Procurement and Grant Officer

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 Procurement and Contract Unit, and with a genuine service oriented and result driven spirit, the jobholder will be responsible for/contribute to the following activities:

• ensure overall coordination of entrusted procurement procedures/call for proposals, from the preparation of the technical specifications to the publication of the award notices;
• conduct Opening and/or Evaluation Committees;
• draft/and manage contracts/grants;
• provide legal advice on contracts/Grants;

• ensure thorough analysis of files in view of timely preparation of grant agreements to be concluded in the frame of the EU programmes managed by the Agency (e.g. Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR), consultation forum for sustainable energy in the defence and security sector (CF SEDSS III);
• ensure constant and proactive monitoring, administrative and legal follow-up contracts and grant agreements concluded by EDA as grant authority or as beneficiary;
• verify the legal structure and financial capacity of consortia;
• ensure compliance with applicable rules;
• provide guidance and support to EDA operational staff and contribute to the development of their understanding of the Agency’s procurement rules and principles and maintain good contact with stakeholders;
• provide timely reporting to Head of Unit;
• take on additional tasks as required in the interest of the service.

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

• 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 of at least three years attested by a diploma or be a graduate of a national or international Defence College.

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:

• a thorough understanding, acquired by at least 5 years of relevant professional experience, of the challenges and complexity related to procurement/grant lifecycle procedures (from A to Z);
• a thorough understanding of the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, especially in the field of Public Procurement;
• knowledge of H2020 Rules and related IT Tools;
• experience in drafting and adapting contractual documents;
• good knowledge of the EU legal and institutional framework;
• experience in a multinational and multicultural environment;
• understanding of EDA’s main tasks and functions;
• a very good command 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:

• ability to work in a team and independently in his/her area of responsibility;
• ability to work effectively in a multinational environment;
• excellent problem-solving and negotiation skills;
• results-orientation and strong motivation;
• flexibility and innovativeness;
• genuine commitment to the Agency’s objectives;
• strong conceptual, compositional, interpersonal, and analytical skills.

B. Desirable

The following would be considered an advantage:

• degree in law;
• familiarity with the Agency’s activities and with the Common Security and Defence Policy.

The Procurement and Grant Officer 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 Procurement and Grant Officer will be appointed by the Chief Executive.

Recruitment will be as a member of the contractual staff of the Agency for a three-year period. Renewal is possible within the limits set out in the EDA Staff Regulations. The successful candidate will be recruited as Contract Agent, Function Group IV.

The pay for this position consists of a basic salary of 3.531,26€ 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.