ICT Solutions Architect

The European Defence Agency 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).

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.

The Corporate Services Directorate (CSD) provides critical business support to EDA operations by delivering high-quality corporate services under 5 dedicated units, namely: Human Resources; Procurement and Contract Management; Finance; IT and Information Management together with Security and Infrastructure Management. Additionally, the EDA Legal Team provides legal, data protection and institutional advice and checks to its management relating to the fulfilment of Agency objectives. The EDA Programme Manager and Corporate Projects Officer provides a leadership role in, and a focal point for, good practice in Project, Programme and Risk Management. Finally, the Record Manager is responsible for the effective and appropriate 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.

Under the supervision of the Head of the IT Unit, the ICT Solutions Architect contributes to ensuring the necessary support of the Communications and Information Systems of the Agency.

In particular he/she co-operates with the Head of the IT Unit in:

• management of EDA’s IT projects, including highly technically-oriented projects (for example in scope of disaster recovery, Identity and Access management etc.);
  
• development of requirements, guidance and standards for architectural compliancy, interoperability, and interfaces between systems;
  
• development of solution architectures using existing building blocks;
  
• manage the portfolio of IT projects by planning, managing priorities and dependences, harmonizing, and controlling change management;
  
• planning, organising, and coordinating the work of projects teams, service teams, including teams of contractors;
  
• liaising and providing proactive support to other EDA business units in planning, designing, delivering, and integrating IT projects;
  
• managing contractors by ensuring and controlling the quality of projects deliverables,
  
• supporting individual projects in development of solution architectures, in requirements analysis, development of technical specifications, validation of deliverables and compliancy testing;
  
• developing: business cases, feasibility studies, evaluation of technical solutions, selection of IT technology for business initiative;
  
• liaising with other EDA’s stakeholders and partners in development of interoperability standards, common architectures, common/shared IT solutions and in modelling business processes;
  
• participating in IT change management processes and to advise the Head of Unit on matters related to enterprise and solutions architectures.
  
• deputising as required for the Head of Unit in his absence.

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

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 his/her full rights as a citizen;
• have fulfilled any obligations imposed on him/her by the laws concerning military service;
• produce the appropriate character references as to his/her suitability for the performance of his/her duties (extract from the “judicial record” or certificate of good conduct will be requested prior to recruitment);
• be physically fit to perform his/her duties;
• have a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the participating Member States and a satisfactory knowledge of another of these languages to the extent necessary to discharge his/her duties;
• have no personal interest (financial, family relationship, or other) which could be in conflict with disinterested discharge of his/her 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.

A. Essential

(1) Professional

The candidate will be required to demonstrate that he/she has:

• experience in a role of solution architect for at least 5 ICT solutions, including 2 of them working in cloud;
  
• experience in developing enterprise architectures or business process re-engineering;
  
• expertise in business analysis, requirement management and concept development;
  
• expertise in business modelling, process design, organisational design;
  
• expertise in systems interoperability and integration patterns;
  
• proficiency in data and application design;
  
• proficiency in technical standards for IT, norms and referential models;
  
• proficiency in using UML, BPML, ArchiMate or similar notations;
  
• proficiency in using modelling tools like ARIS, Sparx Enterprise Architect or others;
  
• a certificate at architect level from one of the three following cloud providers: AWS, Google, Microsoft or an equivalent of this certification;
  
• minimum 2 years of experience in working with cloud technologies;
  
• LDAP integration and development skills;
  
• proven experience in software development;
• proven experience in management coupled with a "can do" attitude;
  
• excellent knowledge of written and spoken English.

(2) Personal

All staff must be able to fit into the Agency’s way of working (see para. 2). Other attributes important for this post include:

• excellent communication skills, including experience in chairing workshops with various groups (users, top management, technicians, contractors);
• ability to document and present solutions using formal notations as well as to effectively communicate with non-IT savvy audience;
• ability to coordinate activities of team members, to supervise and coach team members by problem solving and mediation skills;
• ability to work under pressure while multitasking in a multi-cultural environment.
• results-oriention and strong motivation;
• flexibility and innovativeness;
• commitment to the Agency’s objectives.

B. Desirable

The following will be considered an advantage:

• have knowledge of Microsoft Business Intelligence Suite (Analysis Services, Reporting Services);
• hold a TOGAF 9 (part 1 and 2) or equivalent;
• have project management experience validated by a certification as Professional Project Manager (PMP) or Prince2 Practitioner.

The ICT Solutions Architect will be required to make a declaration of commitment to act independently in the Agency’s interest and to make a declaration in relation to interests that might be considered prejudicial to his/her independence.

The ICT Solutions Architect will be appointed by the Chief Executive.

Recruitment will be as a member of the temporary staff of the Agency for a four-year period. Renewal is possible within the limits set out in the EDA Staff Regulations. The successful candidate will be recruited as Temporary Agent, grade AD8.

The pay for this position consists of a basic salary of 7.122,21€supplemented with various allowances, including as applicable expatriation or family allowances. The successful candidate will be graded on entry into service according to the length of his/her professional experience. Salaries are exempted from national tax, instead an Agency tax at source is paid.