Head of Contracts and Procurement

European Southern Observatory; Garching bei München; Hybrid; EUR 120.000 - 180.000; Vollzeit

Benefits dieser Stelle

Relocation support

Comprehensive pension plan

Medical, educational and other social‑

Hybrid working policy

Zusammenfassung

European Southern Observatory (ESO) seeks an experienced Head of Contracts and Procurement to lead a 20-person team across Germany and Chile, shaping procurement strategy for multi-million-euro international projects.

Based at ESO HQ in Garching near Munich, you will drive innovation, governance and supply chain excellence, partnering with researchers, project managers and senior stakeholders to enable world-class astronomical facilities.

Qualifikationen

• Significant experience in procurement and contract management within a complex international environment (at least ten years).
• Strong track record of leading and developing high-performing teams (minimum five years).
• Exceptional negotiation, stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Commercial insight and the ability to navigate complex challenges with confidence.
• Experience building trusted relationships across diverse cultures and disciplines.
• Strong organisational and coordination skills to manage high workloads effectively.
• A passion for continuous improvement and organisational transformation.
• Unwavering integrity, transparency and professional judgement.

Aufgaben

• Provide strategic leadership for ESO's procurement and contract management functions.
• Build powerful partnerships with suppliers, stakeholders and international collaborators.
• Enable major projects through innovative procurement solutions and commercial leadership.
• Lead across continents, inspiring and developing a high-performing international team.
• Drive continuous improvement, innovation and transformation by advancing digital tools, systems and ways of working.
• Protect value and manage risk through effective governance, negotiation and contract management.
• Influence organisational success by ensuring procurement remains a strategic enabler of ESO's mission.

Kenntnisse

Procurement leadership

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Commercial insight

Cross-cultural collaboration

Digital tools adoption

Organisational coordination

Ausbildung

University degree in procurement

CIPS qualification

Project/Contract management qualification

Jobbeschreibung

Are you interested in working in areas of frontline technology and in a stimulating international environment? Do you feel your profile matches our requirements? Learn more about our current vacancies and apply online. Read more..

The European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO) is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries.

ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in northern Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor (home to ALMA), and the ESO Headquarters are located in Garching, near Munich, Germany.

At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the world's most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory, and will host and operate the southern array of the Cherenkov Telescope Array, the world's largest and most sensitive high energy gamma-ray observatory. ESO is a major partner in ALMA. On Cerro Armazones, ESO is building the 39-metre Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky" and whose operations will be fully integrated into the Paranal Observatory.

Within the Directorate of Administration at its Headquarters in Garching, near Munich, ESO is advertising the position of:

Help us build the partnerships behind the world's biggest discoveries!

At ESO, we don't just observe the Universe, we build the facilities that enable humanity to explore it. From the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile to the construction of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), we deliver some of the most ambitious scientific and engineering projects on Earth. Behind every groundbreaking discovery lies a network of strategic partnerships, complex contracts, innovative suppliers and exceptional people.

We're looking for an experienced leader to become our next Head of Contracts and Procurement, who, working across the organisation will help make the next generation of astronomical discoveries possible and who will help shape the future of our organisation.

Why this role matters?

This isn't a traditional procurement role. It is an opportunity to influence multi-million-euro international projects, shape organisational strategy, lead a talented dual-site team and contribute to scientific and engineering achievements that capture the imagination of the world.

Reporting to the Director of Administration, you'll lead a department of around 20 procurement and contract management professionals across Germany and Chile, working at the heart of ESO's most exciting programmes. Working alongside experts, project managers, and senior stakeholders, your decisions will directly support the delivery of world-class observatories, cutting-edge technology and scientific infrastructure that will redefine our understanding of the Universe.

Why ESO?

Because very few careers offer the chance to combine leadership, international collaboration and lasting impact. At ESO, your work will help deliver facilities that future generations of scientists will use to answer some of humanity's biggest questions: How did the Universe begin? Are we alone? What lies beyond what we know today?

And you'll join a community of talented people united by curiosity, excellence and the ambition to achieve things that have never been done before!

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

As Head of Contracts and Procurement, you will:

• Provide strategic leadership for ESO's procurement and contract management functions.
• Build powerful partnerships with suppliers, stakeholders and international collaborators.
• Enable major projects through innovative procurement solutions and commercial leadership.
• Lead across continents, inspiring and developing a high-performing international team.
• Drive continuous improvement, innovation and transformation by advancing digital tools, systems and ways of working.
• Protect value and manage risk through effective governance, negotiation and contract management.
• Influence organisational success by ensuring procurement remains a strategic enabler of ESO's mission.

Role reports to:

Director of Administration

Key Competences and Experience:

You are an experienced leader who sees procurement as more than processes and contracts. You understand how commercial excellence, innovation and collaboration can help ESO achieve extraordinary outcomes.

You'll bring:

• Significant experience in procurement and contract management within a complex international environment (at least ten years).
• A strong track record of leading and developing high-performing teams (minimum five years).
• Exceptional negotiation, stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Commercial insight and the ability to navigate complex challenges with confidence.
• Experience building trusted relationships across diverse cultures and disciplines
• Strong organisational and coordination sills to manage high workloads effectively.
• A passion for continuous improvement and organisational transformation.
• Unwavering integrity, transparency and professional judgement.

Additionally experience within scientific, engineering, technology, infrastructure or international organisations would be particularly valuable.

Qualifications:

University degree in a procurement related area: Business Administration, Economics and Law or related discipline.

Additional qualifications in a procurement/contract management related field will be an advantage, for example CIPS, as would qualifications in project or contract management.

The position requires an excellent command of written and spoken English. Additional knowledge of other European languages would be an advantage, preferably Spanish.

Remuneration and Contract details:

We offer an attractive remuneration package including a competitive salary (free of income tax for applicants from ESO member states), comprehensive pension scheme and medical, educational and other social benefits, as well as financial help in relocating your family and support to place your child/children in daycare.

ESO's salary structure is based upon a range of career paths which reflect the nature and level of our jobs. Each career path is made up of two or three grades which are used to further reflect experience.

The contract is for a fixed term duration of three years and is subject to successful completion of the probation period. There may be a possibility of extension(s) subject to individual performance and organisational requirements, and as defined in the applicable policies and staff rules and regulations. For any further information, please visit ESO's conditions of employment ( https://www.eso.org/public/jobs/conditions/ ). Please note that the contract policy and in particular the regulations concerning fixed-term and indefinite contracts are currently under review, which may lead to changes in the contractual conditions applicable to this position.

Garching near Munich (with duty trips as necessary to ESO sites in Chile as required). The role is based on-site at ESO HQ in Garching and relocation to the area is required. Note: staff at ESO benefit from a mobile working policy that allows for regulated hybrid working for work-life balance purposes.

Deadline for applications is 15 November 2026.

Interviews are expected to start soon after this date.

ESO Values

An important element in any successful employment relationship is harmony in values between an organisation and its people.

The ESO Values are:

ESO strives for excellence through innovation.

ESO provides outstanding services to its communities.

ESO fosters diversity & inclusion.

ESO believes in the key role of sustainability for its future.

Achieving the above are recognized as only possible on the basis of personal values and attitudes that we expect from our employees: respect, integrity, accountability, commitment, collaboration, and clear & open communication.

Applicants to any ESO role are asked to reflect on their affinity with these values and advised they may be asked about them if called for interview.

No nationality is in principle excluded from employment at ESO, however, recruitment preference will be given to nationals of our Member States, host states and strategic partners: Australia, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Chile, irrespective of gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity or religion.