Assistant Financial Controller (ESA/ESTEC)

Octagon Professionals International; Noordwijk; On-site; EUR 40,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Octagon Professionals seeks an Assistant Financial Controller to join the ESA ESTEC project team in Noordwijk. You will support the Business Unit and Controlling Office with transactional tasks, reporting, and procurement processes within ESA guidelines.

The role focuses on financial controlling, procurement, and contract management, with exposure to ESA-P SAP, ITPM, and Excel. A multinational government setting offers growth and compliance-driven challenges.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related field.
• At least 2 years of relevant experience in financial controlling, procurement, and contract management.
• Proficiency in English; knowledge of another ESA official language is an asset.
• Strong Excel and office automation skills; experience with ERP systems such as SAP (ESA-P).
• Ability to manage multiple financial processes with accuracy and compliance.
• Experience in multinational organizations or government agencies.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, administer, and monitor procurement actions, purchase orders, and contracts (including CCNs).
• Manage procurement and financial processes in ESA’s SAP system (esa-p), ITPM, Excel, and other tools as required.
• Monitor assigned contracts concerning costs, payments, contract changes, deviations, and trends.
• Prepare and review management reports related to financial and contractual matters.
• Ensure completeness and accuracy of data in IT PMO tools for divisional and departmental reporting.
• Support the Departmental Controller in reviewing and improving departmental financial and procurement processes.
• Lead changes in procurement, customer service management (SLA), asset management, and workforce management processes.
• Provide financial and operational analytics to support decision-making and ad-hoc analysis requests.
• Offer knowledge-based support to department management regarding ESA’s internal financial processes, instructions, and regulations.

Skills

Financial controlling

Procurement

Contract management

English language

Education

Bachelor’s in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration

Tools

SAP (ESA-P)

MS Excel

MS Outlook

Job description

We are seeking Assistant Financial Controllers to join the Octagon Professionals projects team at the European Space Agency in Noordwijk (ESTEC).

The successful candidates will provide support to the Business Unit and Controlling Office. The purpose of this Support Service is to perform the administrative transactional tasks and reporting as part of the procurement process in the Corporate Directorates supporting the Business Unit Office(s) and Organizational Units within ESA Directorates.

Please, be aware that the successful candidate will be employed by Octagon Professionals.

Key Responsibilities:

• Prepare, administer, and monitor procurement actions, purchase orders, and contracts (including CCNs).
• Manage procurement and financial processes in ESA’s SAP system (esa-p), ITPM, Excel, and other tools as required.
• Monitor assigned contracts concerning costs, payments, contract changes, deviations, and trends.
• Prepare and review management reports related to financial and contractual matters.
• Ensure completeness and accuracy of data in IT PMO tools for divisional and departmental reporting.
• Support the Departmental Controller in reviewing and improving departmental financial and procurement processes.
• Lead changes in procurement, customer service management (SLA), asset management, and workforce management processes.
• Provide financial and operational analytics to support decision-making and ad-hoc analysis requests.
• Offer knowledge-based support to department management regarding ESA’s internal financial processes, instructions, and regulations.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s’ in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
• At least 2 years of relevant similar working experience. Proven experience in financial controlling, procurement, and contract management;
• Proficient in the English language, both written and spoken, knowledge of another official ESA language is an asset.
• Highly proficient with modern electronics office automation tools, in particular Microsoft Office suite and electronic mailing (in particular MS Excel and MS Outlook)
• Proficiency in ERP systems such as SAP (ESA-P), Excel, and other financial tools.
• Ability to manage multiple financial processes while ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• Experience working in a multinational organization or government agency.
• Familiarity with ESA’s financial and procurement regulations.

We offer:

• Attractive remuneration package.
• Up to 30 vacation days & additional 12 public holidays based on the 40h working week.
• Pension contribution to a tailor-made pension scheme.
• Yearly subscription to the ESTEC gym facilities and a swimming pool.