Head of Project Control, Supply Chain and Finance Department

Eligibility Criteria - you can apply if:

You fulfil five general requirements

1. Being a citizen of one of the Member States of the European Union or of a third state fully associated with the Euratom fusion programme.
2. Enjoying your full rights as a citizen.
3. Have fulfilled the obligations imposed on you by the laws of your home country concerning military service.
4. Producing the appropriate character references as to your suitability for the performance of your duties.
5. Being physically fit to perform your duties.

Your Education & Experience are in line with our requirements

On the closing date of the application process, you must have:

At least 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 and, after having obtained the university degree, at least 15 years of proven professional experience, of which at least 2 years should have been acquired as a manager;

OR

At least a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is three years and, after having obtained the university degree, at least 16 years of proven professional experience, of which at least 2 years should have been acquired as a manager.

Your Language Skills are developed            

You must produce evidence of excellent written and spoken communications in English and of a satisfactory knowledge of another official language of the European Union.

Your Qualifications and Experience

It is essential that your professional history cover two areas:

Technical selection criteria

• University degree in engineering, business administration, public administration, finance, accounting, economics, law, or an equivalent discipline.
• At least 15 years of professional experience commensurate with the responsibilities described above in the “Your key areas of impact” section.
• At least 10 years’ experience in one or more of the following:
  • Project management and/or controlling in organisations managing engineering or construction, manufacturing, or R&D activities of > EUR 50 million per year.
  • Managing the entire life cycle of purchasing for the development and fabrication of high technology components of > EUR 50 million per year.
  • Financial planning, forecasting, and budgeting of > EUR 50 million per year in organisations managing engineering and/or technological activities.
• Experience of negotiating large contracts (>10 million EUR) for engineering or technological, construction or manufacturing activities including legal considerations.
• Proven experience in leading, motivating and developing teams of >20 personnel in one or more of the following domains: purchasing, project control, financial control, legal, budget, or finance.

Management Skills

We take your management and behavioural abilities very seriously. The incumbent will be an exemplary leader. As part of the selection process, shortlisted candidates will attend a management assessment centre.

Amongst others, the following managerial competences in a non-eliminatory basis will be assessed:

• Ability to communicate clearly, demonstrate a collaborative style and fostering well-being of staff.
• Ability to build productive and cooperative working relationships with hierarchy, partners, and stakeholders.
• Create and share a vision; motivate, coach, and develop others while fostering collaboration, trust, support, understanding, sharing and responsibility.
• Delegate, establish objectives and monitor follow-up of activities.

Advantageous Selection Criteria

In addition to the above, the following criteria may be considered:

• Post-graduate degrees or certifications in business management and/or project management.
• Proven experience at senior management level in an organisation of 250+ employees.
• Track record in managing complex project procurement processes, in public type environment.
• Experience in operating in organisations with stringent public financial regulations.
• Experience working in international and multicultural environments
• Track record in visibly championing/sponsoring or leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives in the last 5 years.

Do you have a track record in project controlling and supply chain management along with financial mastery? Are you ready to lead and inspire a team of highly specialised professionals? Then this is the job for you as we are looking for our new Head of Project Control, Supply Chain and Finance!

Fusion for Energy (F4E) is managing Europe’s contribution to ITER, the biggest fusion experiment, and is contributing to several other major projects in the same domain. The fusion landscape is changing fast and F4E as a key European player will enter in a new organisation in the coming months. The Head of Project Control, Supply Chain and Finance Department, will be at the heart of this new organisation, counting around 100 members of staff whose head is a member of F4E’s leadership team.

The Project Control, Supply Chain and Finance Department is responsible for overseeing and optimising all aspects of the supply-chain, legal, budgetary, financial, accounting, procurement and controlling functions in support of F4E’s programmes and projects.

The Department has around 100 staff organised into five Units: (a) Project Management Office and Budget, (b) Contracts, (c) Procurement, (d) Finance and (e) Legal and an Accounting Group.

The Head of the Project Control, Supply Chain and Finance Department reports to the Director and is a member of F4E´s leadership team contributing to the collective leadership of F4E. They will be leading the project control of all F4E projects, be accountable from an end-to-end view of the supply chain management and also manage budget, finance and accounting activities. They will also manage interactions with the European Commission and France (the two main providers of revenue to F4E) on budgetary and financial matters. 

Their key responsibilities include:

• Ensure the application of methods and control to F4E programmes and projects to industry best practices of project management including the processes, methods, and tools to be used in support of staying within cost and schedule.
• Assure consistent and accurate project reporting to the senior management and other stakeholders, defining and transparently measuring all F4E projects using KPIs.
• Ensure the proper, timely and transparent identification and assessment of risks, and foster their mitigation through adequate internal controls, in line with F4E’s policies.
• Manage the entire lifecycle of the provision of supplies or services with the supply chain from market analysis to procurement strategy and execution, contract management, supplier management.
• Oversee the budget forecast, planning and allocation of the annual and multiannual budget to optimise resource allocation, including the Estimate at Completion (EAC).
• Direct and oversee all aspects of the budgetary, financial, and accounting functions of the organisation are compliant with relevant financial regulations, laws, and standards.
• Ensure effective, timely and efficient legal support  related to commercial and corporate aspects.
• Draw up the annual and multiannual budget for adoption by F4E’s Governing Board and support the Accounting Officer in the preparation of the annual accounts.
• Seek and implement opportunities to improve the efficiency and overall performance of the programmes and projects, in particular, for the ITER project through integration and other means.
• Contribute to the implementation of F4E’s Industrial Policy, in particular, to facilitate the broadest participation of the EU supply chain.
• Collectively contribute with the senior management team to strategic decisions affecting F4E and the implementation of the longer-term vision of developing fusion energy.
• Contribute to the development of the organization with respect to people, processes, and structure in cooperation with the relevant departments and units in the organization.
• Support effective relations with F4E’s key stakeholders including the European Commission and France as the two main providers of revenue to F4E.