Industrial Policy Officer
European Space Agency
Location
ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands
Description
Industrial Policy Officer in the SME Section, Industrial Policy and Auditing Department, Directorate of Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness.
The SME Section is responsible for the implementation and evolution of the SME policy of the Agency and the implementation of the related SME Initiative programme. The SME policy aims to facilitate the involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in ESA programmes to leverage the European industrial base and foster innovation. It supports the development of SMEs to ensure their sustainable integration in the activities of the Agency and the industrial supply chain. To this end, the SME Section performs a range of activities and maintains a number of tools, such as defining industrial policy measures and carrying out related analyses, industry consultations, training courses for SMEs, the SME Helpdesk for industry, and more.
Duties
As Industrial Policy Officer, you will join the SME Section, reporting to the Head of Section. You will perform your duties in close coordination with your team members and other Services in the Directorate.
Your tasks and responsibilities will include the following:
- Supporting the Head of Section in the implementation of the SME policy, the SME Initiative programme and the related reporting activities.
- Contributing to the definition of the evolution of the SME Policy, including helping assess related industrial policy and procurement measures and their impact on SME competitiveness and involvement in ESA activities.
- Contributing to the assessment of planned procurement actions from the SME perspective and participating in TEBs when necessary.
- Contributing to the monitoring and understanding of the SME industrial landscape in Europe, the SME business environment in the space industry and the space market, and the positioning of SMEs in the Agency’s activities.
- Supporting industry consultations with SMEs and SME associations in terms of identifying topics, collecting feedback, reporting and defining resulting actions.
- For the SME training and support activities of the Section:
- Contribute to the organisation and delivery of training courses and information sessions for SMEs, both in-person and online via the Section’s Learning Hub platform, in cooperation with other Agency services as needed. Develop and maintain learning materials and resources, define and implement Learning Hub developments.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the ESA institutional framework and its policies and programmes to support space and non-space SMEs in understanding ESA's programmes, requirements and bidding processes, including operating the SME Helpdesk as the focal point for SME inquiries and handling the related coordination with relevant internal services in the Agency.
- Supporting the activities of the Section for improving the networking and visibility of SMEs by:
- supporting the organisation of networking events (such as the ISD), forums (including the annual SME Forum), and other industry days.
assisting in managing the ESA industry matchmaking tool (esa-match) and its evolutions, as well as tracking and promoting its use among SMEs while contributing to further developments of the platform. - Take a leading role in updating and executing the SME Section’s communication strategy, with responsibility for the SME Initiative Newsletter, SME Web presence and other available communication channels. Proactively collect and create SME-relevant content, coordinate updates, and ensure timely dissemination of information to SMEs and stakeholders as well as monitoring the effectiveness of the communication activities.
organising and participating in communication and networking events with industry and delegations.
- supporting the organisation of networking events (such as the ISD), forums (including the annual SME Forum), and other industry days.
You will perform your tasks as part of the SME Section Team. The precise allocation of the above tasks will be carried out according to the annual work plan. Additional duties may also include supporting activities within your field of competence.
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 engineering, business, and/or public administration is required for this post.
Additional requirements
Planning skills in terms of self-organisation and for others
Strong team orientation
Ability to take ownership of tasks/show autonomy in identifying problems and tackling them end-to-end to achieve a positive outcome
Service orientation towards customer needs and ensuring customer satisfaction
Willingness to continue learning, taking an interest in new developments in the space sector, especially those related to industrial policy
Assets include the following:
Familiarity with tools and software used in project management, and communication (e.g. Microsoft Office Suite, project management software, etc.)
Experience and knowledge of project management and administration
Experience and knowledge of development and implementation of communication strategies Experience and knowledge of organisation and development of training courses
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, the recruitment of staff must take into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the ESA Member States*. When short-listing for an interview, priority will first be given to internal candidates and secondly to external candidates from under-represented 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.
*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.
