Head of Projects 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 covers two areas:

Technical selection criteria

• University degree in engineering or physical sciences.
• 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 of managing programme and project portfolios of > 20 million EUR for complex technical projects.
• Successful delivery of complex technical projects on quality, in time and on budget.
• Leading, motivating and developing teams of >20 personnel working on engineering or technical, construction or manufacturing projects.
• Proven experience in complex projects governance, organisation. and delivery.

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

Advantageous Selection Criteria

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

• Working experience in the design, construction, and operation of magnetic fusion devices and/or their components.
• Experience of negotiating large contracts (>10 million EUR) for engineering or technological, construction or manufacturing activities.
• Track record in applying industry standard project management methodologies, tools, and practices.
• Experience at senior management level in an organisation of 250+ employees (i.e. having been in an N-1 position)
• Post-graduate certifications in management studies, engineering, or project management
• 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 of delivering complex technical projects? Are you ready to lead and inspire a team of professionals to work with industry and research laboratories to build components for a multi-billion-euro fusion experiment? Then this is the job for you as we are looking for our new Head of Projects!

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 Projects 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 Projects Department is responsible for the timely and cost-effective delivery of the European contributions to the ITER International Fusion Energy project and other fusion projects including the Broader Approach, DONES, Test Blanket Modules and eventually a programme for DEMO. The Department has around 100 staff organised into six Units (a) Project Performance Management, (b) Tokamak Systems, (c) Nuclear Systems, (d) Plasma Systems, (e) Buildings & Site Equipment and (f) Broader Approach and Roadmap Projects.

The Head of the Projects Department reports to the Director and is a member of F4E´s leadership team contributing to the collective leadership of F4E. The Department is also locally representing F4E towards the ITER Organization in its role as the European Domestic Agency. 

Their key responsibilities include:

• Ensure that the F4E programmes and projects are delivered to the required quality, according to the schedule and within the allocated budget in a fully “matrixed” structure with other F4E Departments
• Seek and implement full and open collaboration with the ITER project through integration and other means.
• Ensure the efficient organisation, staffing and external support to the F4E programmes and projects for optimum delivery within the available resources.
• Create a motivating and safe climate to foster the development of high performing teams, as well as supporting the professional development of the managers, programme, and project managers and staff under their authority.
• Coordinate F4E’s representation in the programme and projects instances, in particular for the international ITER project, and support the Director for their participation in the governance.
• 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.
• Support effective relations with F4E’s key stakeholders including industrial suppliers and European Fusion Laboratories.
• 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.