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Octagon Professionals
Octagon Professionals

Secretarial Support Officer – European Space Agency (ESA) – ESTEC, Netherlands & ESAC, Spain

Noordwijk, Netherlands
Overview

We are currently recruiting Secretarial Support Officers to join our client, the European Space Agency (ESA). Based at either ESTEC in Noordwijk, Netherlands, or ESAC in Villafranca del Castillo, Spain, you will deliver high-quality secretarial and executive support to Heads of Departments, Divisions, Sections, Offices, and project and mission managers, keeping daily operations running smoothly at one of Europe's foremost space agencies.
Multiple positions are available across both locations. This is a genuine opportunity to work in a collaborative, international environment and contribute directly to the operational efficiency of ESA's programmes.
Role Responsibilities

  • Manage diaries, calendars, and meeting schedules for senior stakeholders, ensuring optimal coordination across teams and time zones.
  • Organise on-site and virtual meetings, including preparation of agendas, invitations, room bookings, and technical arrangements.
  • Arrange business travel for ESA personnel and external travellers, covering bookings, accommodation, visas, and follow-up on mission claims in line with ESA guidelines.
  • Handle correspondence and telephone communications, draft responses, prioritise incoming requests, and act as a key point of contact.
  • Prepare and format presentations, reports, briefing notes, and agendas using approved templates.
  • Record, distribute, and follow up on minutes of meetings, including action tracking and status monitoring.
Essential Skills and Experience

  • Completed secondary education with professional training in administrative and/or clerical support.
  • Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in a secretarial or executive support role.
  • Excellent organisational, communication, and time management skills.
  • Strong attention to detail and ability to handle sensitive information with discretion.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Teams).
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and work autonomously.
  • Professional fluency in English.
  • Eligibility to obtain the required security clearances for access to ESA facilities, subject to applicable nationality and background screening requirements.
Desirable Skills and Experience

  • Experience supporting senior executives or department heads in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
  • Familiarity with intergovernmental, scientific, or international organisations.
  • Spanish language proficiency (required for applicants to the ESAC-based roles in Spain).
Package

  • Long-term contract opportunity
  • On-site at ESTEC (Noordwijk, Netherlands) or ESAC (Villafranca del Castillo, Spain)
  • International, collaborative working environment contributing to Europe's space exploration mission
  • Multiple positions available across both locations

Administrative Coordination & Events Support Officer – European Space Agency (ESA) – ESTEC, Netherlands & ESAC, Spain
Overview

We are currently recruiting Administrative Coordination and Events Support Officers to join our client, the European Space Agency (ESA). Positions are available at ESTEC in Noordwijk, Netherlands, and at ESAC in Villafranca del Castillo, Spain. You will provide coordinated administrative support spanning conferences, events, personnel arrivals and departures, and internship programmes, ensuring smooth planning, logistics, and compliance with ESA procedures.
The ESTEC-based role additionally includes the opportunity to support ESA project teams during high-profile international launch campaigns, providing operational and logistical support at launch facilities around the world. If you thrive in dynamic, fast-paced environments and want to be part of some of the most exciting moments in European space exploration, this is the role for you.
Role Responsibilities

  • Collect inputs for annual conference and training plans, coordinate approvals, and organise logistical arrangements including rooms, resources, and services.
  • Support the organisation of on-site and off-site events, workshops, conferences, large meetings, and VIP visits in coordination with ESA Facility Management, the Conference Bureau, and external entities.
  • Coordinate event-related logistics, including room bookings, web content support, and on-site participation when required.
  • Manage arrivals and departures of ESA staff and service provider personnel, including site access procedures, workspace allocation, IT coordination, and registration and deregistration.
  • Act as a coordination point between Human Resources, Facility Management, Corporate IT, managers, and technical officers for onboarding and offboarding processes.
  • Support the coordination of internship programmes, including preparation of calls for applications, processing offers, and onboarding of interns.
  • Provide first-line administrative support to interns during their on-site period, ensuring access, workspace, and equipment are in place.
The ESTEC-based position also includes the following launch campaign support responsibilities:
  • Assist with preparation and execution of personnel deployment plans for launch campaigns.
  • Organise logistics including travel, accommodation, access clearances, security training, medical requirements, and IT needs.
  • Interface with launch site authorities, ESA counterparts, and external partners.
  • Support on-site operations during campaigns, including office setup, visitor coordination, cleanroom access, and event organisation.
  • Act as a local contact point for organisational and logistical matters throughout the campaign.
Essential Skills and Experience

  • Bachelor's degree in business administration, event management, or equivalent professional experience.
  • Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in administrative coordination or event support in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
  • Strong organisational and coordination skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent workflows.
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft 365 and collaborative tools.
  • High level of attention to detail, reliability, and discretion.
  • Professional fluency in English.
  • Eligibility to obtain the required security clearances for access to ESA facilities, subject to applicable nationality and background screening requirements.
Desirable Skills and Experience

  • Spanish language proficiency (required for applicants to the ESAC-based role in Spain); knowledge of French is also advantageous.
  • Experience in international or intergovernmental organisations.
  • Background in logistics coordination for complex, campaign-style operational events.
  • Ability to work flexibly, including occasional support outside standard working hours and, for the ESTEC role, travel to international launch sites.
Package

  • Long-term contract opportunity
  • Positions available at ESTEC (Noordwijk, Netherlands) and ESAC (Villafranca del Castillo, Spain)
  • ESTEC role: opportunity to support high-profile ESA launch campaigns at international sites
  • International, collaborative working environment contributing to Europe's space exploration mission

Procurement & Logistics Administrative Support Officer – European Space Agency (ESA) – ESTEC, Netherlands & ESAC, Spain
Overview

We are currently recruiting Procurement and Logistics Administrative Support Officers to join our client, the European Space Agency (ESA). Based at either ESTEC in Noordwijk, Netherlands, or ESAC in Villafranca del Castillo, Spain, you will provide administrative support for procurement-related activities, logistics, and financial processes, ensuring compliant handling of shipments, purchase orders, and procurement requests in line with ESA regulations.
This is a detail-oriented role that plays an important part in keeping ESA's operational supply chain running reliably, and offers the chance to build genuine expertise in procurement administration within a world-class space organisation.
Role Responsibilities

  • Organise and follow up on shipment of goods, incoming mail, and packages, ensuring timely and secure delivery via appropriate services.
  • Coordinate administration and monitoring of small Purchase Orders (POs) and payment requests based on manager approvals.
  • Liaise with suppliers and external entities, including requesting and comparing quotations in line with ESA procurement procedures.
  • Prepare and submit Purchase Orders in the ESA procurement system following approval.
  • Provide administrative contract and finance support for procurement activities, including initiation and follow-up of shopping carts.
  • Monitor procurement actions and update records to ensure traceability and compliance with internal rules.
  • Support senior managers with procurement-related administrative processes and documentation.
Essential Skills and Experience

  • Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, logistics, or equivalent professional experience.
  • Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in procurement support or logistics coordination.
  • Strong administrative and organisational skills with attention to financial and procedural detail.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft 365 and collaborative tools.
  • Strong coordination and follow-up capabilities.
  • Accuracy, discretion, and reliability in handling financial and contractual information.
  • Professional fluency in English.
  • Eligibility to obtain the required security clearances for access to ESA facilities, subject to applicable nationality and background screening requirements.
Desirable Skills and Experience

  • Familiarity with procurement or ERP systems such as SAP.
  • Understanding of procurement and financial processes in an international or regulated environment.
  • Spanish language proficiency (required for applicants to the ESAC-based roles in Spain).
Package

  • Long-term contract opportunity
  • On-site at ESTEC (Noordwijk, Netherlands) or ESAC (Villafranca del Castillo, Spain)
  • International, collaborative working environment contributing to Europe's space exploration mission
  • Positions available at both sites

Role details

Closing date
30 Nov 2026

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