Head of Procurement and Contract Unit - 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:

• Prepare annual activity plan covering general budget, ad hoc budgets, and assigned revenue
• Manage, monitor and report on implementation of activity plan with key performance indicators
• Prioritise and steer procurement and grant-management pipeline
• Oversee end-to-end preparation, launch, evaluation, award and implementation of procurement procedures
• Coordinate procurement activities under EDA ad hoc projects and programmes
• Provide guidance and quality assurance for grant and EU-contribution management activities
• Ensure risk-based quality assurance and ex ante control of procurement and grant-management files
• Foster identification of needs and development of procurement and grant-management tools and procedures

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Completed university studies attested by a diploma (four years or more), or completed university studies attested by a diploma with appropriate professional experience of at least one year (three years or more), or graduate of a national or international Defence College, or professional training of equivalent level where justified in the interests of the service
• Experience: Experienced procurement, contracting and grant-management professional
• Languages: one of the languages of the participati… (C1), another of the languages of the partici… (B2)
• Key skills: Strategic vision, Sound leadership and management skills, Commitment to developing people, policies and processes
• Eligibility: National of a Member State participating in the Agency; entitled to full rights as citizens; fulfilled obligations imposed by laws concerning military service; produce appropriate character references; physically fit to perform duties; hold or be in position to obtain valid Personnel Security Clearance Certificate at SECRET UE/EU SECRET level; no personal interest in conflict with disinterested d…

Contract and working arrangements

Hiring unit: Procurement and Contract Unit (PCU), Corporate Services Directorate (CSD).

Position details

Reference

1128

Last Verified

18 September 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Head of Procurement and Contract Unit at EDA based in Brussels (Temporary Agent). The vacancy reference is 1128.

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 CORPORATE SERVICES DIRECTORATE

The Corporate Services Directorate (CSD) provides critical business support to EDA operations by delivering high-quality corporate services under seven dedicated organizational elements, namely: Human Resources; Procurement and Contract Management; Finance; IT and Information Management; Security; Legal and Infrastructure. Additionally, the Record Manager is responsible for the effective management of information produced and/or received by the organisation.

CSD processes are geared towards efficient and optimal use of resources, leveraging good practice and technological solutions while ensuring sound financial management, transparency and accountability; outward focus and commitment to continuous improvement are the hallmarks of CSD.

4. DUTIES

EDA is looking to recruit an experienced procurement, contracting and grant-management professional with strategic vision, sound leadership and management skills, and a proven commitment to developing people, policies and processes. The jobholder will contribute to the delivery of the Agency’s business objectives as part of its dynamic corporate services team.

The jobholder is accountable to the Corporate Services Director and has duties as Head of Procurement and Contract Unit (PCU). This includes:

Core business

- preparing the annual activity plan, in cooperation with the operational Directorates, covering the Agency’s general budget, ad hoc budgets within the meaning of Chapter IV of Council Decision 2015/1835, and assigned revenue, including EU contributions within the meaning of Chapter V of that Decision; - managing, monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the activity plan, including through appropriate key performance indicators, in close cooperation with the Head of Finance Unit and the relevant staff of the operational Directorates; - prioritising and steering the procurement and grant-management pipeline, balancing operational urgency, legal and financial constraints, available resources and audit-readiness requirements; - overseeing the end-to-end preparation, launch, evaluation, award and implementation of ordinary procurement procedures, ensuring compliance with the applicable Financial and Procurement Rules, sound planning, timely delivery and effective support to Authorising Officers by delegation; - coordinating procurement activities under EDA ad hoc projects and programmes, including category A and B arrangements, by translating participating Member States’ requirements into sound procurement strategies, contractual documents and cooperative implementation arrangements; - providing guidance and quality assurance for grant and EU-contribution management activities, including calls, award procedures, grant agreements, amendments, reporting and interaction with beneficiaries, while supporting Contracts Administrators and operational services throughout the grant lifecycle; - ensuring risk-based quality assurance and ex ante control of procurement, contractual and grant-management files, including the anticipation and mitigation of legal, financial, procedural and reputational risks throughout the lifecycle; - fostering the identification of needs and the development of procurement and grant-management tools and procedures, including guidelines, templates and standard documents; - proposing strategic developments in the Unit’s portfolio and innovative approaches to management and stakeholder interaction, including with contractors and beneficiaries, in line with EDA strategies; - promoting continuous business improvement while also integrating recommendations from controlling bodies as well as good practices from comparable EU and international organisations. - keeping abreast of policy and legislative developments in the EU defence domain, with a view to proactively informing decision-making.

Unit management

- ensuring, through the Senior Procurement Officers responsible for the above three domains, the sound planning and management of the tasks and resources allocated to the Unit; - ensuring the dynamic reallocation of resources across domains to address peak demands, maintain service continuity and frontload priority activities pending approval of new resources; - nurturing interdisciplinary approaches across Sectors, including through communities of practice, to strengthen knowledge sharing, methodological consistency and collective problem-solving; - ensuring business continuity, knowledge retention and succession planning within the Unit, including through the documentation of key processes, the sharing of critical expertise and the progressive development of back-up capacities across Sectors; - providing guidance, direction and feedback to team members; - developing the competences and skills of the team in line with evolving needs and performance-management requirements.

Duties may evolve according to the development of EDA’s structure and activities, and the decisions of EDA management.

5. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be considered eligible to take part in this selection procedure, on the closing date for the submission of applications candidates must satisfy all the eligibility criteria as specified below:

- be a national of a Member State participating in the Agency; - be entitled to their full rights as citizens; - have fulfilled any obligations imposed on them by the laws concerning military service; - produce the appropriate character references as to their suitability for the performance of their duties (extract from the “judicial record” or certificate of good conduct will be requested prior to recruitment); - be physically fit to perform their duties; - have a thorough knowledge (minimum level C1 oral and written) of one of the languages of the participating Member States and a satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2 oral and written) of another of these languages to the extent necessary to discharge their duties; - have no personal interest (financial, family relationship, or other) which could be in conflict with disinterested discharge of their duties within the Agency; - hold, or be in a position to obtain, a valid Personnel Security Clearance Certificate (national or EU PSC at SECRET UE/EU SECRET level). Personnel Security Clearance Certificate (PSCC) means a certificate issued by a competent authority establishing that an individual is security cleared and holds a valid national or EU PSC, and which shows the level of EUCI to which that individual may be granted access (SECRET UE/EU SECRET), the date of validity of the relevant PSC and the date of expiry of the certificate itself. Note that the necessary procedure for obtaining a PSCC can be initiated on request of the employer only, and not by the individual candidate; - have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is four years or more, or a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least one year when the normal period of university education is at least three years or be a graduate of a national or international Defence College; or where justified in the interests of the service, professional training of an equivalent level.

Only diplomas that have been awarded in EU Member States or that are the subject of equivalence certificates issued by the authorities in the said Member States shall be taken into consideration. In the latter case, the authority authorised to conclude contracts of employment reserves the right to request proof of such equivalence.

For diplomas awarded in non-EU countries, a NARIC recognition is required:https://www.enic-naric.net/

Qualifications/diplomas awarded until 31/12/2020 in the United Kingdom are accepted without further recognition. For diplomas awarded after this date (from 01/01/2021), a NARIC recognition is required.

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.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 17 September 2026, 3 days ago.

The application deadline is 20 October 2026, 29 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 September 2026 (2 days ago).

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.