Contract Management Officer

About ECMWF

ECMWF is both a research institute and a 24/7 operational service, producing and disseminating numerical weather predictions to its Member States. ECMWF carries out scientific and technical research directed to the improvement of its forecasts, collects and processes large amounts of observations, and manages a long-term archive of meteorological data. Satellite and in situ observations provide the information for up-to-date global analyses and climate reanalyses of the atmosphere, ocean and land surface. For details, see www.ecmwf.int

ECMWF has been entrusted to operate the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) and
the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) on behalf of the European Commission until the end
of 2020. Copernicus is the European Union (EU) flagship Earth-observation programme. The
programme ensures operational monitoring of the atmosphere, oceans, and continental surfaces,
and will provide reliable, validated information services for a range of environmental and security
applications.

Summary of the role

The position is in the Contract Management Section of ECMWF’s Copernicus Services Department.
ECMWF is issuing competitive calls to procure most elements of the Copernicus Atmosphere
Monitoring Service (CAMS) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) operational services.
The Copernicus Contract Management Section is responsible for both the negotiations of new
contracts and to ensure compliance with the contractual arrangements of signed contracts. The
Section will soon be managing more than 80 active service contracts focusing on data and information services delivery, studies and use cases, IT development services and communication and training activities. Contracts involve private and public entities from most of the EU and ECMWF Member States.

In this role, the Contract Management Officer will work closely with the Head of the Contract
Management Section as well as with other members of the team. He or she will be in daily contact with the contractors and throughout the contract negotiation and implementation process, the successful candidate will collaborate with technical and scientific colleagues responsible for tracking the technical implementation of the contracts. For procurement, legal and financial aspects, the Contract Management Officer will work closely with colleagues in the Administration Department of ECMWF.

Main duties and key responsibilities

• Ensuring the timely implementation of the Contract Performance Verification process and linked payments for a set of contracts
• Ensuring the day-to-day communication and providing guidance to contractors, in collaboration with the C3S and CAMS technical contract leads
• Managing the follow-up of contractual milestones and deliverables and implementing corrective measures where needed
• Co-ordinating the definition of Service Contracts within signed Framework Agreement
• Co-ordinating and contributing to progress review meetings with contractors and preparing
  written reports and presentations
• Contributing to the evaluation and negotiation process for competitive procurements of C3S and
  CAMS bids, in collaboration with ECMWF’s Procurement Section
• Contributing to internal and external audits

Personal attributes

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain strong working relationships, both internally and with external contractors
• Ability to work collaboratively in an international environment
• Excellent attention to detail
• Service-oriented attitude
• Adaptability and flexibility, with the ability to manage a diverse workload with multiple
  assignments

Qualifications and experience required

Education

• A university degree in a scientific or business discipline.

Experience

• Very good demonstrated experience in a project officer or contract manager role, preferably in the procurement of services with public and private organisations.
• Good experience in contract negotiations and price setting.
• Good experience with client–service provider relationships.
• Good experience working with intergovernmental organisations or the European
• Commission and its Agencies would be an advantage.

Knowledge and skills (including language)

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of public procurements of contracts of a scientific and technical nature.

Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office.

• Candidates must be able to work effectively in English and interviews will be conducted in English.
• A good knowledge of one of the Centre’s other working languages (French or
  German) would be an advantage.

Other information

Grade remuneration

The successful candidate will be recruited at the A2 grade, according to the scales of the Co-ordinated Organisations and the annual basic salary will be £56,487 net of tax. This position is
assigned to the employment category STF-PL as defined in the Staff Regulations. Full details of salary scales and allowances are available on the ECMWF website at www.ecmwf.int/en/about/jobs, including the Centre’s Staff Regulations regarding the terms and conditions of employment.

Starting date: As soon as possible.
Length of contract: To 31 December 2020, with the possibility of extension subject to continuation of funding by the Copernicus programme.
Location: The role will be based in the Reading area, in Berkshire, United Kingdom.

How to apply

Please apply by completing the online application form available at www.ecmwf.int/en/about/jobs.
ECMWF has an Equal Opportunities Policy and applications from all suitably qualified candidates are
welcome. Staff are usually recruited from among nationals of the Member States and Co-operating States. Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Staff from other countries may be considered in exceptional cases.