204a - Project Officer Contracted Services - European Defence Agency (Brussels)

About this position

The summary below is published by European Defence Agency on the official vacancy notice. Our own analysis — salary realism, comparable openings, career trajectory, language profile — follows further down the page.

Key responsibilities

According to the vacancy notice, the role centres on the following duties:

• Manage the EDA AIRMEDEVAC project and related contracted services
• Manage full lifecycle of framework and specific contracts from requirements identification to administrative closure
• Coordinate operational, contractual and financial implementation of specific contracts
• Maintain working relationships with Member States, end users, stakeholders and service providers
• Prepare and coordinate project governance activities including meetings and decision documents
• Monitor service delivery and contractual performance, identify risks and corrective actions
• Contribute to development of new contracted solutions
• Ensure accurate project records and contribute to lessons learned and knowledge management

Are you eligible?

Check these requirements from the notice before investing time in an application:

• Education: University degree or equivalent academic degree in a field relevant to the post
• Experience: At least 7 years of relevant professional experience; proven experience in management of complex projects and service contracts involving multiple stakeholders in international or multinational environment; proven experience in procurement and contract management including preparation of tender specifications and monitoring of contract implementation; proven experience in financial management inc…
• Languages: one official language of a participatin… (C1), another official language of a particip… (B2)
• Key skills: Project management in complex, multi-stakeholder environments, Procurement and contract management, Financial management and budget monitoring, Written and spoken English with strong drafting and briefing skills, Understanding of aeromedical evacuation and aviation support services, Knowledge of CSDP and EU defence environment
• Eligibility: Nationals of a participating Member State or falling within provisions of Article 1 of Council Decision (EU) 2016/1352; must be sponsored by national authorities; must have worked for employer on permanent or contract basis for at least 12 months before secondment; must have at least 3 years full-time experience in defence, administrative, scientific, technical, operational, advisory or superviso…

Selection process

The notice describes the following selection steps:

• Assessment of essential selection criteria (professional and personal)
• Language testing for native English speakers to assess foreign language levels

Contract and working arrangements

Hiring unit: Procurement, Support, Industry & Interoperability Directorate (PSII), Contracted Services function.

Position details

Reference

1136

Last Verified

18 October 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for 204a - Project Officer Contracted Services at EDA based in Brussels (Seconded National Expert). The vacancy reference is 1136.

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:Capability, Armament & Planning (CAP);Procurement, Support, Industry & Interoperability (PSII);Research, Technology & Innovation (RTI).

2. THE AGENCY'S WAY OF WORKING

The Agency is an “outward-facing” organisation, constantly interacting with its shareholders, the 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 PROCUREMENT, SUPPORT, INDUSTRY & INTEROPERABILITY DIRECTORATE (PSII)

The Procurement, Support, Industry & Interoperability Directorate(PSII)supports a range of activities critical to collaborative defence capability development in Europe and the strengthening of its EDTIB.

The PSII Directorate supports Member States by conducting collaborative procurement of off-the-shelf defence equipment and services for their benefit. It also supports Member States in addressing the implications of EU legislation and policies for the defence sector, including REACH, Single European Sky (SES), funding instruments, and procurement legislation and policy. It also analyses developments influencing the European defence industry and security of supply. The Directorate is also responsible for activities supporting defence cooperation and interoperability, including airworthiness, standardisation, certification, test and evaluation, and education and training. It also supports CSDP operations, missions and EU Battlegroups.

The PSII Directorate comprises:

- PSII Coordination and Management Office supports Member States in the adoption of new legislation and policies and supports internal coordination within and between the Directorate and the Agency’s other directorates; - Collaborative Defence Procurement Centre (CDPC) manages the collaborative procurement of off-the shelf defence equipment and services for the benefit of Member States and EU operations and missions, and provides procurement management and regulatory expertise to the Agency and Member States; - Wider EU Policies Support Unit engages industry in the activities of the Agency, performs strategic analyses of the defence industry and supply chains, and monitors the impact of EU policies on the defence sector, ranging from legislation (REACH, single European Sky) to funding instruments; - Interoperability Support Unit supports defence cooperation and enhances interoperability through the development of harmonised safety and certification requirements, identification of best practice standards, networking of test and evaluation capabilities, and facilitation of common training initiatives.

4. DUTIES

Under the supervision of the Head of Sector for Contracted Services, the Project Officer Contracted Services will be responsible for / contribute to the following activities:

- manage the EDA AIRMEDEVAC project and related contracted services in support of participating Member States and Common Security and Defence Policy missions and operations, ensuring effective project governance and service delivery; - manage the full lifecycle of framework and specific contracts, from the identification and consolidation of user requirements to the preparation of procurement documentation, evaluation support, contract implementation, performance monitoring and administrative closure; - coordinate the operational, contractual and financial implementation of specific contracts, including budget planning and monitoring, calls for funds, allocation of funds, verification of supporting documents, invoice processing and reporting; - maintain close working relationships with contributing Member States, end users, relevant European Union stakeholders, service providers and other partners, acting as a focal point for the timely resolution of contractual and operational issues; - prepare and coordinate project governance activities, including Project Management Group meetings, briefings, decision documents, presentations, minutes, action tracking and follow-up with stakeholders; - monitor service delivery and contractual performance, identify risks and corrective actions, and coordinate EDA follow-up in the event of operational changes, incidents or other unplanned developments affecting contract execution; - contribute to the development of new contracted solutions in support of operations and missions, including market engagement, business-case development, requirements definition and coordination with the relevant EDA support functions; - ensure accurate, traceable and up-to-date project records and contribute to lessons learned, process improvement, knowledge management and internal coordination across the Contracted Services function; - ensure timely support to end users and the effective resolution of issues affecting contract performance, including those encountered by service providers, and provide support outside standard working hours when required by operational needs; - take on additional tasks as required in the interest of the service.

Duties may evolve according to the development of 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

IMPORTANT:Confirmation of sponsorship is required at the latest by the deadline for applications and in any case before a decision on a candidate selected for secondment is taken by EDA.

A. Essential

Only applications meeting all essential selection criteria will be assessed.

(1) Professional

The candidate will be required to demonstrate that he/she has:

- a university degree (or equivalent academic degree) in a field relevant to the post; - at least seven (7) years of relevant professional experience; - proven experience in the management of complex projects and service contracts involving multiple stakeholders in an international or multinational environment; - proven experience in procurement and contract management, including the preparation of tender specifications or equivalent contractual documentation and the monitoring of contract implementation; - proven experience in financial management, including budget planning and monitoring, verification of invoices or supporting documents, and financial reporting; - good understanding of aeromedical evacuation, aviation support services or comparable operational support services, including the challenges associated with service delivery in operational environments; - good knowledge of the EU security and defence environment, including CSDP and the wider international defence environment, and a good understanding of EDA’s role and activities relevant to the post; - a very good command of written and spoken English, with strong drafting and briefing skills.

(2) Personal

All staff must be able to fit into the Agency's way of working (see para. 2).

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 9 October 2026, 9 days ago.

The application deadline is 12 January 2027, 84 days from today. Late applications are not accepted, so submit through the official EU Careers portal well in advance.

Last verified against the EU Careers feed on 18 October 2026.

Where to learn more

For headcount, mission, and other open vacancies at EDA see the EDA institution page; for the cost of living, correction coefficient, and other postings in Brussels see our Brussels location page.

New to EU careers? Our beginner's guide walks through entry routes, EPSO competitions, and what to prepare. For application logistics see application tips and EPSO competitions.