Director of Administration

Job Description

The European Synchrotron, the ESRF, is aninternational research centre based in Grenoble, France. Through its innovative engineering, pioneeringscientific vision and a strong commitment from its 700 staff members, the ESRFis recognised as one of the top research facilities worldwide. Its particleaccelerator produces intense X-ray beams that are used by thousands ofscientists each year for experiments in diverse fields such as biology,medicine, environmental sciences, cultural heritage, materials science, andphysics. Supported by 22 countries, the ESRF is an equalopportunity employer and encourages diversity. THE INSTITUTE: The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF)is a world-leading international scientific research infrastructure supportedby twenty-two countries with the common interest to enable frontier synchrotronX-ray science and to improve cooperation across disciplinary and nationalboundaries. It is established as a "Société Civile" under French lawand it is located in Grenoble, at the heart of the French Alps. Since the 1990s, ESRF operates a storage ring basedsynchrotron radiation X-ray source and state-of-the-art experimental beamlines.It welcomes close to 6000 scientists every year for experiments in fields suchas biology, chemistry, earth and environmental sciences, cultural heritage,materials and surface science, medical imaging and radiotherapy, and physics.The ESRFs access policy is centred on scientific excellence, and the researchcarried out at its facilities results in about 1800 peer-reviewed scientificpublications every year, among which more than 400 are in highly rankedjournals. The ESRF is currently involved in 15 Horizon-2020 competitive grants.Openness and scientific and technicalinterdisciplinarity are key to the ESRFs success. Recruiting skilled andpassionate staff who are motivated to contribute, whether directly orindirectly, to the advancement of science, is crucial for the future of theESRF as a centre of scientific excellence. The ESRF is committed to sharingscience progress and technology with the younger generations and offers variouseducational programmes for students and training for the next generation ofscientists, engineers and technical and administrative staff. It also dedicatessignificant resources to training its staff to fully develop their potential.At the ESRF, the synergies that emerge between people of different fields,cultures and backgrounds are an extraordinary source of creativity andinnovation. Diversity is thus part of the ESRFs identity and is promoted atall levels. The ESRF is an equal opportunity employer; it employs close to 650international staff who come from nearly 40 countries. To fulfil its mission,the ESRF operates with an annual budget of about 100 M€. Since 2009, the ESRF is implementing its UpgradeProgramme, which is foreseen to be completed in 2024. The second and finalphase of this programme, which started in 2015, the so-called ESRF-ExtremelyBrilliant Source programme (ESRF-EBS), is centred on the construction andexploitation of the new and revolutionary EBS low-emittance storage ring. EBSis now commissioned, and ESRF has resumed its user operation in August 2020with X-ray beam performance increased by a factor of 100 in terms of beambrilliance and coherence: ESRF-EBS is enlisted as a landmark in the European Strategy Forum forResearch Infrastructures (ESFRI). In terms of absolute performance, the new ESRF EBSstorage ring is, now and for the coming years, the most brilliant high-energysynchrotron radiation source worldwide and will provide its users with uniquescientific opportunities. The ESRF Council appoints the five ESRF Directors:the Director General, who leads the Directorate (circa 50 staff), the Directorof Administration Division (circa 50 staff), the Director of Accelerator andSource Division (circa 80 staff), the Director of Research for Life Sciencesand the Director of Research for Condensed Matter Sciences, who together leadthe Experiments Division (circa 220 staff). The ESRF Council is now seeking to recruit theDirector of Administration for the period 01/09/2022 to 31/08/2027. THE FUNCTION: The Director of Administration is responsible forthe strategic planning, deployment and implementation of the administrative,human resources, financial and procurement activities required for theefficient operation of the ESRF Company. The role is central to guaranteeing that the ESRFsresources enable the optimal operation of the ESRFs facilities and theimplementation of its Upgrade and scientific and technical R&D programmes.The Director of Administration is part of the ESRFSenior Management, along with the other Directors and with the Heads of twotechnical and logistics support divisions called respectively TechnicalInfrastructure Division (circa 100 staff) and Instrumentation Services andDevelopment Division (circa 150 staff). The Director of Administration reportsto the Director General and provides advice to the latter and to the otherSenior Management members on administrative, human resources, financial,procedural, procurement and legal matters. The successful candidate will lead theAdministration Division and will be responsible for the: Development of financial, human resources andprocurement strategies to address the needs of the ESRFs ongoing and futureprojects. This includes the preparation of the annual budget and updating ofmedium- and long-term financial estimates in accordance with the facilitysscientific and technical objectives.Management of relations and negotiations withinternal and external bodies, including but not limited to the Administrativeand Finance Committee and the Council, the External Auditors, the Unions andelected staff representatives, external companies and institutes from memberand associate countries of the ESRF.Implementation of and compliance with French lawand ESRF Financial Rules and Internal Financial Regulations.The Director of Administration supervises the fourDivision Service Heads (Finance, Procurement, Pay & PersonnelAdministration and Recruitment & Staff Careers Management). She/He isassisted by a secretariat, a Legal Adviser expert in French labour law, an ITexpert and by the Head of General Services. Whenever required, the Director ofAdministration is provided with technical assistance by the support divisions.EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS: Experience The successful candidate shall have solidexperience in business administration, Human Resources management, financeand/or legal fields, possibly acquired in an international organisation orcompany or in a public institution. In particular, broad experience is expectedin the preparation and presentation of strategies and reports to governingbodies and other stakeholders, and in the implementation of those strategiesaccording to digital management and finance planning tools. Qualifications The successful candidate shall hold a Mastersdegree or