Listed on Orbital Diplomat 4 Aug 2026
ESA is seeking a senior leader to head its Strategic Initiatives and Sustainability Office within the Directorate of Strategy, Legal and External Matters at ESA Headquarters in Paris. The postholder will drive early-stage concept development for new strategic initiatives between ESA Ministerial Council meetings, expand engagement with non-traditional partners including public authorities, security actors, and European institutions, and lead the Agency's sustainability agenda including management of a €3m/year Sustainability Fund. The role requires translating ESA's long-term Strategy 2040 objectives into concrete divisional priorities and cross-sector accelerator initiatives. The Head will coordinate across ESA directorates to mature and transition validated initiatives into operational programmes and represent ESA to the European Commission, Member States, and industry. This is a senior management position with responsibility for a multidisciplinary team, and carries strategic significance for the future direction of the European space sector.
Master's degree in aerospace engineering 15+ years of relevant professional experience across public and private organisations Proven experience leading, motivating, and developing a multidisciplinary team of 10+ professionals Extensive experience in strategic planning and programme development within large institutional or international organisations, ideally in the space sector Strong understanding of ESA programmes and the European institutional environment Proven experience incubating new initiatives from concept to operational implementation Solid knowledge of sustainability policies and environmental strategies Experience in financial management, budgeting, and resource planning Strong leadership, negotiation, and cross-organisational coordination capabilities Track record of representing an organisation's interests to external interfaces Recognised expertise in bridging space and sustainability agendas at a strategic level Good knowledge of English or French; knowledge of another ESA Member State language is an asset Nationality of an ESA Member State or associate country (as listed in the posting) International experience is an asset