As soon as possible at the Berlin office, with remote work up to three days per week

Who we are:

The Sovereign Tech Agency is an organization dedicated to the digital sovereignty of the economy and society. Our mission is to strengthen the foundations of our digital autonomy and secure open digital technologies as the critical infrastructure of the 21st century.Open digital infrastructure is the backbone of the digital world. It is essential for the flow of information, for government, for business, and for innovation, much like roads and bridges in the physical world. The most effective strategy for building this infrastructure is open source software: it is the bedrock on which our digital society is built - powerful, collaborative, and democratic.

With a commission from the German Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation, we invest in critical software components, develop programs, and create structures that sustainably strengthen the open source ecosystem, including the people behind the code.

Our work is unique: we are leading the way on how governments engage with open digital infrastructure and laying the groundwork for how modern societies ensure resilience, technological diversity, and public digital services.Together, we are building Europe’s digital future – open, secure, and sovereign.

Who we are looking for:

We are looking for a Director of Technology to lead and shape the Sovereign Tech Agency’s technology and research work. This is a rare opportunity to work at the center of a small organization focused on the critical technologies that underpin digital sovereignty but rarely receive public attention. From protocol implementations and cryptographic libraries to package managers and security tooling, these systems are part of the invisible infrastructure today’s world depends upon.The Director of Technology is part of the management team of the organization, alongside the Managing Directors and the Director of Programs. In this role, you will shape our technology strategy: how we identify critical fields of action, where we set priorities, and how our programs and investments complement each other.This role requires the judgment to anticipate where critical open infrastructure will come under pressure, and to help the open source ecosystem prepare before those pressures become emergencies. Memory safety, post-quantum cryptography, and the multi-layered effects of the AI transformation are examples of shifts the Sovereign Tech Agency is responding to. Spotting the next ones is central to your work.

You will lead a team of technologists and research-focused colleagues, ensuring that our technical expertise supports day-to-day program work while also developing into clear, useful outputs for partners, policymakers, maintainers, and the wider public. This includes strengthening the knowledge base supporting our investment portfolio, initiating focused research projects, and helping the organization demonstrate the impact of its work.Working closely with Programs, Communications, Legal, and Operations, you will ensure that our mission remains grounded in technical understanding and that our work strengthens the most critical open infrastructure that digital sovereignty depends upon.

Your Tasks:

Lead the development of the Sovereign Tech Agency’s technology portfolio and further shape the organization-wide technology strategy, guiding how we identify and select areas of work, where we set priorities, and how our activities strengthen critical open infrastructure.
Identify, evaluate, and prioritize technology fields, emerging developments, and investment focus areas.
Effectively allocate your team’s time in support of our day-to-day program work (e.g., Sovereign Tech Fund, Sovereign Tech Fellowship) in areas such as proposal review, project scouting, and program co-creation.
Provide full line management and leadership for the technologists and research-related team members, with a strong orientation towards output formats that help us carry our expertise and findings into public spaces.
Strengthen the Sovereign Tech Agency’s knowledge management related to critical open source technologies to inform funding choices, communications, and day-to-day work across teams.
In close partnership with the Director of Programs, translate our mission into the next phase of technological change, especially in light of developments in AI and their implications for open source ecosystems.
Represent the organization's technical expertise to stakeholders, partners, and public audiences.
Expand and maintain networks with relevant stakeholders in the technological environment of the Sovereign Tech Agency.
Initiate and guide research projects and inquiries related to critical open source infrastructure, and create effective feedback loops from research into program design.
Develop approaches to measuring and demonstrating the impact of our work, including through a network of evaluation partners.

Your Qualities:

Deep technical familiarity with Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and the common practices within the open source ecosystem.
Proven ability to develop and operationalize technology strategies across an organization or complex portfolio.
Experience leading technical, research, or interdisciplinary teams, including setting priorities, supporting team members’ professional development, and ensuring high-quality outputs. We're a growing, dynamic organization with members working across hybrid and fully remote setups.
Strong orientation towards clear communication and reusable outputs: you know how to translate technical expertise into useful formats for different audiences.
Familiarity with AI-related technological developments and their implications for open source, digital infrastructure, and public-interest technology.
Strong internal and external stakeholder management skills and the ability to work effectively across Programs, Communications, Legal, and Operations.
A degree in computer science, cybersecurity, applied technology, or comparable working experience in a technology role.
Experience designing or using impact measurement approaches for technology projects, or related programmatic work is great to have.
Business fluent in German and English. Our working language is English, so you must be able to communicate clearly and succinctly in English.
You’re a team player and enjoy collaborating with coworkers, active and open communication, and both giving and receiving feedback.
You’re organized, self-directed, and proactive, working effectively with modern collaboration tools.

Your motivation, attitude, and vision are as important as your resume. Even if you don’t fit all requirements, we welcome your application.

What we offer:

Based on experience and qualifications, the annual compensation for this role (at 40 hours per week) is 84,500 EUR to 99,500 Euro aligned with the TVöD-Bund wage agreement for the public sector.
This position is based in Berlin. We are open to a hybrid from-home/in-office work arrangement, with a minimum in-office presence of two days a week.
We have four in-person team meetings in or around Berlin per year; almost all meetings are scheduled during GMT +1 working hours.
Employment under German law; work and residence must be in Germany
30 days of vacation (based on a 5-day work week)
Support for your professional and personal development, including the opportunity to attend international conferences
Initial two-year term with the goal of converting subsequently to an open-ended contract
In our small, agile team, your perspective matters: we explicitly welcome you to contribute ideas and suggestions about how we can develop as an organization and to actively participate in shaping our future.

Diversity and Inclusion:

We are a diverse team and welcome applications from BPoC (Black and People of Color), individuals with disabilities, people with migration backgrounds, and individuals from other groups underrepresented in technology development.If you belong to these groups, please feel free to mention it in your application. However, we encourage you to refrain from including a photo of yourself or any information about your age, gender, marital status, or similar details in your documents.

We will confirm receipt of your documents by email. We will set up an introductory meeting as soon as possible, depending on your availability, either in person in Berlin or via video call.

We will accept applications for this position at least until 7 October 2026.

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