Real Estate and Facilities Management Development Lead

Real Estate and Facilities Management Development Lead at ESA

This is a non-renewable post for a limited duration of four years.

Description

Real Estate and Facilities Management Development Lead, Head of the REFM Development and Coordination Office, Real Estate and Facilities Management Department, Directorate of Resources and Services.

The REFM Development Lead is responsible for planning, preparing and carrying out development projects across the newly transformed Department, evaluating new opportunities for REFM activities and contracted services. Working in coordination with the Senior Business Development Lead, you will, as well as performing other tasks, conduct market and real estate analyses and cost assessments, and prepare and present business cases and other analyses to key stakeholders. The Development Lead will be responsible for as yet undefined strategic REFM projects spanning the entire scope of REFM. You will work collaboratively with REFM Divisional Managers (the REFM Senior Leadership Team) on the tendering, negotiation and evolution of contracts.

You will have a lead role in the overall business and investment planning of the REFM Department. In support of the daily operations of the Department, you will provide leadership and take responsibility for matrix management, interfacing with the REFM Business and Project Controllers in the Business Unit Controller’s (BUC) Office for the Directorate of Resources and Services. This will include responsibility for monitoring the standard of work and proactively liaising with the BUC’s Office when issues arise to ensure that the required improvements are introduced. Supported by the matrix organisation, you will be pivotal in the planning and reporting of the Department’s financial activities, including project, operational and capital expenditure, providing visibility to the Head of Department, the Senior Leadership and the Leadership Team.

Within the Department’s Project Portfolio Management Office (PPMO), which is part of the Development and Coordination Office, you will be responsible for producing REFM dashboards that inform portfolio decision-making by the REFM Senior Leadership Team, coordinating with the BUC Office as appropriate. In collaboration with PPMO colleagues, you will define and implement project governance procedures, provide key portfolio insights to the REFM Senior Leadership Team and maintain robust reporting to Project Managers appointed within the REFM Department and to external stakeholders, aiming to ensure the successful delivery of projects on time, within scope and within budget.

The Real Estate and Facilities Management (REFM) Department is responsible for eight sites across Europe, with a total of approximately 250,000 sqm of working space as well as technical facilities, and a population of over 7,000 staff and contractors. The Development and Coordination Office (DCO) is a staff function within the REFM Department that ensures the cross-departmental alignment of activities, as well as supporting the development of the Department’s scope and strategic initiatives.

Duties

Reporting to the Head of the REFM Development and Coordination Office, you will be responsible for the Department’s planning and reporting, in addition to a portfolio of projects. Additionally, when required, you will work under the direction of the Head of the Department and the Senior Leadership Team, or one of the Heads of Division within the Department, depending on the task or project.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• coordinating with the BUC Office on matters relating to Departmental planning, the monitoring and reporting of operational and capital expenditure, income recovery, and schedules.
• coordinating with the Office of the RES Directorate, other departments in RES and relevant key stakeholders regarding overall RES and REFM development and optimisation-related matters.
• maintaining the REFM schedule of contracts, including the planning of new procurement contracts or extensions and the monitoring of activity progress.
• coordinating with the Directorate BUC Office to ensure the coherence of Department and Agency procedures, data quality, and the timely submission of data/inputs requested by the BUC Office.
• supporting the coordination and consolidation of the Department business review cycle and translation into Departmental planning.
• identifying, evaluating and proposing new REFM activities and improvement initiatives.
• proactively supporting senior managers in the identification and translation of cross-departmental synergies for the REFM specification of services, tendering, negotiation and evolution of contracted services.
• independently leading high-profile projects and supporting key strategic topics by analysing and describing as-is situations in a manner easily understood, facilitating project scoping, identifying objectives and involving relevant stakeholders.
• conducting, in collaboration with the REFM Senior Leadership Team and the wider DCO, Department assessments, enabling best practice sharing, and making recommendations for process improvements and alignment opportunities across the Department.
• directly assisting the Head of Department in planned or ad hoc initiatives, tasks or projects.
• overseeing the planning, management and monitoring of the REFM project portfolio, providing strategic guidance and information that will support Project Managers in delivering their projects within budget.
• monitoring project performance and suggesting corrective actions as needed to address any project delays or risks.
• contributing to regular reports on project status, performance and outcomes to senior management and stakeholders.

Technical competencies

• Experience in project management methodologies and tools
• Ability to translate technical concepts into business value and present them to senior leadership
• Analytical skills and proficiency in data analysis tools
• Experience in project and project budget management in close collaboration with project teams for new building or large refurbishment projects
• Excellent relationship and stakeholder management
• Good communication skills (written and oral) to synthesise complex information and make it more accessible to a broader audience

Behavioural competencies

• Result Orientation
• Operational Efficiency
• Fostering Cooperation
• Relationship Management
• Continuous Improvement
• Forward Thinking

Education

A master's degree in a relevant discipline is required for this post.

Additional requirements

Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with a wide range of staff, stakeholders and teams in a matrix environment.
International working experience (i.e. outside your home country) would be an asset, as would experience in diverse functional areas relevant to ESA activities.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.

At the Agency we value diversity, and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace. The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact us via email at contact.human.resources@esa.int.

Important Information and Disclaimer
In principle, recruitment will be within the advertised grade band (A2-A4). However, if the selected candidate has less than four years of relevant professional experience following the completion of the master’s degree, the position may be filled at A1 level.

During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures.

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
Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.

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.