Head of Council and Corporate Committees Section

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Head of Council and Corporate Committees Section

Job Requisition ID: 21185

Date Posted: 3 November 2026

Closing Date: 24 November 2026 23:59 CET/CEST

Publication Method: Internal & External

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

Directorate: Director General's Services

Reporting to the Head of the Director General Support & Member States Relations Division (DG-OD), the Head of the Council and Corporate Committees Section is responsible for ensuring the effective organisation, coordination and delivery of ESA Council and corporate committee secretariat functions and meetings, including Council meetings at ministerial level.

The Section plays a central role in supporting ESA governance by enabling timely, transparent, high-quality decision-making processes in compliance with the ESA Convention, Council Rules of Procedure and institutional standards. If selected for this role, you will work closely with the Director General, Council Chair, Member State delegations, Council Secretary, Programme Board and Committee Secretaries and ESA directorates to ensure effective governance support and coordination across the Agency.

As part of the ongoing evolution of the Director General's support functions, the Section is initially established within DG-OD and is expected to become part of a dedicated Division of Council and Subordinate Bodies (DG-OB), planned for creation in 2027. This evolution is intended to further strengthen ESA's governance support functions and does not affect the responsibilities associated with the post.

Duties

You will:

• manage the end-to-end organisation and coordination of ESA Council, Administrative and Finance Committee (AFC) and Industrial Policy Committee (IPC) meetings, including agenda planning, scheduling, document submission processes and stakeholder consultations;
• coordinate the preparation of agendas, briefing material and decision-support documentation for the Director General, Directors, Council Chair, Head of Cabinet and Council Secretary as well as senior management;
• coordinate and support the network of Governing Body Secretaries across ESA, fostering harmonised working methods, information sharing and best practices, while contributing to the consistent implementation of the strategic governance approach led by the Head of Division;
• manage accreditation processes, interpretation services and associated digital tools required for governance meetings;
• lead the organisation and coordination of Ministerial Councils, intermediate Ministerial meetings, preparatory workshops and related high-level institutional events;
• develop, implement and continuously improve standardised processes, practices and digital tools supporting governance activities;
• foster process harmonisation and alignment with other ESA governance and delegate bodies;
• lead and develop a multidisciplinary team, ensuring effective delegation, objective setting, performance management and staff development;
• contribute to the continuous improvement and digitalisation of governance support processes across ESA.

• Knowledge of governance frameworks, institutional decision-making processes and committee management
• Knowledge of the ESA Convention, Council Rules of Procedure and corporate governance practices
• Legal expertise or experience in legal consideration will be considered an asset
• Project and programme management skills
• Planning and organisation of complex, high-level meetings and events
• Process improvement, standardisation and digital transformation
• Stakeholder management in multinational and politically sensitive environments
• Team leadership and people management
• Negotiation and conflict resolution
• Management of collaboration, documentation and meeting-management digital tools
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in an international environment

A master's in law, political science, public administration, international relations, business administration or another relevant discipline is required for this post together with, in principle, 10 years of relevant professional experience.

Experience in governance support, institutional affairs, board or committee management, Member State relations or comparable senior stakeholder environments is required.Experience in leading multidisciplinary teams and managing high-level institutional events is highly desirable.

Additional requirements

• Proven ability to lead and motivate a multidisciplinary team in a complex organisational environment.
• Demonstrated experience working with senior executives, governing bodies, Member State representatives or e