Head of Department: Veterinary Evaluation and Innovati…

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Serving a population of 500 million citizens, we promote and protect public and animal health in EU Member States, as well as the countries of the European Economic Area, by ensuring that all medicines available on the EU market are safe, effective and of high quality.

Within the Agency's Veterinary Division, the Veterinary Evaluation and Innovation Department (V-EI) acts as the Agency's scientific centre of excellence for the evaluation and innovation of veterinary medicines, ensuring that veterinary medicines are safe, effective and can reach the EU market efficiently.

Specialist teams within the V-EI Department support the development of EU and international scientific guidance on the quality, safety and efficacy of veterinary medicines used by regulatory networks and stakeholders. The Department also provides advice to the European Commission, other EU agencies and international organisations on scientific aspects of veterinary medicines or substances under its areas of responsibility.

The Department is organised in two Services: pharmaceuticals and biologicals. It works as part of the European Medicines Regulatory Network.

The Agency is looking to recruit a Head of the Veterinary Evaluation and Innovation Department, who will provide scientific leadership for the Department whilst leading its operations, people and overall resources, as a senior member of the Veterinary Division management team.

The Department acts as the Agency's scientific centre of excellence for evaluation and innovation of veterinary medicines, ensuring that veterinary medicines are safe, effective and can reach the EU market efficiently. Communication, diplomacy and negotiation skills are key to bring together decisive outcomes in collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders.

In this job you will:

• Provide scientific leadership for the Department and contribute to shaping veterinary regulatory science and innovation across the European Medicines Regulatory Network.
• Be responsible for the management of operations, staff and overall resources across the two Services of the Department (pharmaceuticals and biologicals).
• Build strategic thought-partnerships with leaders, stakeholders and staff.
• Set and lead the Department strategy in alignment with the Division and Agency strategy and priorities.
• Coach and mentor Heads of Service, staff and teams to deliver business results while paving the way for their growth and development.
• Provide input and actively engage in the strategic planning process and strategic initiatives that are central to the Agency and the Division.
• Translate strategic priorities of the Agency and the Division (e.g. from the EU Medicines Agencies' Strategy, and CVMP workplans) into concrete Departmental plans and work programmes by driving collaboration across functions, services and offices.
• Provide steering, guidance and operational management on strategic priorities and programmes to the Department and keep the Department well informed, motivated and accountable.
• Drive timely delivery of management reporting, ensuring information from the relevant governance bodies and senior managers is well understood and cascaded.
• Lead and manage matrix activities as necessary (e.g. product teams, ad hoc task forces).
• Take responsibility for ensuring that organisational capabilities required to meet the Department's objectives are planned and allocated appropriately.
• Establish and oversee departmental objectives and performance indicators; ensure the Department delivers objectives effectively and efficiently and that all related activities are conducted in accordance with organisational policies, processes and standards.
• Recognise employees' strengths and value to successfully delegate responsibilities.

The specific tasks of the job holder are further detailed in the activities of the organisational entity within which the job holder carries out those tasks; the set of annual performance and development objectives established together with the reporting officer; and the requirement to comply with SOPs, WINs, the Confidentiality Undertaking and other documentation relevant to the role and its scope.

Key details

• Deadline for applications: 04 September 2026 at 23.59 CET.
• Selection procedure reference: EMA/AD/11525.
• Job grade: AD 10.
• Type of position: temporary agent.
• Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Relocation to take up duties is mandatory.

Eligibility criteria - general conditions

• Full rights as a citizen of a European Union Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway.
• Thorough knowledge of English (at least level C1) and a satisfactory knowledge of another official language of the European Union (at least level B2).
• Fulfilled any obligations imposed by applicable laws concerning military service.

Eligibility criteria - qualifications

• A university degree in life sciences of minimum four years, obtained by the closing date of this vacancy notice, and 12 years from the time when the degree was awarded; or
• A university degree in life sciences of three years, obtained by the closing date of this vacancy notice, and 13 years from the time when the degree was awarded.

You will be required to provide evidence in the application form and proof at the interview stage. Failing to present these documents may result in disqualification from the selection procedure.

Experience you need to have

• Proficient level of expertise evidenced by 9 years of professional experience in veterinary and/or human medicines' product development, lifecycle management and regulatory affairs, including relevant professional experience in the veterinary field at the level required to assist, consult with or lead other professionals in this area.
• Proficient level of expertise evidenced by 7 years of professional experience in leadership and management at the level required to lead, manage and guide other managers, multidisciplinary teams and staff within a complex scientific and regulatory environment.
• Experience in financial management and budgeting.
• Experience in managing a complex stakeholder structure within large international organisations.
• Solid understanding of current evolutions in the field of veterinary medicines and the EU regulatory system, including innovations in animal health and relevant horizontal legislation.

Skills and knowledge you need to have

• A high degree of competence in organising work, resources and procedures to achieve operational effectiveness.
• Experience and previous involvement in organising and leading high-impact strategic initiatives.

Competencies you need to have

• Role competencies (intermediate): continuous improvement; managing change and transition.
• Core managerial competencies (advanced): coaching and developing; talent management. (Intermediate): decision-making; collaborative team leadership; inspiring and engaging; relating and networking; visionary thinking and strategic planning.
• Core competencies (advanced): team collaboration; customer centricity; results orientation; communication; cross-cultural sensitivity. (Intermediate): ethics and integrity; continuous learning and self-development.

Nice to have

• Master in the field of life sciences; alternatively, certificates or diplomas showing attendance of specialisation courses on matters relevant to the role. Certificates in management or leadership.
• Good knowledge of the Agency's governance and of the workings of the European medicines regulatory network and the EU institutions.
• Experience in risk identification and mitigation in the relevant professional area.
• Experience in facilitating alignment between IT development initiatives and the operational needs of business teams.
• Advanced user of MS Office; knowledge and understanding of modern technology and aptitude to learn other IT tools and systems used by EMA and the EU veterinary regulatory network (e.g. Union Product Database, IRIS).

• Meaningful work contributing to protecting the health of every individual and animal in Europe within a multinational, multidisciplinary team
• Development opportunities (e.g. internal mobility, mentoring, peer coaching, career reflection programme, etc.)
• Work-life balance (flexible working arrangements, teleworking, generous annual leave plus official holidays)

Benefits

• In principle, initial 5 year renewable contract with competitive monthly national tax-free salary and household & children's allowances (where applicable).
• Privileges including expatriation (for expatriate staff) and education allowances (where appropriate) and additional home leave.
• Relocation assistance.
• Excellent health insurance scheme and social benefits.
• Retirement Pension Plan.

Monthly net salary of 9.093,92 Euro, including local weighting, plus benefits, based on a full-time contract of 40 hours per week.

The local weighting adjusts salaries to the cost of living in the Netherlands compared to Brussels. The current weighting for the EMA's location in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is 113.2. Please consult the Eurostat and Commission websites for more information on weightings, and the salary and benefit calculators on the EMA careers website.

Successful and selected EMA internal staff currently in grade AD 08 (with two years of seniority) who do not fulfil the eligibility criterion regarding the years of experience required for the AD 10 post shall be appointed in accordance with the middle management rules at AD 09 level.