Description

Reporting directly to the Director of Navigation and as a member of the Directorate’s senior management team, the Head of the Future Navigation Department (NAV-F) bears overall responsibility for the management of all ESA optional programmes implemented by the Directorate of Navigation, for the navigation-related contributions to multidisciplinary ESA programmes, and for the elaboration and preparation of the future navigation missions, including R&D, innovation initiatives, pre-developments and cross-directorate coordination of all new navigation technologies and advanced studies.

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• implementing ESA optional programmes under the responsibility of the Directorate of Navigation within the agreed programme technical, schedule and cost-at-completion envelopes, with regular reporting and KPI monitoring;
• providing a market observatory and business intelligence function in respect of navigation activities, maintaining awareness of market needs and of the navigation initiatives running worldwide and ensuring the assessment of global developments in the navigation sector;
• elaborating ESA’s strategy in the field of navigation, acting as the focal point and ensuring the overall coherence and implementation of all navigation-related research and development activities performed in the Directorate and coordination with other ESA directorates in line with the overall ESA strategy;
• defining and implementing relevant research activities in the field of navigation in cooperation with European industry, institutional stakeholders, universities and research centres and drawing on the expertise of other ESA directorates as required;
• elaborating and implementing programmatic and technical demonstration activities based on existing GNSS infrastructure;
• proposing and preparing future missions and programmes in the area of navigation;
• creating and maintaining a trustful relationship with the States participating in ESA’s navigation programmes;
• providing support to ESA Member States and Third Parties for validation and demonstration activities;
• interfacing with user communities when ESA expertise and support is required;
• implementing lessons-learned processes for all managed programmes;
• implementing risk, security, project management, product assurance and safety management and reporting;
• managing the definition, execution and monitoring of activities leading to an optimal use of navigation satellites for scientific purposes in close coordination with the Directorate of Science;
• fostering the scientific utilisation of EGNOS, Galileo and the programmes managed by the Directorate of Navigation, establishing and maintaining the relationship with the scientific community for navigation-related activities, and organising the interfaces with the scientific community via the GNSS Science Advisory Committee.

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

Technical competencies

Behavioural competencies

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

Education

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

Additional requirements

You should, in addition, have:

• proven experience of leading, motivating and developing a team of managers;
• the ability to provide strategic direction to the individuals and teams within the Department and to relate team objectives to the overall, evolving organisational goals and context;
• the ability to drive performance and foster cooperation within and across teams throughout the organisation;
• demonstrated excellent leadership, relationship management and communication skills, both oral and written;
• a proven track record of representing the Agency’s interests to external interfaces;
• excellent cognitive, analytical, delegation, planning and organisational skills;
• the ability to anticipate problems, resolve complex issues and relate situations to their context;
• the ability to make solution-oriented, pragmatic and timely decisions of a high standard and with integrity as well as to support others, such as team members, upper management and other stakeholders, in this process.

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.