Head of the Controlling Hub Department - European Space Agency (Noordwijk)

About this position

The summary below is published by European Space 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:

• Lead and manage the Agency's Controlling Hub in support of all directorates
• Ensure effective implementation of the matrix setup and efficient deployment of Controlling resources
• Hierarchically manage Heads of Business Unit Control and Programme Management Support Offices (BUC/PMSO)
• Hierarchically manage Head of the Controlling Centre of Expertise
• Ensure coordinated delivery of high-quality, efficient and harmonised Controlling and programme management support
• Ensure coherent resource planning, controlling, reporting, georeturn, schedule and risk management across all programmes
• Support financial planning, workforce management, corporate interfaces and compliance with Agency policies
• Ensure consistency, internal control and operational efficiency in alignment with strategic objectives

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Master's degree in a relevant domain
• Experience: 10 years of relevant professional experience; proven experience of leading, motivating and developing a team; people management experience required
• Key skills: Budgeting and cost control, Resource and activity planning, Business analysis, Digital tools and reporting, Schedule management, Risk management, SAP-based ERP systems, Financial regulatory framework, accounting standards and auditing techniques, ESA/EU procurement regulations, ESA industrial policy

Contract and working arrangements

Working arrangements: ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands; mobility is inherent to management functions and this position may be subject to rotation after approximately five years.

Hiring unit: Controlling, Finance and Operational Procurement Directorate.

Position details

Reference

1433432933

Last Verified

15 September 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Head of the Controlling Hub Department at ESA based in Noordwijk (Other). The vacancy reference is 1433432933.

Job Requisition ID:20765

Date Posted:3 September 2026

Closing Date:30 September 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication:Internal & External

Directorate:Controlling, Finance and Operational Procurement

Location

ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Description

Under the direct authority of the Director of Controlling, Finance and Operational Procurement (CFO), the Head of the Controlling Hub Department is responsible for leading and managing the Agency’s Controlling Hub in support of all directorates. As Head of Department, you will be a member of the CFO Directorate’s management team.

You will be responsible for ensuring the effective implementation of the matrix setup, including efficient deployment of Controlling resources, and will be hierarchically responsible for the Heads of the Business Unit Control and Programme Management Support Offices (BUC/PMSO), in close coordination with the relevant directors to whom they report functionally. In addition, you will be hierarchically responsible for the Head of the Controlling Centre of Expertise.

You will ensure the coordinated delivery of high-quality, efficient and harmonised Controlling and programme management support to the directorates, including:

- ensuring coherent resource planning, controlling, reporting, georeturn, schedule and risk management across all programmes and activities; - supporting financial planning, workforce management, corporate interfaces and compliance with Agency policies; - ensuring consistency, internal control and operational efficiency in alignment with strategic objectives, while actively supporting programme execution and decision-making processes; - providing management support in the areas of configuration and documentation management and logistics.

You will work in close coordination with the Inspector General in overseeing the implementation of programmes and the definition of risk mitigation measures as necessary.

You will be accountable for the performance of the matrix for controls and its contribution to ESA’s strategic and operational objectives. In addition, you will ensure operational excellence and drive continuous improvement.

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

- serving as a member of the Directorate Management Team and holding joint responsibility for ensuring the effective and coordinated preparation, planning, implementation, resource management and review of all activities within the CFO Directorate; - managing a team of controllers deployed to all ESA directorates and providing a best-in-class Controlling function to the directorates; - through the BUC/PMSO offices, ensuring the availability and coordination of adequately skilled and trained workforce across directorates; - implementing the Agency’s Controlling policies and programme management support, methods, procedures and processes, including cost, schedule, workforce, project risk, configuration and data management, documentation control and logistics, in a coherent manner; - establishing a close working relationship with and between the Heads of the BUC/PMSO Offices, the project controllers and the assigned directors by liaising with the directors in relation to key control processes, as well as through physical collocation of the BUC/PMSO Offices with their assigned directorates and the functional reporting of the office heads to the assigned directors; - preparing and maintaining the directorates’ resource plans (workload, cost and commitment) in accordance with ESA policies and rules; - fostering project management support and controlling process digitalisation and implementation of harmonised data models to increase controlling efficiency; - providing and maintaining operational readiness, processes and tools coherence, and staff development of the Controlling Hub; - providing and managing shared outsourced Controlling services; - supporting the directorates in the definition of long-term programme strategy by ensuring alignment with the long-term financial and resource plan; - ensuring close coordination with the Inspector General for programme implementation and risk mitigation; - providing advice and supporting the implementation of the industrial policy, including georeturn, in close coordination with the Industrial Policy and Auditing Department.

You will also be responsible for identifying, assessing, managing and reporting the health and safety risks in your area of responsibility.

Technical competencies

Knowledge of or experience in budgeting, cost control and resource and activity planning

Knowledge of or experience in business analysis, digital tools and reporting

Knowledge of or experience in schedule management

Knowledge of or experience in risk management

Knowledge of or experience in SAP-based ERP systems

Knowledge of or experience in financial regulatory framework, including accounting standards and auditing techniques

Knowledge of or experience in ESA/EU procurement regulations

Knowledge of or experience in ESA industrial policy

Behavioural competencies

Education and professional experience

A master's degree in a relevant domain is required for this post, together with 10 years of relevant professional experience.

Additional requirements

- Proven experience of leading, motivating and developing a team; - The ability to provide strategic direction to the individuals and teams within the Department and to relate team objectives to the overall, evolving organisational goals and context; - The ability to drive performance and foster cooperation within and across teams throughout the organisation; - Demonstrated excellent leadership, relationship management and communication skills, both oral and written; - A proven track record of representing the Agency’s interests to external interfaces; - Excellent cognitive, analytical, delegation, planning and organisational skills; - The ability to anticipate problems, resolve complex issues and relate situations to their context; - The ability to make solution-oriented, pragmatic and timely decisions of a high standard and with integrity as well as to support others, such as team members, upper management and other stakeholders, in this process.

People management experience is required. International experience is an asset, including outside your home country, as well as experience in diverse functional areas relevant to ESA activities.

Mobility is inherent to management functions and this position may be subject to rotation.

Therefore, mobility opportunities may be offered to you as part of your career evolution at ESA, beginning after approximately five years in this role.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 4 September 2026, 11 days ago.

The application deadline is 30 September 2026, 13 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 15 September 2026.

Where to learn more

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