Lead Expert Solution Train Engineer

General Information

Type of contract Fixed-term contract, which may be extended subject to individual performance and organisational needs

Who can apply? EU nationals

Salary H (bracket 1 - step 1) full time monthly net salary: €8,130 plus benefits, for further information see what we offer.

Role specialisation Market Infrastructure Project Management

Working time Full time

Place of work Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Closing date

Your team

You will join the End-to-End Product and Delivery Division of the Directorate Digital Euro, which is leading the digital euro project. With the preparation phase of this project successfully completed, the next phase focuses on advancing technical readiness, deepening market engagement and supporting the legislative process.

For more information about the digital euro project, please visit the hub page on the ECB's website.

In your role as Lead Expert Solution Train Engineer you will join the Agile Development Office, which is embedded in a growing project team of approximately 100 staff. The Agile Development Office team has around eight members of staff responsible for managing implementation of the Digital Euro Service Platform and driving alignment across a multi-vendor, multi-team ecosystem for this strategic European project. You will work closely with providers from across Europe and colleagues to translate the strategic decisions of European legislators and Eurosystem leadership into steps to shape the future of European payments.

The ECB is an inclusive employer and we strive to reflect the diversity of the population we serve. We encourage you to apply irrespective of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or other characteristics.

Your role

As a Lead Expert Solution Train Engineer you will:

• manage the end-to-end delivery of the Solution Train for the Digital Euro Service Platform by coordinating the work of multiple Agile Release Trains (ARTs) and ensuring their alignment with the solution vision;
• coordinate dependencies and workflows across ARTs, providers and key ECB stakeholders to ensure seamless collaboration and value delivery in alignment with the value streams and investment guardrails;
• support and facilitate key SAFe Solution Train events, including Pre- and Post-PI Planning, Solution Train Syncs, RTE Syncs and Inspect and Adapt workshops;
• establish and maintain a culture of relentless improvement by driving Lean-Agile practices, improving flow, and fostering innovation within the Solution Train in close collaboration with other Solution Leaders (Solution Management and Architect).

The position offers you excellent opportunities to drive a high-profile initiative which is of strategic importance to the European economy and which will enable secure, efficient and inclusive digital payments for millions of users across the euro area. You will be part of a multicultural team that strives for continuous innovation to make a positive impact on the lives of European citizens.

Qualifications, experience and skills

Essential:

• a master's degree or equivalent in engineering, project management, business administration or another relevant field (see How you can join us for details on degree equivalences);
• in addition to the above, a minimum of six years' professional experience coordinating the development of IT infrastructures, of which at least three as a Solution Train Engineer or in a similar role (e.g. a Release Train Engineer for a large ART) managing complex Solution Trains with multiple ARTs;
• certification in SAFe (e.g. SAFe Release Train Engineer, Leading SAFe, Implementing SAFe, etc.) obtained within the last five years;
• strong expertise in identifying, managing and resolving inter-team and inter-ART dependencies at a solution level;
• a track record in fostering continuous improvement and a Lean-Agile mindset across teams and stakeholders;
• an advanced (C1) command of English and an intermediate (B1) command of at least one other official language of the EU, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Desired:

• experience mentoring teams transitioning from traditional delivery models (e.g. Waterfall) to Agile and SAFe practices;
• a background in software engineering, enterprise architecture or large-scale system design;
• knowledge of retail payments systems.

You engage collaboratively with others. You pursue team goals and learn willingly from other people's diverse perspectives. You signal any need for change by explaining it and proposing alternative solutions. You analyse complex information effectively and can evaluate different views to arrive at solutions. You know and anticipate stakeholder needs.

You are motivated to contribute to the ECB's mission, to serve the citizens of the EU as a member of a public institution and to work with colleagues from all over Europe.

You are motivated to be part of our team and to develop and use your skills and competencies to achieve the aims of this position.

Working modalities

We would be happy to discuss a part-time arrangement for this role.

Further information

The formal title for this position will be Lead Market Infrastructure Expert.

The contract offered will be fixed-term, the appointment being until 31 March 2028.

Temporary appointments may be extended or made permanent subject to organisational needs and budgetary constraints. This may result in a staff member with a non-convertible fixed-term contract being offered a convertible contract in accordance with the ECB Conditions of Employment.

For additional information on this specific vacancy, you can speak to the hiring manager, Andrea Pinna, on between 15:00 and 16:00 on Thursday, 27 November.

Application and selection process

The recruitment process for this position will be conducted remotely. It will include a written exercise, a presentation and interviews.

If you are not selected for this position but are still considered suitable, you will be placed on a reserve list (see step 4 of How we hire), from which you might be considered for similar positions within the ECB.

Find out how to apply for a position at the ECB.

Read more about how you can join us.