Conventional Arms Control Officer

Pending Budget Approval

1. SUMMARY

The Political Affairs and Security Policy (PASP) Division leads on the political aspects of NATO’s core tasks and is the International Staff’s centre for Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation issues. The Arms Control, Disarmament, and WMD Non-Proliferation Section (ADN) within PASP serves as NATO’s focal point for:

(1) Consultation, coordination, and policy related to Arms Control, Disarmament, and Non-Proliferation (ADN),

(2) Conventional and WMD arms control and disarmament implementation,

(3) Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Defense Partnership

(4) Cooperation on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and Mine Action (MA).

The Section also promotes cooperation on these challenges among Allies, with NATO Partners, and with International Organisations (IOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), as appropriate.

ADN coordinates and oversees implementation of NATO’s ADN policies across a number of different committees, including the Special Advisory and Consultative Arms Control, Disarmament, and Non-Proliferation Committee (ADNC), the Committee on Proliferation in Politico-Military (CP) and the High-Level Task Force on Conventional Arms Control (HLTF).

Under the authority of the Head of Section, the incumbent is responsible for analysing the impact of political developments on Alliance arms control policy, supporting the arms control planning and training processes, as well as analysing and providing expert opinion on arms control activities, to include bilateral strategic and theater arms control (New START), as well as arms control and confidence and security-building measures (CSBMs) in the Euro-Atlantic area: the Conventional Armed Forces Europe (CFE) Treaty, the Vienna Document, the Global Exchange of Military Information, the Open Skies Treaty, the Ottawa and Oslo Conventions, the UN Program of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, and the impact of those activities and other potential future treaties and agreements on Alliance planning and operations. They also will support the team in charge of maintaining the arms control data management system. They will draft analytical reports, information papers and policies intended for internal and external use in the dialogue between nations on arms control and coordination. They will support the chair of relevant Committees and chair expert meetings and provide inputs in support of Alliance arms control coordination, implementation and policy, as directed.

2. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL

The incumbent must: 

• possess a university degree, preferably with an emphasis on political science or contemporary international relations from an institute of recognised standing;
• have at least 5 years of practical experience in security-related matters at the national or international level, especially in the areas of negotiation and consensus-building;
• have strong knowledge of arms control related issues, including collection of information, synthesis and analysis, policy-setting, implementation, coordination of positions, and negotiation of relevant treaties, agreements, and procedures;
• demonstrate in-depth knowledge of defence and security policy, to include defence capabilities;
• have knowledge of ADN-related matters at national or international level;
• possess the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): V (“Advanced”) in one and I (“Beginner”) in the other;
• be able to travel and work outside normal office hours when necessary.

DESIRABLE

The following would be considered an advantage: 

• a post-graduate degree in a related discipline;
• familiarity with NATO initiatives currently being pursued in arms control, disarmament, and weapons of mass destruction non-proliferation (ADN), as well as NATO’s organisational structures, procedures, policies, and programmes;
• experience in a comparable position within a Ministry for Foreign Affairs or a Ministry of Defence.
• Experience with arms control implementation efforts at national or international level;
• Experience working with an IT team on requirements development and database maintenance;
• knowledge of Russian politico-military doctrines;

3.  MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES

Policy Development

Within the PASP Security Policy Directorate (SPD), provide advice and support to the Section Head, and, through the Section Head, to PASP and NATO  leadership, on matters dealing with policy, negotiating positions and implementation of arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation treaties and agreements. Support the Section in facilitating consensus building within the Alliance and with Partners. Work with Section leadership to encourage and support discussions and consultations among Allies and with Partners on challenges and threats stemming to Euro-Atlantic security and the role of arms control.

Project Management

Contribute to the Alliance’s inspection planning process to include inspection and evaluation allocation, coordination, and de-confliction, and coordinating arms control-related training programmes (in coordination with NATO Military Authorities and the NATO School at Oberammergau). 

Expertise Development

Monitor political developments as they affect arms control, including their policy, negotiation, coordination, and implementation. Draft assessments on arms control issues with input from other NATO bodies, Allies, partners, and open-source materials. Draft documents for NATO Committees, in particular those addressing ADN issues. Summarise discussions in all relevant Committees for Section leadership and Allies, draft recommendations, and execute all relevant guidance. Draft, review, and amend documents as directed. Propose changes to committee work processes and structures. Report to relevant arms control, as required. 

Stakeholder Management

Work with contacts across NATO, with capitals, as well as with partners, IOs, and subject-matter experts to provide all-source monitoring of arms control-related issues. Maintain awareness and bring related knowledge to bear in daily work. Under direction from the Head of Section, use personal and institutional relationships and facilitate dialogue among NATO, Allies, partners, and other organisations including the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN), NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) and other NATO relevant bodies. Seek to identify and raise attention to diverging interests held by stakeholders regarding NATO's objectives on arms control. Coordinate on requirements to maintain relevant arms control databases, including VERITY. Coordinate information with Allied and partner verification units and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Reconcile diverging interests held by stakeholders to ensure NATO's objectives concerning ADN are met. Direct Voluntary National Contributions (VNCs) and interns under guidance and direction of the Section leadership. 

Information Management

Collaborate across the ADN and PASP on the development and preparation of documents dealing with all aspects of work related to ADN including in the relevant ADN Committees and NATO bodies. Collect, generate, and circulate reports, summaries, and analyses of recent ADN developments. Support the distribution of information, and contribute to and coordinate reports and other papers as required for senior management and national experts. Support efforts, in collaboration with the IT team to ensure the maintenance of NATO arms control data and corroborate it with OSCE data. 

Knowledge Management

Prepare reports for higher political committees, to include the Council, and respond to informal requests for reports. Develop, with colleagues, and prepare a rolling assessment of ADN developments, as well as defence and security policy developments that impact ADN policy and implementation, drawing upon classified and open sources. Report findings as appropriate. Ensure Section, Division and relevant Committee members have access to relevant documents and databases. Ensure the collection and dissemination of information provided by nations concerning the implementation of arms control treaties and agreements, such as Vienna Document. 

Representation of the Organization

Contribute to NATO representation by developing and communicating information supportive of NATO’s interests. Represent the Section in committee meetings, meetings with outside bodies, and press engagements as assigned. Support the Section and PASP leadership as chair for meetings, seminars, workshops. Attend the NAC and other NATO Committees as assigned by Section leadership, and summarize meetings, speaking if appropriate and tasked. Attend consultations and staff-to-staff talks with partner Nations and relevant IOs as tasked. Prepare briefings and lectures and be prepared to deliver such talks as assigned. Participate in seminars and conferences on ADN issues. Contribute to fact sheets and other publicly available documents on the Alliance's ADN efforts to develop balanced messages for the public relevant issues in co-operation with PDD as directed. 

Perform any other related duty as assigned.

4.  INTERRELATIONSHIPS

The incumbent reports to the Head of Section and coordinates and works with a small IT team to ensure that they are able to perform their duties. They will establish and maintain strong working relationships with staff officers throughout NATO bodies working on any topic related to ADN, including force and defence planners, exercise planners, nuclear policy experts, NATO Military Authorities, and national experts, in order to develop a cohesive response to proliferation issues and to provide support to committees and working groups addressing ADN issues.

Direct reports: N/a

Indirect reports: N/a

5.  COMPETENCIES

The incumbent must demonstrate: 

• Analytical Thinking: Sees multiple relationships;
• Clarity and Accuracy: Checks own work;
• Conceptual Thinking: Applies learned concepts;
• Customer Service Orientation: Takes personal responsibility for correcting problems;
• Initiative: Is decisive in a time-sensitive situation;
• Impact and Influence: Takes multiple actions to persuade;
• Organisational Awareness: Understands organisational climate and culture;
• Teamwork: Expresses positive attitudes and expectations of team or team members.