Director Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI)

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Position description

The Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) Director is accountable to the Chief Executive as Head of the RTI Directorate.

Supported by the Heads of Units and Teams, the jobholder will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and direction to the Agency’s activities in defence research, technology and innovation, supporting Member States in identifying, developing and maturing technologies that respond to current and future defence capability needs.

The RTI Directorate promotes and supports collaborative defence research and innovation at EU level, including through the coordination and management of cooperative R&T activities, the Capability Technology Groups (CapTechs), EU-funded defence research activities and the Hub for EU Defence Innovation. It also ensures the Directorate’s contribution to EDA’s wider capability development and defence initiatives and promotes coherence and synergies with relevant EU and international activities

Reporting to the Chief Executive, the RTI Director will have overall managerial responsibility for the Directorate and provide strategic advice on defence research, technology and innovation. The jobholder will drive cooperation with Member States and engage with EU institutions, industry, research and technology organisations, academia and other relevant stakeholders, ensuring that research and innovation activities contribute effectively to European defence priorities and the development of future military capabilities.

More specifically, the jobholder will be responsible for the following activities:

• translate the Agency’s mission, strategy, work programme and priorities into a coherent vision, objectives and deliverables for the Directorate;
• provide strategic vision, direction and leadership for the Directorate, ensuring, with the support of the Heads of Unit and relevant team leads, coherence across its research, technology and innovation activities and programmes;
• lead and oversee the Agency’s activities in defence research, technology and innovation, ensuring that they address Member States’ current and future defence capability needs and contribute to relevant EU defence priorities;
• steer the development and implementation of collaborative R&T activities, including those deriving from the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda (OSRA) and the work of the Capability Technology Groups (CapTechs);
• provide strategic direction for EDA’s role in EU-funded defence research, including support to Member States and the European Commission in relation to the research dimension of the European Defence Fund and other relevant EU initiatives;
• provide strategic direction for defence innovation activities, including through HEDI, promoting the maturation of innovative solutions and their contribution to the development of military capabilities;
• promote synergies between defence and civil research in relevant dual-use technology fields and facilitate the exploitation of technological and innovation opportunities for defence;
• build and sustain strong cooperation with Member States, the European Commission, the Council, the EEAS and other relevant European and international stakeholders in the fields covered by the Directorate;
• develop and maintain appropriate engagement with industry, research and technology organisations, academia and other relevant stakeholders across the defence research, technology and innovation ecosystem;
• ensure the Directorate’s effective contribution to EDA’s transversal activities and close cooperation with the other Agency Directorates, promoting coherence between research, technology, innovation and capability development activities;
• lead, motivate and develop the competences and skills of the Directorate’s staff and evaluate or contribute to the evaluation of their performance;
• plan and organise the work and the financial and human resources of the Directorate, ensuring the effective and efficient use of allocated resources;
• manage the Directorate’s budget through sound planning and monitoring of allocated resources;
• take on additional tasks as required in the interest of the service.

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

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

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 their full rights as citizens;
• have fulfilled any obligations imposed on them by the laws concerning military service;
• produce the appropriate character references as to their suitability for the performance of their duties (extract from the “judicial record” or certificate of good conduct will be requested prior to recruitment);
• be physically fit to perform their duties;
• have a thorough knowledge (minimum level C1 oral and written) of one of the languages of the participating Member States and a satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2 oral and written) of another of these languages to the extent necessary to discharge their duties;
• have no personal interest (financial, family relationship, or other) which could be in conflict with disinterested discharge of their 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.

Qualifications/diplomas awarded until 31/12/2020 in the United Kingdom are accepted without further recognition. For diplomas awarded after this date (from 01/01/2021), a NARIC recognition is required.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential:

Only applications meeting all essential selection criteria will be assessed.

Professional:

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

• a minimum of fifteen (15) years of relevant professional experience, acquired after the award of the academic qualification required as a condition of eligibility;
• professional experience in a managerial position, with a proven track record in leading multinational and multidisciplinary teams at senior and/or middle-management level;
• knowledge and/or experience of the European institutional framework, EU programmes and policies;
• knowledge and experience in defence and its international environment;
• a strong understanding of collaborative research, technology development and innovation, and their contribution to defence capability development;
• sound knowledge of the Defence technological and industrial environment, with experience engaging with relevant stakeholders, industry and research and technology organisations;
• proven experience in providing strategic advice to senior management and representing RTI matters at a high level, both internally and externally;
• a good understanding of the EDA’s main tasks and functions;
• a track record of delivering successful business outcomes;
• a very good command of written and spoken English.

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 inspire, motivate and develop multidisciplinary teams;
• ability to develop strategic relations with internal and external stakeholders, using negotiation, influencing and diplomatic skills in a complex political and institutional environment;
• result-orientation and strong intrinsic motivation, combined with proactivity and a “can-do” attitude;
• integrity and a genuine commitment to ethical standards and principles in the public service;
• flexibility and innovativeness, with the ability to adapt effectively to changing circumstances;
• excellent analytical skills;
• resilience and the ability to manage competing priorities effectively while maintaining calmness under pressure;
• excellent communication skills, including strong public-speaking, presentation and chairing skills;
• genuine commitment to the Agency’s mission and objectives.

Application instructions

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