Project Officer PESCO – Analysis and Coordination

Position description

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) identifies and proposes collaborative opportunities in support of EU capability development priorities.

The Directorate is responsible for planning and conducting capability development based on analysis of military requirements conducted together with Member States within the Capability Development Plan (CDP).

The Directorate coordinates in-house the implementation of the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), establishing a regularly updated overview of the European defence capability landscape, in coordination with the European External Action Service (EEAS), including the EU Military Staff (EUMS).

The CAP Directorate implements EDA’s secretariat functions to the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), together with the EEAS, including the EU Military Staff. Within the PESCO secretariat, the Directorate coordinates EDA’s assessment of PESCO project proposals from the capability perspective, as well as the National Implementation Plans of PESCO participating Member States and supports PESCO project implementation.

Based on coordinating the results of CDP, CARD and PESCO, the Directorate plans and prepares capability development activities and projects tailored to Member States’ needs. These activities span from advice and roadmaps to collaborative capability development projects,  including the support to Member States upstream of the European Defence Fund.

The CAP Directorate comprises six Units with the following key areas of activity:

• Air Domain Unit: Air Combat, Air ISR Platforms, Anti-Access/Area-Denial, Air-to-Air Refuelling, Strategic and Tactical Air Mobility
• Cooperation Planning Unit: CDP, CARD, Defence Data
• Land and Logistics Unit: Land platforms, Counter-IED, Personnel Recovery, Military Mobility, Logistics, Medical Support
• Information Superiority Unit: Communication & Information Systems, Surveillance & Reconnaissance, Space, Cyber Defence
• Maritime Unit: Maritime Surveillance, Mine Counter Measures, naval training, harbour protection
• PESCO Unit: PESCO secretariat, assessment and support to project development

4. DUTIES

The Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) is a treaty-based framework for the 26 participating Member States (pMS) to jointly plan, develop, and invest in collaborative capability development and to enhance the operational readiness and contribution of armed forces.

PESCO projects are designed to deliver capabilities for the use of pMS, including to support the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) operations and missions, and they provide an opportunity for the pMS to cooperate in all domains.

The European Defence Agency (EDA) and the EEAS, including the EU Military Staff, working together, provide a Secretariat function for PESCO, with a single point of contact for the pMS.

Under the supervision of the Head of Unit PESCO, within the Capability, Armament and Planning (CAP) Directorate, the jobholder will contribute to the following activities:

• conduct on an annual basis the analysis on PESCO projects progress and prepare the PESCO projects progress report;
• develop analyses and reporting on PESCO projects to provide relevant information to the stakeholders; 
• support and liaise with the project coordinators and PESCO Points of Contacts and keep the information on PESCO projects up to date, also through the organisation of meetings;
• contribute to the annual report of the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy with accurate and validated information of pMS’ contribution to PESCO projects;
• support the ongoing PESCO Strategic Review, mostly in relation to projects;
• contribute to ensuring coherence between PESCO and other security and defence initiatives:
• develop relevant cross-unit and cross-directorate links within EDA;
• contribute to the development of the PESCO module in EUCLID;
• liaise with the European External Action Service (EEAS), including the EU Military Staff, to achieve efficiently the PESCO Secretariat functions;
• take on additional tasks as required in the interest of the service.

Duties may evolve according to the development of the 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

A. Essential

Only applications meeting all essential selection criteria will be assessed.

(1) Professional

Candidates will be required to demonstrate the following qualifications:

• a Master’s degree (or equivalent academic degree) in International Relations, Political Science, European Studies, Security Studies or similar field;
• experience in contributing to the elaboration, assessment and implementation of high-level political and/or strategic documents;
• experience in defence at a national Ministry of Defence / armed forces level and/or international level;
• experience in similar duties in the politico-military arena and in contributing to the elaboration and implementation of high-level political and/or strategic documents;
• a good understanding of EDA’s main tasks and functions, EU decision-making, roles of different EU institutions, and the EU defence cooperation, especially PESCO;
• a very good knowledge of written and spoken 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:

• ability to work in a team and independently in his/her/their area of responsibility;
• ability to work effectively in a multinational environment;
• reliability and capacity to work under pressure;
• good communication and organisational skills;
• strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills;
• results-orientation and strong motivation;
• flexibility and innovativeness;
• genuine commitment to the Agency’s objectives.

B. Desirable

The following will be considered an advantage:

• a good understanding of capability development areas including, at least, one of the following domains: Land; Maritime; Air; Information (including Cyber and Space);
• work experience in a multinational defence environment.

7. INDEPENDENCE AND DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The Project Officer PESCO – Analysis and Coordination 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 his/her independence.

8. APPOINTMENT AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The Project Officer PESCO – Analysis and Coordination 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 candidates will be seconded as AD10/AD11 equivalent.

Applications are invited with a view to establish a reserve list for the post of Project Officer PESCO – Analysis and Coordination at EDA. This list will be valid until 31/12/2025, 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.

9. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

EDA is an equal opportunities employer and accepts applications without distinction on the grounds of age, race, political, philosophical or religious conviction, sex or sexual orientation and regardless of disabilities, marital status or family situation.

Application instructions

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