205a - Project Officer Collaborative Procurement of Equipment and Supplies - 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 or support governance of EDA ad hoc projects or programmes, including meetings, coordination of national positions, monitoring of decisions, risks, schedules, budgets and actions
• Coordinate with participating Member States the harmonisation of technical requirements and preparation of common technical specifications
• Support EDA as Contracting Authority and/or Procurement Agent, including market analysis, procurement planning, tender documentation, evaluation and contract award
• Develop procurement strategies, implementation arrangements, project documentation and decision papers
• Coordinate contract implementation across participating Member States, including order planning, configuration management, production and delivery monitoring
• Engage with industry to assess market capacity, supply-chain resilience, technological maturity and production lead times
• Identify and manage programme, technical, legal, financial, security, safety, industrial and schedule risks
• Seek coherence and synergies with relevant EU, EDA, NATO and national capability-development initiatives

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 three years' full-time experience in defence, administrative, scientific, technical, operational, advisory or supervisory functions relevant to the performance of the duties assigned; worked for employer on permanent or contract basis for at least 12 months before secondment
• Languages: One official language of a participatin… (C1), Another official language of a particip… (B2)
• Eligibility: National of a participating Member State or falling within provisions of second paragraph of Article 1 of Council Decision (EU) 2016/1352; must be sponsored by national authorities; must remain in service of employer throughout secondment period and continue to be paid by that employer

Contract and working arrangements

Hiring unit: Collaborative Defence Procurement Centre (CDPC), Procurement, Support, Industry & Interoperability Directorate (PSII).

Position details

Reference

1144

Last Verified

18 October 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for 205a - Project Officer Collaborative Procurement of Equipment and Supplies at EDA based in Brussels (Seconded National Expert). The vacancy reference is 1144.

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 the Collaborative Defence Procurement Centre, the jobholder will primary responsibility for the preparation, establishment and implementation of collaborative procurement activities for equipment and supplies, in particular loitering munitions, on behalf of participating EU Member States.

The jobholder will be responsible for/contribute to the following activities:

- manage or support the governance of relevant EDA ad hoc projects or programmes, including meetings, coordination of national positions, monitoring of decisions, risks, schedules, budgets and actions, and preparation of related records and reports; - coordinate with participating Member States the harmonisation of technical requirements and the preparation, validation and maintenance of common technical specifications, including requirements related to performance, safety, airworthiness, communications, command-and-control integration, interoperability, cybersecurity, training, logistics, maintenance, certification and applicable defence standards; - support EDA in its role as Contracting Authority and/or Procurement Agent, including market analysis and consultation, procurement planning, preparation of tender documentation, clarification and evaluation activities, contract award and implementation; - develop, in cooperation with the relevant EDA services, procurement strategies, implementation arrangements, project documentation and decision papers required to launch and govern collaborative procurement activities; - coordinate contract implementation across participating Member States, including order planning, configuration management, production and delivery monitoring, acceptance, quality assurance, testing, training, in-service support, financial matters and the resolution of contractual or performance issues; - engage with industry to assess market capacity, supply-chain resilience, technological maturity, production lead times and opportunities for standardisation, while safeguarding equal treatment, transparency, confidentiality and the integrity of procurement procedures; - identify and manage programme, technical, legal, financial, security, safety, industrial and schedule risks, and propose appropriate mitigation measures and decision options to participating Member States and EDA management; - seek coherence and synergies with relevant EU, EDA, NATO and national capability-development, industrial and procurement initiatives, including European Commission activities and relevant PESCO projects; - liaise, as appropriate, with the European External Action Service, EU Military Staff, European Commission, NATO, participating Member States, industry and other relevant institutions, bodies and agencies; - provide subject-matter advice on loitering munitions, collaborative procurement and related land-based precision-engagement capabilities, and contribute to relevant policy initiatives, conferences and seminars; - undertake 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 (e.g.

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.