Head of the Digital, Data and IT Infrastructure and Digital Workplace Division - 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 develop the Division, providing strategic direction and organisational leadership
• Provide strategic leadership for the Agency's infrastructure, platform and end-user technology capabilities
• Own ESA's Agency-wide infrastructure landscape, ensuring secure, resilient and scalable technology foundations
• Drive modernisation and transformation of ESA's infrastructure ecosystem, including cloud, platform engineering, high-performance computing, digital workplace and shared technology services
• Enable ESA's Digital, Data and IT Strategy through shared platforms
• Ensure ESA's resilience, sovereignty and dual-use ambitions are supported by robust infrastructure capabilities
• Lead Agency-wide collaboration with business, mission and technology stakeholders
• Manage strategic suppliers, technology partnerships, infrastructure investments and delivery organisations

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Master's degree in computer science, information technology, engineering, mathematics, physics or a related discipline
• Experience: Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in digital technologies, data and IT, including substantial leadership responsibility for complex infrastructure, platform, cloud, digital workplace or technology operations environments. At least eight years of experience in senior leadership positions with accountability for large multidisciplinary teams, strategic suppliers and missio…
• Key skills: Enterprise infrastructure strategy and operations, Cloud and hybrid cloud platforms, Data centre, network and compute infrastructure, Digital workplace and end-user computing services, Platform engineering and modern infrastructure architectures, IT service management and operational excellence, Infrastructure security, resilience and business continuity, Vendor, contract and managed service governance, Infrastructure transformation and modernisation, Technology risk management

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: 4 years, extendable to indefinite.

Working arrangements: ESRIN, Frascati, Italy, or ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands.

Hiring unit: Digital, Data and Information Technology Department, Directorate of Resources and Services.

Position details

Reference

1452575533

Last Verified

29 October 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Head of the Digital, Data and IT Infrastructure and Digital Workplace Division at ESA based in Noordwijk (Other). The vacancy reference is 1452575533.

Job Requisition ID:20878

Date Posted:29 October 2026

Closing Date:19 November 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication Method:Internal & External

Type of Appointment (learn more):4 years, extendable to indefinite

Directorate:Resources and Services

Workplace: Frascati, IT Noordwijk, NL

Location ESRIN, Frascati, Italy, or ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands

Description

Head of the Digital, Data and IT Infrastructure and Digital Workplace Division, Digital, Data and Information Technology Department, Directorate of Resources and Services.

Under the direct authority of the Chief Digital Information Officer (CDIO), you will be responsible for establishing, operating and continuously evolving ESA’s Agency-wide digital infrastructure, platform and workplace capabilities.

In this role, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for the technology foundations that enable mission delivery, business continuity, digital transformation and future growth across the Agency.

This includes responsibility for infrastructure platforms, cloud and computing services, high-performance computing, digital workplace technologies, end user services and local support functions, ensuring their security, resilience, scalability, interoperability and long-term evolution in line with ESA’s Digital, Data and IT Strategy.

The Division plays a central role in enabling ESA’s resilience, sovereignty and dual-use ambitions, while providing the shared technology capabilities required to support directorates, programmes and mission activities across the Agency.

Duties

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

- leading and developing the Division, providing strategic direction, organisational leadership and a strong performance culture across a multidisciplinary workforce; - providing strategic leadership for the Agency’s infrastructure, platform and end-user technology capabilities; - owning ESA’s Agency-wide infrastructure landscape, ensuring secure, resilient and scalable technology foundations that support mission operations, business continuity and future growth; - driving the modernisation and transformation of ESA’s infrastructure ecosystem, including cloud, platform engineering, high-performance computing, digital workplace and shared technology services; - enabling ESA’s Digital, Data and IT Strategy through shared platforms that increase interoperability, reuse, scalability and delivery speed across directorates and programmes; - ensuring ESA’s resilience, sovereignty and dual-use ambitions are supported by robust, secure and future-ready infrastructure capabilities; - leading Agency-wide collaboration with business, mission and technology stakeholders to deliver critical infrastructure capabilities supporting mission development, operations and enterprise transformation; - managing strategic suppliers, technology partnerships, infrastructure investments and delivery organisations to ensure operational excellence, value for money and sustainable long-term capability development; - leading the transformation and operation of ESA’s Agency-wide digital infrastructure, enabling mission success, business continuity, digital transformation and future growth through secure, resilient and sovereign technology capabilities; - building the capabilities, leadership team and operating model required to deliver ESA’s future digital, data and IT ambitions; - driving collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement across teams, suppliers and stakeholders in support of Agency-wide transformation objectives; - fostering an environment that combines operational excellence, engineering innovation, resilience and service orientation.

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

Technical competencies

Enterprise infrastructure strategy and operations

Cloud and hybrid cloud platforms

Data centre, network and compute infrastructure

Digital workplace and end-user computing services

Platform engineering and modern infrastructure architectures

IT service management and operational excellence

Infrastructure security, resilience and business continuity

Vendor, contract and managed service governance

Infrastructure transformation and modernisation

Technology risk management

Behavioural competencies

Education and professional experience

A master’s degree in computer science, information technology, engineering, mathematics, physics or a related discipline is required, together with a minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in digital technologies, data and IT, including substantial leadership responsibility for complex infrastructure, platform, cloud, digital workplace or technology operations environments.

At least eight years of experience in senior leadership positions with accountability for large multidisciplinary teams, strategic suppliers and mission- or business-critical technology services.

Additional requirements

The following competences are highly desirable:

- High-performance computing (HPC); - Infrastructure supporting data and Al workloads; - Zero trust, secure-by-design and infrastructure security architecture; - Infrastructure supporting classified, sovereign or dual-use environments; - Automation, DevOps and Platform-as-a-Service concepts; - Large-scale technology consolidation and rationalisation programmes; - Mission-critical operational environments.

Experience in one or more of the following environments would be considered a strong asset:

- Space, aerospace, defence or dual-use organisations; - Critical infrastructure or highly regulated environments; - Large-scale infrastructure, cloud or platform transformations; - Federated or multinational organisations; - HPC, data-intensive or research environments.

You should have:

- proven experience of leading, motivating and developing a team; - the ability to provide strategic direction to individuals and teams 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 29 October 2026, today.

The application deadline is 19 November 2026, 20 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 29 October 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.