Serco has made significant contributions at ESA's European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands, supporting a wide range of space missions and projects. Serco has provided essential engineering, technical, and management services, playing a key role in logistics and operational support for missions. Serco's expertise in spacecraft management, ground systems and data processing has earned them recognition, including 'Best in Domain' awards from ESA. Their long-standing partnership with ESA reflects their commitment to excellence and innovation in the space sector.
On behalf of our client, the European Space Agency, we are seeking a Schedule and Risk Management Expert to join our service team at ESA-ECSAT in Harwell, Oxfordshire. The ideal candidate will be responsible for coordinating project schedules and providing risk support to ensure common approaches are followed, tools are utilized effectively, and continuous improvements are suggested.
The overall goal of the service is to provide project management support services to ESA Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communication (CSC) in particular the Business Control and Management Support Office, covering all activities linked to schedule and risk management, project administration support, configuration and data management. The service shall assist the CSC teams in improving operational harmonisation, efficiency and effectiveness through the continuous review, update and implementation of project management processes, procedures, best practices, and tools.
For schedule and risk management control activities, the service requires a planning and schedule expertise to support the analysis of schedule files and critical paths, the definition and maintenance of project schedules within the CSC directorate, the definition and maintenance of milestone trend charts and support to the preparation of risk adjusted schedules.
Responsibilities:
* Co-ordinate project schedule and risk support ensuring common approaches and tools are followed.
* Provide support to project teams in schedule control and periodic monitoring.
* Perform analysis of incoming schedules, including metrics on quality, critical path analysis, float summary and assess the schedule performance at the required level.
* Provide expert schedule and risk support, inputs, evaluations, and recommendations to project teams during major procurement activities.
* Set-up and configure schedule and risk tools.
* Coordinate and support schedule/risk meetings with the ESA project teams.
* Determine the criticality of schedule activities on CSC projects. Run simulations and what-if scenarios in support of management and technical teams’ decision process.
* Set up and maintain trend charts, and templates for reporting progress.
* Set up and maintain schedule performance indicators and quality metrics for project schedules.
* Prepare periodic quarterly and ad-hoc reports documenting schedule performance status and analysis.
* Provide expert support to the ESA Project Manager, project controller and project team in the risk management process.
* Assist CSC Project Control in the design and implementation of new schedule and risk control techniques, state of the art tools and procedures and potential AI applications.
* Provide expert advice to PMSO Office on the use or introduction of new schedule and risk management IT tools.
* Proactively contribute to the development, maintenance and update of schedule and risk standards, practices, and processes within Agency’s programs.
* Proactively contribute to the Agency’s activities in capturing knowledge and elaborating best practices documentation in schedule and risk control.
* Elaborate training materials and deliver the trainings to the ESA teams.
* Support queries and issues on the tools used for schedule and risk management.
Profile:
* Master's degree in Project Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field, preferentially with an affinity to Space
* Minimum of 5 years of experience in project scheduling and risk management for large capex projects in sectors such as Aerospace, Defence or Civil Construction, involving broad multi-tier industrial consortia.
* Proficiency in project management software (MS Project).
* Experience with schedule techniques such as critical path analysis, resource allocation and levelling, cost and risk integration, what-if scenarios, and best practices in schedule design.
* Experience with quantitative and qualitative risk analysis techniques such as steering risk workshops, structuring risk data, performing Monte Carlo simulations to deliver risk-adjusted schedules and cost plans, and advising on risk response strategies.
* Skilled in analysing and reporting schedule and risk data with different visuals and appropriate metrics, via documents (ex. MS Word, PowerPoint), dashboards (ex. MS Excel, Power BI, SharePoint) and backlog tools (ex. MS Teams Planner).
* Strong analytical skills with the ability to perform complex schedule analysis.
* Ability to create and deliver training materials on schedule tools and risk management practices.
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
* Certification in Project Management (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2) is preferred.
* Experience working with industrial consortia and large-scale projects is a plus.
* Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
* Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
* Proficient in the English language, both written and spoken.
* Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK.
About Serco:
Serco is a leading Space Services Provider with thousands of skilled resources that has supported over 50 space missions on behalf of more than 10 Space or Government agencies around the globe, including the likes of ESA, CNES, EUMETSAT, EUSPA, ASI and NASA.We offer space capabilities across the full space lifecycle from satellite testing to Launch services, LEOP to spacecraft operations, space surveillance to data management, and supporting downstream application development. With over 55 years history in the space sector Serco is well placed to contribute to National strategies across Europe and the globeWe work within the heart of the space sector so understand the challenges our customers face. When it comes to recruitment we are experts in sourcing the very best talent within space engineering, earth observation, satellite communications and cyber security. We have placed hundreds of people from post graduates through to C-suite executives into space agencies, satellite operators, manufacturers, system integrators, consultancies, earth observation/remote sensing, launch providers and much more.