Liaison Officer to the NATO Innovation Fund
🔍 Belgium
The Innovation, Hybrid & Cyber (IHC) Division provides a coordinated approach for NATO to the emerging security challenges of the 21st Century. It serves as NATO HQ’s focal point for policy development on issues linked to Innovation and Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDTs), Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI), cyber, hybrid, energy security, security of critical undersea infrastructure, as well as the impact of climate change on security. The Division also promotes security cooperation on these challenges through a variety of different programmes, with Allies and with partner nations, as well as with industry, academia and with other International Organisations (IO).
The Innovation & Technology Adoption Section (ITA) is responsible for driving forward innovation and fostering rapid adoption of new technologies and products within the Organisation and across the Alliance. It helps to ensure that the Alliance understands the practical implications of EDT for defence and security, and is prepared to adopt them rapidly. The Section helps identify innovation priorities, including by cross-matching EDT with the most pressing decision-making, operational and capability development needs. The Section contributes to eliminating barriers to innovation, whether these are policy or process-related. The Section also supports the liaison function with the NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA), as well as with the independent NATO Innovation Fund (NIF).
The Liaison Officer to the NIF supports IHC by creating, strengthening and maintaining synergies between the NATO HQ and the NIF. In particular, the incumbent:
- Coordinates strategic engagement by liaising with NATO and the NIF with the aim of supporting Participating Allies of the NIF;
- Supports the NIF in maintaining an overview and awareness of the Alliance’s policy and priorities;
- Reports to key stakeholders – within national governments and with NATO entities – on NIF activities relevant to strategic objectives of Allies and NATO;
- Informs NIF on NATO’s efforts to foster development and adoption of EDTs and contributes to the protection of Allied innovation ecosystems against malicious influence;
- Travels to and from NIF HQ and Regional Offices when required.
2. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
ESSENTIAL
The incumbent must:
- hold a university degree, or equivalent level of qualification, in business administration, finance, economics, international security, or other innovation-related fields;
- have a minimum of 6 years’ work experience in fields relevant for this position;
- have proven experience in managing or leading teams;
- demonstrate familiarity with private sector actors – including start-ups, accelerators and risk capital – and the role of venture capital and/or financing for deep technologies;
- have a very good understanding on how to create and use financial tools to support innovation efforts;
- be familiar with the strategic issues and security challenges facing the Alliance;
- have the ability to effectively present to and persuade senior stakeholders;
- have excellent drafting and oral communication skills with previous experience working in a dynamic and diverse environment;
- possess the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): V(“Advanced”) in one; I (“Beginner”) in the other;
DESIRABLE
The following would be considered an advantage:
- managerial training;
- further educational degree;
- experience in a field related to military adoption of technology (e.g., defence acquisition and procurement, capability development, operational experimentation, armed service);
- working knowledge of the technologies on NATO’s identified list of EDTs;
- experience working in, or closely with, venture capital in an international environment.
3. MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES
Representation of the Organization
Represent the Organization in engagements with the NIF, investors in the Allied capital community, and its portfolio start-ups. Support the effort of representing NATO at innovation related events, as appropriate.
Expertise Development
Ensure that communication is consistent and reliable between NATO and the NIF. Ensure compliance with respective processes and procedures of the IS. Ensure brand compliance of the NIF and ensure close coordination with NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division.
Stakeholder Management
Be the first point of contact between the NATO Enterprise and the NIF. Establish and grow a network of stakeholders among NATO bodies and NATO partners relevant for the NIF; ensure the network of stakeholder relationships between the NIF, its portfolio companies, LPAC, and relevant stakeholders of the NATO Enterprise functions effectively while maintaining organisational commitment to NATO’s Code of Conduct. Provide support for executive level meetings.
Policy Development
Support policy developments in the innovation field, to be coherent with NIF investments, and keep abreast of tech signals and forecasting. Translate the Alliance’s political and policy goals to liaise with and inform the NIF’s Board of Directors and Senior Management Team and ensure their alignment as well. Introduce and raise awareness of policies for trusted capital across NATO, especially to support future NATO EDT policies.
Support the development of initiatives to enhance capacity building with the aim to support future adoption of technologies identified in NIF’s portfolio together with the LPAC and other NATO bodies. Promote alignment and coordination with DIANA at all times.
Knowledge Management
Support the development of IKM sharing frameworks between the IS and the NIF, adhering to relevant security policy. Ensure that the liaison team has up-to-date, accurate and relevant information on NATO for use by the NIF and LPAC. Ensure that key knowledge and insights from the NIF are delivered to relevant NATO stakeholders in a consistent and trustworthy fashion. Ensure that processes and procedures for knowledge management are aligned with the NIF objectives of Allied adoption and capacity building, as well as NATO’s objectives of maintaining the Alliance’s technological edge. Oversee the development of communication tools such as briefings, speaking notes and slide decks.
Perform any other related duty as assigned.
4. INTERRELATIONSHIPS
The incumbent reports to the Head of Section, Innovation Technology Adoption. The incumbent oversees and guides the operations and day-to-day activities of a more junior communication officer. The incumbent also develops close working relationships with the NATO Enterprise – in particular with other divisions of the NATO International Staff, DIANA, the Science & Technology Organization, as well as NATO Strategic Commands. They also provide support to national delegations and NIF Limited Partners as necessary, and develop an effective professional relationship with the NIF leadership and staff.
5. COMPETENCIES
The incumbent must demonstrate:
- Achievement: Creates own measures of excellence and improves performance;
- Analytical Thinking: Sees multiple relationships;
- Change Leadership: Expresses vision for change;
- Impact and Influence: Uses indirect influence;
- Initiative: Is decisive in a time-sensitive situation;
- Organizational Awareness: Understands organisational politics;
- Teamwork: Solicits inputs and encourages others.
7. USEFUL INFORMATION REGARDING APPLICATION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Please note that we can only accept applications from nationals of NATO member countries. Applications must be submitted using e-recruitment system, as applicable:
- For NATO civilian staff members only: please apply via the internal recruitment portal (link);
- For all other applications: www.nato.int/recruitment
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More information about the recruitment process and conditions of employment, can be found at our website (http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/recruit-hq-e.htm)
Appointment will be subject to receipt of a security clearance (provided by the national Authorities of the selected candidate), approval of the candidate’s medical file by the NATO Medical Adviser, verification of your study(ies) and work experience, and the successful completion of the accreditation and notification process by the relevant authorities.
NATO will not accept any phase of the recruitment and selection prepared, in whole or in part, by means of generative artificial-intelligence (AI) tools, including and without limitation to chatbots, such as Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (Chat GPT), or other language generating tools. NATO reserves the right to screen applications to identify the use of such tools. All applications prepared, in whole or in part, by means of such generative or creative AI applications may be rejected without further consideration at NATO’s sole discretion, and NATO reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.