Description

Under the direct authority of the Head of the Space Safety Programme Office, the Head of the Clean Space and ADRIOS Office is responsible for the strategic and technical management of all Clean Space activities. 

You, as Head of the Clean Space and ADRIOS Office, will therefore be responsible for the management and implementation of the ADRIOS missions within the S2P programme:

• the ADRIOS Clearspace-1 mission;
• the ADRIOS “RISE” in-orbit servicing mission;
• the ADRIOS “Encore” in-orbit servicing mission.

These responsibilities entail the management of the three associated project teams, with senior-level expertise, and critical negotiations with industry and Member State delegations.

As Head of the Clean Space and ADRIOS Office, you will also be responsible for the strategic and technical management of all branches of the initiative (eco-design, end-of-life management, active debris removal and in-orbit servicing). You will therefore be the focal point for key Agency initiatives such as the zero debris approach. 

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• reporting to and interfacing with Member State Boards and the Space Safety Programme Manager on all activities of the Clean Space and ADRIOS Office;
• handling the senior project management and coordination of a team of Project Managers for the ADRIOS missions (currently Clearspace-1, RISE and Encore) and Clean Space projects;
• taking end-to-end responsibility for the procurement and management of the ADRIOS and Clean Space projects towards the stakeholder Boards;
• handling the senior management of all related industrial contracts, ensuring that they remain within the agreed costs, schedule and industrial return;
• managing the support for the Clean Space team provided by the Directorates of Technology, Engineering and Quality, Operations, and Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness, ensuring that all appropriate information is available to all project participants so that they can carry out their responsibilities effectively within the agreed framework;
• leading key Agency initiatives such as the zero debris approach and lifecycle assessment, in coordination with the ESA Directorate, ESA Boards (as well as the ESA Council) and DG Services;
• coordinating project and milestone reviews and audits;
• serving as programmatic lead for the evolution of future Clean Space and ADRIOS activities and their planning and coordination with the ESA S2P and technology programmes as well as the organisation of Industry Day events;
• reporting to the Space Safety Programme Office.

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 aerospace engineering or an equivalent discipline is required for this post.

Additional requirements

You should also have:

• proven experience in managing space projects in Phases C and D up to and including flight;
• proven experience in people management, and managing a team of teams;
• proven experience in leading, motivating and developing a team in a complex project environment;
• senior-level negotiation skills in large and complex industrial contracts;
• leadership in driving programmatic and key initiatives and coordination of internal and external stakeholders;
• excellent delegation, planning and organisational skills;
• the ability to provide strategic direction to the individuals and teams within the project 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;
• the ability to anticipate problems, resolve complex issues and relate situations to their context;
• international experience is an asset, i.e. outside your home country, as well as experience in diverse functional areas relevant to ESA activities.