Director of Capability, Armament and Planning (CAP)

EDA - European Defence Agency; Brussel Hoofdstad; On-site; EUR 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Job summary

The European Defence Agency, Brussels, seeks a Director for Capability, Armament and Planning (CAP) to lead strategy, governance and multi‑domain capability development across the EU. Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will drive EU-CDPS, CARD and PESCO collaboration, ensuring priorities translate into coherent capability outcomes and joint procurement opportunities.

As CAP Director you will manage the Directorate, drive cross‑directorate coordination with PSII and EPMO, and engage with EU

Qualifications

• Experience leading capability development and defence planning
• Ability to coordinate with EU institutions and Member States
• Proven leadership of multi-disciplinary teams

Responsibilities

• 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 CAP, ensuring coherence across capability development, defence planning and armaments cooperation.
• Lead capability development activities across Air, Space, Land and Maritime domains and related enabling areas.
• Steer the Capability Development Plan (CDP) and CARD initiatives in coordination with EU partners, Member States and EEAS.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Defence planning

EU collaboration

Job description

Director of Capability, Armament and Planning (CAP)

Contract type: Temporary agent

Directorate: Capability, Armament and Planning Directorate (CAP)

Group: N.A.

Grade: AD14

Level of Security Clearance: SECRET UE/EU SECRET

Management of staff: Yes

Location: Brussels

Closing date for applications: 26/11/2026

The European Defence Agency (EDA) was established on 12 July 2004, and isgoverned by CouncilDecision (CFSP) 2015/1835 defining the statute, seat and operational rules of the European Defence Agency. The Agency has its headquarters in Brussels.

The main task of EDA is to support the Council and the Member States in their effort to improve the Union's defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the Common Security andDefence Policy (CSDP) as it currently stands and as it develops in the future.

The Agency is structured into four directorates. The Corporate Services Directorate (CSD) and three operational directorates: Industry, Synergies and Enablers (ISE); Capability, Armament & Planning (CAP); Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI).

2. THE AGENCY'S WAY OF WORKING

The Agency is an “outward-facing” organisation, constantly interacting with its shareholders, the participating Member States, as well as with a wide range of stakeholders. It works in an integrated way, with multi-disciplinary teams representing all of the Agency’s functional areas, to realise its objectives. Its business processes are flexible and oriented towards achieving results. Staff at all levels need to demonstrate the corresponding qualities of commitment, flexibility, innovation, and team-working; to work effectively with shareholders and stakeholder groups, formal and informal; and to operate without the need for detailed direction.

3. THE CAPABILITY, ARMAMENT AND PLANNING DIRECTORATE (CAP)

The Capability, Armament & Planning Directorate (CAP) supports Member States in collaboratively planning, developing and acquiring defence capabilities that meet their needs as well as EU priorities. This implies supporting Member States in identifying, preparing and supporting the execution of possible cooperation projects and programmes ranging from long term military capability development to short term armament procurement. This includes obtaining agreement on shared needs and related priorities, harmonising capability requirements and conducting capability development preparatory activities across all dimensions of capabilities (concept & doctrine, organisation, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities, and interoperability). It also includes aggregating demand towards joint procurement of defence products and services.

The Directorate, together with Member States and with the support of other competent EU institutions and bodies, operates the intergovernmental EU Capability Development Planning System (EU-CDPS) comprising several EU tools. The Capability Development Plan (CDP), managed with the EU Military Committee (EUMC) and EU Military Staff (EUMS) contributions, leads to the identification of Capability Development Priorities agreed at EU level as a reference for all EU initiatives on Defence. The Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), conducted with the contribution of EUMS, enables the analysis of the “State of the Union on Defence” and to identify opportunities for cooperation. The Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), conducted together with the European External Action Service (EEAS), including EUMS, coordinates the analysis of the annual PESCO National Implementation Plans to assess the participating Member States’ fulfilment of the PESCO commitments, assesses Member States' PESCO project proposals and monitors their progress.

Within EU-CDPS, the Directorate engages with Member States’ capability planners and experts to implement the EU Capability Development Priorities based on agreed collaborative roadmaps. When preparatory activities enable the identification of a possible cooperation project, the Directorate supports Member States interested in the project by elaborating a business case with them.

The CAP Directorate comprises:

• Air & Space Domain Unit: Air Combat, Airborne Command and Inform Capabilities, Integrated Air and Missile Defence, Air Transport, Space Operations and Space Services;
• Maritime Domain Unit: Naval Combat and Maritime Interdiction, Underwater and Seabed Warfare, Maritime Domain Awareness;
• Land Domain Unit: Ground Combat Capabilities, Land-Based Precision Engagement, Future Soldier Systems;
• Strategic Enablers & Cyber Unit: Cyber Warfare & Operations, Electro Magnetic Spectrum Operations & Electronic Warfare, Command / Control / Communications / Computers / Information Systems / Surveillance / Target Acquisition & Reconnaissance (C4ISTAR), Special Operation Forces;
• Resilience & Support Unit: Military Mobility, Logistics, CBRN Defence, Critical Infrastructure Protection, Medical Support, Energy;
• Capability Development Coordination and Strategic Analysis Unit ;
• Cooperation and Planning Unit: Management of EU-CDPS, including the conduct of the Capability Development Plan, CARD and PESCO.

Based on this organization, in coordination with other Directorates, CAP supports Member States with concrete proposals for cooperation at levels ranging from the technical to the political, while actively contributing to various capability-related initiatives launched by Member States at EU level, such as the EU Defence Readiness objective and associated Priority Capability Areas.

4. DUTIES

The Capability, Armament and Planning (CAP) Director is accountable to the Chief Executive as Head of the CAP Directorate.

Supported by the Heads of Unit and Office, the jobholder will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and direction to the Agency’s activities in capability development, defence planning, strategic analysis and armaments cooperation, supporting Member States in collaboratively planning, developing and acquiring defence capabilities that respond to their needs and to agreed EU defence priorities.

The CAP Directorate leads EDA’s work on the Capability Development Plan (CDP) and the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), supports capability development across the Air and Space, Land and Maritime domains and relevant strategic enabling and support areas. Together with Member States and with the contribution of relevant EU institutions and bodies, the Directorate operates the EU Capability Development Planning System (EU-CDPS) and supports the implementation of agreed capability priorities through collaborative activities, projects and programmes.

Reporting to the Chief Executive, the CAP Director will have overall managerial responsibility for the Directorate and provide strategic advice on capability development, defence planning, strategic analysis and armaments cooperation. The jobholder will drive cooperation with Member States and engage with relevant EU institutions, bodies and international partners, ensuring that agreed priorities are translated into coherent and effective capability outcomes.

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 coherence across its capability development, defence planning, strategic analysis and armaments cooperation activities;
• lead and oversee capability development activities across the Air and Space, Land and Maritime domains, as well as in the areas of resilience and support, strategic enablers and cyber, ensuring that they address Member States’ current and future capability needs and contribute to agreed EU defence priorities;
• steer the development and implementation of the Capability Development Plan (CDP), including the identification and prioritisation of common capability needs and priorities at EU level;
• lead EDA’s work on the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), supporting the analysis of Member States’ defence plans and the identification of recommendations and opportunities for European cooperation;
• provide strategic direction and oversee EDA’s contribution to Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), in close cooperation with the European External Action Service (EEAS), including the EU Military Staff;
• steer the implementation of agreed capability priorities through collaborative roadmaps and preparatory activities, including the harmonisation of capability requirements, the development of business cases and the identification and development of collaborative capability and armaments projects and programmes, as well as opportunities for aggregation of demand and joint procurement in close cooperation with the Procurement, Support, Industry and Interoperability Directorate (PSII);
• provide strategic leadership for the Directorate’s contribution to the Annual Defence Readiness Report, ensuring together with the EDA Policy and Management Office (EPMO) robust capability analysis and actionable recommendations, and drive support for the development and implementation of initiatives within the Priority Capability Areas (PCAs), including EDPCIs, in close cooperation with Member States and relevant EU institutions and bodies;
• promote coherence and synergies between national, EU and multinational defence planning and capability development activities, including relevant links with PESCO, the European Defence Fund (EDF), the EU Defence Readiness objective and other EU initiatives;
• build and sustain strong cooperation with Member States, the European Commission, the Council, the EEAS, OCCAR, NATO and other relevant European and international organisations and partners in the fields covered by the Directorate;
• ensure the Directorate’s effective contribution to EDA’s transversal activities and close cooperation with EDA’s other Directorates;
• 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.

4. DUTIES

The Capability, Armament and Planning (CAP) Director is accountable to the Chief Executive as Head of the CAP Directorate.

Supported by the Heads of Unit and Office, the jobholder will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and direction to the Agency’s activities in capability development, defence planning, strategic analysis and armaments cooperation, supporting Member States in collaboratively planning, developing and acquiring defence capabilities that respond to their needs and to agreed EU defence priorities.

The CAP Directorate leads EDA’s work on the Capability Development Plan (CDP) and the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), supports capability development across the Air and Space, Land and Maritime domains and relevant strategic enabling and support areas. Together with Member States and with the contribution of relevant EU institutions and bodies, the Directorate operates the EU Capability Development Planning System (EU-CDPS) and supports the implementation of agreed capability priorities through collaborative activities, projects and programmes.

Reporting to the Chief Executive, the CAP Director will have overall managerial responsibility for the Directorate and provide strategic advice on capability development, defence planning, strategic analysis and armaments cooperation. The jobholder will drive cooperation with Member States and engage with relevant EU institutions, bodies and international partners, ensuring that agreed priorities are translated into coherent and effective capability outcomes.

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 coherence across its capability development, defence planning, strategic analysis and armaments cooperation activities;
• lead and oversee capability development activities across the Air and Space, Land and Maritime domains, as well as in the areas of resilience and support, strategic enablers and cyber, ensuring that they address Member States’ current and future capability needs and contribute to agreed EU defence priorities;
• steer the development and implementation of the Capability Development Plan (CDP), including the identification and prioritisation of common capability needs and priorities at EU level;
• lead EDA’s work on the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), supporting the analysis of Member States’ defence plans and the identification of recommendations and opportunities for European cooperation;
• provide strategic direction and oversee EDA’s contribution to Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), in close cooperation with the European External Action Service (EEAS), including the EU Military Staff;
• steer the implementation of agreed capability priorities through collaborative roadmaps and preparatory activities, including the harmonisation of capability requirements, the development of business cases and the identification and development of collaborative capability and armaments projects and programmes, as well as opportunities for aggregation of demand and joint procurement in close cooperation with the Procurement, Support, Industry and Interoperability Directorate (PSII);
• provide strategic leadership for the Directorate’s contribution to the Annual Defence Readiness Report, ensuring together with the EDA Policy and Management Office (EPMO) robust capability analysis and actionable recommendations, and drive support for the development and implementation of initiatives within the Priority Capability Areas (PCAs), including EDPCIs, in close cooperation with Member States and relevant EU institutions and bodies;
• promote coherence and synergies between national, EU and multinational defence planning and capability development activities, including relevant links with PESCO, the European Defence