer throughout the period of secondment and continue to be paid by that employer;
  • have at least three years' full-time experience in defence, administrative, scientific, technical, operational, advisory or supervisory functions relevant to the performance of the duties assigned to them. Before the secondment, the employer shall supply the Agency with a statement of the expert's employment covering the previous 12 months;
  • be nationals of a participating Member State or falling within the provisions of the second paragraph of Article 1 of Council Decision (EU) 2016/1352 of 4 August 2016;
  • have a thorough knowledge (minimum level C1 oral and written) of one official language of one of the participating Member States and a satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2 oral and written) of another of these languages for the performance of their duties.

For native English speakers, your ability to communicate in another EU language will be tested during the selection process. To assess your foreign language levels, see: https://europa.eu/europass/en/common-european-framework-reference-language-skills

6. SELECTION CRITERIA

IMPORTANT: Confirmation of sponsorship is required at the latest by the deadline for applications and in any case before a decision on a candidate selected for secondment is taken by EDA.

A. Essential

Only applications meeting all essential selection criteria will be assessed.

(1) Professional

Candidates will be required to demonstrate the following qualifications:

  • a University degree (or equivalent academic qualification) in a field relevant to the post (e.g. Engineering and/or Maintenance, Application engineering, Logistic and Supply Chain Management, Constructions, Defence and Security, Military Sciences, Strategic Studies, International Security, or related disciplines);
  • very good professional experiences in a defence governmental organisation and/or an international organisation, including concrete experience in capability development in a minimum of one of the following areas, maintenance and overhaul, Additive Manufacturing, energy supply, logistic operations and support, logistic IT applications, military engineering and construction, movement and transport;
  • professional experience in project management, with the ability to propose effective short‑, medium‑ and long‑term solutions in support of capability development, including the ability to coordinate complex, multi‑actor initiatives in area of Logistics;
  • a track record of relevant professional experience in European or international defence cooperation, including familiarity with capability development frameworks and/or dedicated projects involved;
  • thorough understanding of EU institutions and NATO structures, their functioning, and their defence‑related initiatives, particularly those relevant to Logistics;
  • a good understanding of the main tasks and functions of the European Defence Agency (EDA), including its role in capability development, collaborative projects and voicing of MoDs’ joint positions;
  • a very good command of written and oral English.

(2) Personal

All staff must be able to fit into the Agency's way of working (see para. 2). Other attributes important for this post include:

  • genuine commitment to the Agency's objectives;

  • ability to work in a team;

  • strong results-orientated approach;

  • flexibility and innovativeness;

  • strong conceptual and analytical skills;

  • good communication skills;

  • organisational and analytical skills.

B. Desirable

The following will be considered an advantage:

  • experience in multinational environment;

  • experience in Logistic military operations;

  • hold a (recognised) Project Management qualification;

  • a track record in managing major multinational defence programmes.

7. INDEPENDENCE AND DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The selected candidate will be required to make a declaration of commitment to act independently in the Agency’s interest and to make a declaration in relation to interests that might be considered prejudicial to their independence.

8. APPOINTMENT AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR SECONDED NATIONAL EXPERTS (SNE) AT EDA

The Project Officer Military Mobility/Logistics will be appointed by the Chief Executive.

Secondment will be as a member of the Seconded National Expert staff of the Agency for a three-year period. Renewal is possible within the limits set out in the EDA SNE Rules. The successful candidate will be seconded as AD10/AD11 equivalent.

Applications are invited with a view to establish a reserve list for the post of Project Officer Military Mobility/Logistics at EDA. This list will be valid until 31/12/2027, and may be extended by decision of the Chief Executive. During the validity of the reserve list, successful candidates may be offered a secondment in EDA according to their competences in relation to the specific requirements of the vacant post. Inclusion on the reserve list does not imply any entitlement of secondment to the Agency.

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.