Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking – Publication of a vacancy for the function of Executive Director (Temporary Agent – Grade AD 14) – COM/2026/20120
Date: 2026-05-29
Institutions: Directorate-General for Human Resources and Security, European Commission
Subjects: European Joint Undertaking, administrator, aeronautical industry, competition (EU), job vacancy, managing director, recruitment, servant (EU)








C_202602815EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/2815


29.5.2026






Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking
Publication of a vacancy for the function of Executive Director
(Temporary Agent – Grade AD 14)
COM/2026/20120
(C/2026/2815)


          
      

We are

The Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking is the largest European research and innovation programme in aeronautics, developing innovative, cutting-edge technologies aimed at increasing commercial aircraft efficiency. The main objective of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking is to contribute to reducing the ecological footprint of aviation by accelerating the development of climate neutral aviation technologies for their earliest possible deployment, therefore significantly contributing to the ambitious environment impact mitigation goals of the European Green Deal and Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’) (1).
As of 30 November 2021 the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (JU) is the legal successor of the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking (CS2JU) in accordance with the Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe and repealing Regulations (EC) No 219/2007, (EU) No 557/2014, (EU) No 558/2014, (EU) No 559/2014, (EU) No 560/2014, (EU) No 561/2014 and (EU) No 642/2014 (2) (Single Basic Act). The lifetime of the Clean Aviation JU and the implementation of its budget and activities financed under the ongoing Horizon Europe programme are expected to run until 31 December 2031 at the latest.
The European Commission has published on 16 July 2025 a proposal for the next Multi-Financial Framework (MFF) for the years 2028-2034 and a legislative package of the newly proposed Horizon Europe Framework Programme for R&I and European Competitiveness Fund. As part of the exploratory memorandum of the legislative proposal of Horizon Europe, Smart and Clean Aviation has been listed amongst the so-called proposed ‘Moonshots’ areas (3).
This information is provided without prejudice to the outcome of the ongoing legislative process with the Council of the EU and European Parliament and of any possible legislative proposal by the Commission on the future Joint Undertakings.
The Clean Aviation JU is located in Brussels, Belgium.
The Clean Aviation JU has the specific objectives to:






—


integrate and demonstrate disruptive aircraft technological innovations with the aim of decreasing net emissions of greenhouse gases by no less than 30 % compared to 2020 state-of-the-art technology to support the European Green Deal and climate neutrality by 2050,










—


ensure that the technological and the potential industrial readiness of innovations can support the launch of disruptive new products and services for an entry into service by 2035, enabling 75 % of the world’s civil aviation fleet to be replaced by 2050 in support of the European Green Deal.




The aircraft developed will enable net CO2 reductions of up to 90 % when combined with the effect of Sustainable Aviation Fuels, or zero CO2 emissions in flight when using hydrogen as energy source.
Clean Aviation JU is committed to the highest level of quality in fulfilling its mission and tasks under its regulatory framework. The following fundamental values are defined:






1.


Excellence: Clean Aviation strives to achieve the highest standards (e.g. quality, technical, compliance) for every goal it sets in the pursuit of excellence. We aim for continuous improvements, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible to make innovation a reality.










2.


Integrity and accountability: Clean Aviation is committed to transparency and ethics at all levels of the organisation. We are committed to integrity and accountability, enabling the organisation to grow and build trust with our stakeholders.










3.


Impact-driven: From decisions to results Clean Aviation aims to make a positive impact on our environment by reducing GHG emissions by 30 %. We focus on contributing to a more sustainable aeronautics industry for future generations.










4.


Team spirit, diversity and inclusion: Clean Aviation is a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone is respected, valued and empowered. We believe that team spirit thrives when different voices are heard, resulting in strong and engaged teams.





We propose

The function of Executive Director of the Clean Aviation JU.
The Executive Director is, as defined under Articles 19 and 67 of the Single Basic Act:






1.


the chief executive responsible for the day-to-day management of the JU in accordance with the decisions of the Governing Board. He/she shall provide the governing board with all information necessary for the performance of its functions. Without prejudice to the respective competencies of the Union institutions and the governing board, the executive director shall neither seek nor take instructions from any government or from any other body;










2.


the legal representative of the joint undertaking. She/he shall be accountable to the governing board of the joint undertaking;










3.


responsible for the implementation of the budget of the JU and shall ensure coordination between the different bodies and services of the JU.




The executive director shall carry out the following tasks for the JU:






(a)


ensure sustainable and efficient management of the JU and efficient implementation of the work programme;










(b)


prepare and submit for adoption to the governing board the draft annual budget and the staff establishment plan;










(c)


prepare and, after having taken into account the opinion of the states’ representatives group and of the Scientific Advisory Body, submit for adoption to the governing board the work programme and the corresponding expenditure estimates, to implement the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda;










(d)


submit for opinion to the governing board the annual accounts;










(e)


prepare and submit for assessment and approval to the governing board the consolidated annual activity report, including information on the corresponding expenditure and contributions from private members;










(f)


monitor the contributions of private members, report to the governing board regularly on the progress in achieving the targets and propose remedial or corrective measures, where necessary;










(g)


monitor the implementation of measures for attracting newcomers, in particularly SMEs and startups, higher education institutions and research organisations;










(h)


establish a formal and regular collaboration with the European partnerships identified in the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda and in accordance with the strategic orientation provided by the governing board;










(i)


inform regularly the relevant configuration of the Horizon Europe Programme Committee, following an invitation from the Chair, and in particular, before adoption of the work programme of the JU;










(j)


submit for approval to the governing board the list of actions to be selected for funding by the JU;










(k)


assess applications for associated members to the JU following an open call for expression of interest and submit proposals for associated members to the governing board;










(l)


inform regularly the other bodies of the joint undertaking on all matters relevant to their role;










(m)


sign individual grant agreements and decisions in his or her remit on behalf of the JU










(n)


sign procurement contracts on behalf of the JU;










(o)


ensure the programme’s monitoring and assessment of the progress compared to relevant impact indicators and the joint undertaking’s specific objectives, under the supervision of the governing board and in coordination with advisory bodies where relevant;










(p)


implement the communications policy of the JU;










(q)


organise, direct and supervise the operations and the staff of the JU within the limits of the delegations by the governing board;










(r)


establish and ensure the functioning of an effective and efficient internal control system and report any significant change to it to the governing board;










(s)


protect the financial interests of the Union and of other members by applying preventive measures against fraud, corruption and any other illegal activities by means of effective checks and, if irregularities are detected, by recovering amounts that were wrongly paid and, where appropriate, imposing effective, proportionate and dissuasive administrative and financial penalties;










(t)


ensure the carrying out of risk assessments and risk management for the JU;










(u)


take any other measures necessary for assessing the progress of the JU towards achieving its objectives;










(v)


prepare and submit for adoption to the governing board a plan for the phasing out of the JU from Horizon Europe funding;










(w)


take appropriate action to manage interactions between projects supported by the JU, avoiding undue overlaps between them and boosting synergies across the whole programme;










(x)


ensure that deadlines are met for the transmission of necessary information to the various bodies of the Clean Aviation JU;










(y)


facilitate coordination by the Commission in accordance with the advice of the advisory bodies between the activities of the Clean Aviation JU and the relevant research and innovation activities within Horizon Europe with a view to avoiding overlaps and promoting synergies;










(z)


ensure that the JU facilitates full access to data and information for the independent impact monitoring of aviation research and innovation carried out under the direct supervision of the Commission and takes any appropriate action needed to ensure the independence of that process from the Clean Aviation JU itself, such as by means of public procurement, independent evaluations, reviews or ad hoc analysis. The programme’s monitoring and assessment report shall be presented to the Governing Board once a year;










(aa)


assist the Governing Board adaptations of the technical content and budget allocations of the work programme during the implementation of the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda in order to maximise the achievements of the Clean Aviation JU;










(bb)


perform any other tasks entrusted or delegated to him or her by the governing board or as may be required by the Regulation establishing the JU (4).





We look for (selection criteria)

The ideal candidate is an outstanding and dynamic professional who should fulfil the following selection criteria:
1.   Personal qualities







—


Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a results-driven approach.










—


Integrity and professionalism, handling confidential/sensitive information appropriately and acting with impartiality and transparency.










—


Adaptability and resilience in fast-changing environments.










—


Excellent communication skills with solid command of English, and a strong ability in clearly articulating technical/conceptual ideas to diverse audiences, active listening and diplomacy in multistakeholder settings.




2.   Specialist skills and professional experience







—


Solid expertise in European aeronautics/aviation sector, including research, innovation, and industrial challenges and in EU transport policy and regulatory frameworks.










—


Comprehensive understanding of research and development in the field of activities of the Clean Aviation programme and across various aspects of aviation from aircrafts (including rotorcrafts and drones) to airport operations, air traffic management, within an international framework.










—


Direct experience with large-scale research and development programmes in a management role, with public-private partnerships and collaborative research ecosystems and with programme monitoring/evaluation.










—


Familiarity with innovation commercialisation, quality assurance and standardisation in aeronautics/aviation.




3.   Leadership and management skills







—


Extensive leadership experience in a complex, multicultural organisation, including developing and implementing strategic plans for large-scale programmes and leading multidisciplinary teams with measurable outcomes.










—


Proven decision-making and stakeholder management abilities, handling high-stakes decisions under pressure, balancing conflicting priorities and overseeing budgets, HR, and operations in a large organisation.










—


Stakeholder engagement skills, negotiating with public/private sector partners and representing an organisation at senior levels.





Candidates must (eligibility requirements)

Candidates will only be considered for the selection phase on the basis of the following formal requirements to be fulfilled by the deadline for applications:






—



Nationality: candidates must be a citizen of one of the Member States of the European Union.










—



University degree or diploma: candidates must have:






—


either a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is 4 years or more,










—


or a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least 1 year when the normal period of university education is at least 3 years (this one year’s professional experience cannot be included in the postgraduate professional experience required below).




Only diplomas that have been awarded in EU Member States or that are the subject of equivalence certificates issued by the authorities of one of these Member States may be taken into consideration.










—



Professional experience: candidates must have at least 15 years’ postgraduate professional experience in the aeronautics/aviation field (5) at a level to which the qualifications referred to above give admission. At least 5 years of that professional experience must be in the area of the activities of the Clean Aviation JU.










—



Management experience: at least 5 years of the post-graduate professional experience must have been gained in a high-level management function (6) and/or in a senior executive position in a large organisation operating in a field relevant for this position.










—



Languages: candidates must have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union (7) and a satisfactory knowledge of another of these official languages. Selection panels will verify during the interview(s) whether candidates comply with the requirement of a satisfactory knowledge of another official EU language. This may include (part of) the interview being conducted in this other language.










—



Age limit: candidates must be able to complete, at the deadline for application, the full mandate of 4 years before reaching the retirement age. For temporary staff of the European Union, the retirement age is defined as being the end of the month in which the person reaches the age of 66 years (see Article 47 of the Conditions of Employment of other Servants of the European Union (8)).





Selection and appointment

The Executive Director will be appointed by the governing board of Clean Aviation JU on the basis of a shortlist provided by the European Commission.
To establish this shortlist, the European Commission organises a selection in accordance with its selection and recruitment procedures (see the Document on Senior Officials Policy (9)).
As part of this selection procedure, the European Commission sets up a pre-selection panel. This panel analyses all applications, proceeds with a first eligibility verification and identifies candidates having the best profile in view of the selection criteria mentioned above, and who may be invited for an interview with the pre-selection panel. Candidates may be requested by the European Commission to provide documents supporting the information provided in their application at any moment of the procedure. Failure to provide those documents within the deadline set in the request may lead to the exclusion from the selection.
Following these interviews, the pre-selection panel draws up its conclusions and proposes a list of candidates for further interviews with the European Commission’s Consultative Committee on Appointments (CCA). The CCA, taking into consideration the conclusions of the pre-selection panel, will decide on the candidates to be invited for an interview.
Candidates who are called for an interview with the CCA participate in a full-day management assessment centre run by external recruitment consultants. Taking account of the results of the interview and the report of the assessment centre, the CCA establishes a shortlist of candidates it considers suitable for the function.
Candidates on the CCA shortlist will be interviewed by the Member(s) of the Commission responsible for the Directorate-General in charge of the relations with the Clean Aviation JU (10).
Following these interviews, the European Commission shall propose a list of candidates, preferably at least three, after consultation with the private members of the JU. For the purpose of such consultation, private members shall appoint one representative as well as one observer on behalf of the governing board. The governing board may decide to interview the candidates before appointing the Executive Director from among the candidates on the Commission shortlist. Inclusion on this shortlist does not guarantee appointment.
Candidates may be required to undergo further interviews and/or tests in addition to those indicated above.
The selected candidate should hold, or be in the position to obtain, a valid security clearance certificate from his/her national security authority. A personal security clearance is an administrative decision following completion of a security screening conducted by the individual’s competent national security authority in accordance with applicable national security laws and regulations and certifying that an individual may be allowed to access classified information up to a specified level. (Note that the necessary procedure for obtaining a security clearance can be initiated on request of the employer only, and not by the individual candidate.)
Until the personal security clearance has been granted by the Member State concerned and the clearance procedure completed with the legally required briefing from the European Commission’s Security Directorate, the candidate will not be able to access EU Classified Information (EUCI) at the level of CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL or above, nor attend any meetings at which such EUCI is discussed.

Equal opportunities

The European Commission and Clean Aviation JU pursue a strategic objective of achieving gender equality at all management levels by the end of its current mandate and apply a policy of equal opportunities and non-discrimination in accordance with Article 1d of the Staff Regulations encouraging applications that could contribute towards more diversity, gender equality and overall geographical balance.
To promote gender equality, the JU encourages applications in particular from women.
Assistance can be provided to persons with disabilities during the recruitment procedure.

Conditions of employment

The salaries and conditions of employment are laid down in the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants.
The successful candidate will be engaged by the governing board as a Temporary Agent at Grade AD 14. The successful candidate will be classified, depending on the length of their previous professional experience, in step 1 or step 2 within that grade.
The successful candidate will be appointed under the terms of the Single Basic Act for an initial mandate of 4 years, with a possible extension of the term of office for a maximum period of 3 years, according to the regulatory framework establishing the JU as applicable at the time of appointment.
Applicants should note the requirement under the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants for all new staff to complete successfully a nine-month probationary period.
The place of employment is Brussels, Belgium, where Clean Aviation JU is based.
The post is available from 1 December 2026.

Important information for candidates

Candidates are reminded that the work of the selection panels is confidential. It is forbidden for candidates to make direct or indirect contact with their individual members or for anybody to do so on their behalf. Any query has to be addressed to the secretariat of the respective panel.
The European Commission is currently working on a new Single Basic Act (SBA) to establish Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe for the period 2028-2034. This SBA and its provisions may impact on the future organisation of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (JU) and, consequently, on the mandate of the Executive Director if the JU is wound up or undergoes significant restructuring. To this end, the contract will include a provision allowing for the termination of the mandate of the Executive Director before the normal term, with a notice period as stipulated in Article 47(b)(ii) of the CEOS. By applying for this position, candidates acknowledge that they are aware of this possibility and the potential implications for their employment contract.

Protection of personal data

The Commission will ensure that candidates’ personal data are processed as required by Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (11). This applies in particular to the confidentiality and security of such data.

Independence and declaration of interests

Before taking up their duties, the Executive Director will be required to make a declaration of commitment to act independently in the public interest and to declare any interests, which might be considered prejudicial to their independence.

Application procedure

Before submitting your application, you should carefully check whether you meet all eligibility requirements (‘Candidates must’), particularly concerning the types of diploma, high-level professional experience as well as linguistic capacity required. Failure to meet any of the eligibility requirements means an automatic exclusion from the selection procedure.
If you want to apply, you must register via the internet on the following website and follow the instructions concerning the various stages of the procedure:

https://ec.europa.eu/dgs/human-resources/seniormanagementvacancies/.
You must have a valid email address. This will be used to confirm your registration as well as to remain in contact with you during the different stages of the procedure. Therefore, please keep the European Commission informed about any change in your email address.
To complete your application, you need to upload a CV in PDF format, preferably using the Europass CV format (12), and to fill out, online, a letter of motivation (maximum 8 000 characters). Your CV and your letter of motivation may be submitted in any of the official languages of the European Union.
It is in your interest to ensure that your application is accurate, thorough and truthful.
Once you have finished your online registration, you will receive an electronic mail confirming that your application has been registered. If you do not receive a confirmation mail, your application has not been registered!

Please note that it is not possible to monitor the progress of your application online. You will be contacted directly by the European Commission regarding the status of your application.
If you require more information and/or encounter technical problems, please send an email to:

HR-MANAGEMENT-ONLINE@ec.europa.eu.
It is your responsibility to complete your online registration in time. We strongly advise you not to wait until the last few days before applying, since heavy internet traffic or a fault with your internet connection could lead to the online registration being terminated before you complete it, thereby obliging you to repeat the whole process. Once the deadline for the submission of registrations has passed, you will no longer be able to introduce any data. Late registrations will not be accepted.

Closing date

The closing date for registration is 
               26 June 2026, 12.00 noon Brussels time, following which registration is no longer possible.


(1)  
            OJ L 243, 9.7.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1119/oj.

(2)  
            OJ L 427, 30.11.2021, p. 17, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/2085/oj.

(3)  Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination and repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695 (COM(2025) 543 final).

(4)  ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/2085/2023-09-21.

(5)  Professional experience is only taken into consideration if it represents an actual work relationship defined as real, genuine work, on a paid basis and as employee (any type of contract) or provider of a service. Professional activities pursued part-time shall be calculated pro rata, on the basis of the certified percentage of full-time hours worked. Maternity leave / parental leave / leave for adoption is taken into consideration if it is in the framework of a work contract. PhDs are assimilated to professional experience, even when unpaid, but for a duration of three years maximum, provided that the PhD has been successfully completed. A given period may be counted only once.

(6)  In their curriculum vitae, candidates should clearly indicate for all years during which management experience has been acquired: (1) title and role of management positions held; (2) numbers of staff overseen in these positions; (3) the size of budgets managed; (4) numbers of hierarchical layers above and below; and (5) number of peers.

(7)  EEC Council: Regulation No 1 determining the languages to be used by the European Economic Community (OJ 17, 6.10.1958, p. 385/58, http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/1958/1(1)/2013-07-01).

(8)  EEC/EAEC Council: Regulation No 31 (EEC), 11 (EAEC), laying down the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ 45, 14.6.1962, p. 1385/62, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/1962/31(1)/2014-07-01).

(9)  
            https://commission.europa.eu/publications/documents-senior-management-selection-procedures_en (only exists in English).

(10)  Unless the Member of the Commission concerned, in line with the Commission Decision of 5 December 2007 (PV(2007) 1811) and 30 September 2020 (PV(2020) 2351), has delegated this task.

(11)  
            OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1725/oj.

(12)  You can find information on how to create your Europass CV online at: https://europa.eu/europass/en/create-europass-cv.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/2815/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)