Strategic Foresight and Planning Officer

Strategic Foresight and Planning Officer

**Job Requisition ID**:19695

**Date Posted**:7 July 2025

**Closing Date**:4 August 2025 23:59 CET/CEST

**Publication**:Internal & External

**Type of Contract**:Permanent

**Directorate**:Strategy, Legal and External Affairs

**Workplace**:Paris, FR

**Grade**:A2 - A4

**Location**
ESA Headquarters, Paris, France

**Description**
Strategic Foresight and Planning Officer in the Strategic Foresight and Planning Office, Strategy Department, Directorate for Strategy, Legal and External Affairs.You will contribute to a range of activities and projects aimed at exploring long-term trends, identifying future challenges and opportunities and supporting high-level decision-making at the heart of Europe’s space ambitions.The Strategic Foresight and Planning Office plays a key role in shaping the Agency’s future by looking beyond current expectations and exploring a range of plausible futures. It provides the Director General, the programme directorates and the broader Agency with insights and tools to set strategic goals, strengthen resilience and enable meaningful transformation.Using advanced foresight methods, the Office identifies early signals of change across societal, technological, geopolitical, economic, environmental, legal and cultural domains. Its work enables ESA to anticipate disruptions, seize emerging opportunities and address systemic risks, thereby enabling better-informed, future-proof strategic decisions.Based at ESA Headquarters in Paris, you will report directly to the Head of Office.**Duties**
As a Strategic Foresight and Planning Officer, your key responsibilities will include:
- designing and managing foresight and planning projects from end to end: selecting suitable methodologies, gathering futures intelligence, organising consultations and workshops and delivering high-quality output;
- developing and contributing to impactful communication materials and strategic narratives based on foresight insights;
- enhancing the Office’s foresight and planning capabilities by introducing new approaches, methodologies and tools and supporting the integration of foresight into ESA's broader strategic and planning processes;
- contributing to the Office’s Futures Intelligence Reports and horizon-scanning efforts;
- supervising junior professionals contributing to foresight and planning activities;

**Technical competencies**
Proven experience in implementing foresight and planning projects in complex environments, such as international organisations, government bodies, think tanks or large public-private systemsExcellent analytical, drafting and storytelling skills, particularly for senior, non-specialist audiencesAbility to work across disciplines and synthesise large volumes of diverse information into clear, structured outputCapacity to link complex future analysis to current strategic or policy prioritiesSelf-directed research skills and the ability to deliver under time constraints and evolving needs**Behavioural competencies**
Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward ThinkingFor more information, please refer to the ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook.**Education**
A master’s degree in a relevant discipline, such as futures studies, political science, international relations, geopolitics, economics, environmental or sustainability science, science and technology studies, innovation studies, social sciences or anthropology, is required.Interdisciplinary profiles that combine two or more of the above fields are of particular interest.**Additional requirements**
You should demonstrate:
- flexibility and intellectual curiosity, with the ability to engage with a broad variety of strategic issues in a dynamic environment;
- strong creative and problem-solving skills, along with the ability to anticipate emerging developments and propose forward-looking solutions;
- confident communication and strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in a multicultural team setting.
- a general understanding of the European space sector and ESA programmes is an asset.
Experience in international or multi-stakeholder contexts is considered an asset.**Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness**Important Information and Disclaimer**- Note that ESA is in the process of transitioning to a Matrix setup, which could lead to organisational changes affecting this position.
- The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.

**Nationality and Languages**- The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.
- Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.

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