HR Business Partner (2 posts)

Overview

Support senior leaders with HR strategies and organizational solutions.

You have:

• A master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Engineering or Psychology is required for this post.
• 10 years of directly relevant professional experience is required.
• 7 years in an HR advisory, business partnering or similar function is required.
• A minimum of 3 years' experience in coordinating a team of HR BPs or HR Advisors is required.
• Alternatively, a bachelor’s degree combined with an additional 4 years of relevant professional experience can be considered.
• Demonstrate a project management approach, ensuring effective planning, execution, and delivery of initiatives.
• Have excellent interpersonal and communication abilities.

Location ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands, ESA Headquarters, Paris, France, or ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany, or ESRIN, Frascati, Italy

Description

The HR Business Partners will be part of the HR Business Partnering Division within the Human Resources Department, comprising over 100 internal and external professionals delivering high-quality HR services to a workforce of more than 7,700 across the different establishments of the European Space Agency. The HR Business Partners support ESA Directorates in strategic workforce planning and in the transformation of ways of working and organisational structures, ensuring that the Agency remains adaptable, efficient, and future ready. Acting as the primary interface between Human Resources and the business, they ensure close alignment between Directorate priorities and the Agency’s people strategy.

Supported by a team of dedicated HR Advisors, HR Business Partners provide strategic advice and operational support to leadership teams on organisational design, capability development, and change management. In close collaboration with HR Competence Centres and the Employee Services Division, they help leaders address complex organisational challenges, strengthen workforce capabilities, and foster an inclusive, high performing work environment.

In addition, HR Business Partners act as change agents by translating ESA’s people strategy into impactful and sustainable initiatives, while ensuring that Directorate level needs are effectively represented within the broader HR agenda. In doing so, they contribute to informed decision making and the successful delivery of organisational objectives.

Duties

As an HR Business Partner, you will supervise a team of HR Advisors and be responsible for:

• Providing strategic advice and guidance to senior leaders, contributing to the development and implementation of people strategies aligned with business objectives;
• Leading and supporting key organisational initiatives, including workforce planning, organisational design, talent development including internal mobility, leadership development, and employee engagement;
• Acting as a trusted partner, building strong and credible relationships with senior stakeholders within and across assigned Directorates;
• Driving organisational effectiveness and AI transformation, supporting change management initiatives and enabling leaders to navigate complex environments;
• Promoting and supporting a high-performance culture, fostering continuous feedback, leadership accountability, and staff development;
• Collaborating closely with HR Competence Centres and the Employee Services Division to ensure a coherent, integrated and efficient delivery of HR services, while contributing to the continuous improvement of HR policies and processes;
• Contributing to a strong internal HR network by sharing insights, knowledge and best practices, ensuring that business needs are translated into innovative and value-adding HR solutions;
• Leveraging data, analytics and metrics to inform decision-making, monitor organisational trends, and assess the effectiveness of HR initiatives;
• Providing reporting and analytical insights to leadership, enabling evidence-based decision-making and proactive workforce planning;
• As applicable, represent HR locally towards key stakeholders such as the Head of Establishment or Centre, Staff Association Committee and local authorities.

This role involves frequent travel within Europe.

Technical competencies

Leadership advisory, coaching and stakeholder influencing at senior level

Application of HR policies, employee relations principles and relevant legal frameworks

Organisational design, workforce planning and capability development

Talent management, succession planning and internal mobility

Change management, organisational and AI transformation support

Performance management, employee engagement and culture development

HR analytics, workforce metrics and evidence-based reporting

Project and programme management for cross-functional HR initiatives; delivery of integrated HR solutions in collaboration with specialised HR functions

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation Operational Efficiency Fostering Cooperation Relationship Management Continuous Improvement Forward Thinking For more information, please refer to the ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook

Education and professional experience

A master’s degree in e.g. Human Resources, Business Administration, Engineering or Psychology is required for this post with 10 years of directly relevant professional experience, out of which 7 years in an HR advisory, business partnering or similar function is required in this role, preferably with a minimum of 3 years' experience in coordinating a team. Alternatively, candidates with a bachelor’s degree, complemented by an additional 4 years of relevant professional experience in the above-mentioned domains can be considered.

Additional requirements

HR Business Partners at ESA act as key account managers, strategic advisers, and facilitators of change, combining a strong business mindset with HR expertise.

They are expected to:

• Demonstrate a project management approach, ensuring effective planning, execution, and delivery of initiatives
• Balance strategic thinking with sound execution
• Anticipate business needs and proactively propose forward-looking HR solutions
• Contribute to shaping the future of ESA’s workforce and organisational culture
• Have excellent interpersonal and communication abilities
• Handle confidential information with utmost discretion and professionalism
• Work effectively with managers, internal stakeholders and service providers in a complex organisational environment

As a manager you are expected to have:

• The ability to organise their activities and ensure a motivating work environment
• Strong leadership capabilities, with proven relationship management and communication skills
• The ability to drive your team’s performance, developing your people by encouraging learning, delegating responsibility and giving regular and constructive feedback
• Strong problem-solving skills to deal with day-to-day operational challenges, together with demonstrated planning and organisational skills
• Strong results orientation with the ability to set priorities and present practical solutions both orally and in writing
• The ability to manage challenging situations proactively and constructively and to be customer focused.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics.

At the Agency we value diversity, and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace. The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact us via email at [email protected].

Important Information and Disclaimer This job requisition aims to establish a reserve list of suitable candidates for upcoming and future recruitment needs for the next two years.

The post is expected to be subject to rotation in line with ESA’s mobility and workforce needs.

During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures.

The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.

Nationality and Languages Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.

According to the ESA Convention, staff shall be recruited on the basis of their qualifications, taking into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the Member States.

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.

Potential interview questions