Officer, Integrated Air Missile Defence
🔍 Belgium
1. SUMMARY
The Defence Investment (DI) Division is responsible for facilitating the development and adoption of cutting-edge, innovative and interoperable capabilities, critical to ensuring the Alliance’s ability to undertake the full spectrum of missions and operations. Key lines of effort include:
- leading the development of major complex capability programmes in the land, maritime, air and space domains - including on Air and Missile Defence, Alliance Future Surveillance and Control capability (follow on to AWACS), Air Command and Control (Air C2), Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) assets and other critical Consultation, Command & Control (C3) networks – and in doing so addressing all policy, political-military, technical and practical aspects;
- leading NATO’s policy and engagements in the aviation and integrated air and missile defence domains;
- pursuing interoperability through prioritised standardisation efforts, developing with Allies new approaches to operational challenges, supported by a commitment to operational experimentation and innovation;
- maintaining the Alliance’s technological edge through exploring and driving adoption of emerging and disruptive technologies, with a particular focus on autonomous systems;
- facilitating multinational cooperation in capability development through a series of specific initiatives tackling critical capability requirements;
- understanding, adapting to, and pro-actively addressing climate change;
- informing and responding to the Alliance’s evolving capability needs through the NATO Defence Planning;
- providing oversight to NATO Agencies involved in capability development and delivery (in particular NATO Communication and Information Agency and NATO Support and Procurement Agency);
- working with a range of key stakeholders within NATO including the Strategic Commands and externally with NATO Partners and relevant international and regional organisations including the EU, as well as with industry and academia.
The Armament and Aerospace Capabilities Directorate (A&ACap) supports consensus decision making at NATO Headquarters on a wide range of joint, land, air and maritime capabilities required for the full range of the Alliance’s missions. To that end, it provides relevant advice to NATO Committees and the Organisation’s senior management. In particular, the Directorate supports the work of the Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD), the Aviation Committee (AVC), the Integrated Air and Missile Defence Policy Committee (IAMD PC) and their subordinate structures. Specific responsibilities include policy and capability development and delivery, support and oversight of political-military aspects and programs in the areas of Space, Joint Air Power (JAP), IAMD, Joint Intelligence, Reconnaissance, Surveillance (JISR), as well as armaments cooperation and projects conducted by NATO, multinationally or by individual nations.
The IAMD Section is responsible for policy guidance, programmatic support, capability development and delivery and cooperation on all IAMD-related matters, JAP topics, as well as the development of integrated air and missile defence capabilities within the framework of the NATO Defence Planning Process (NDPP). The Section supports the IAMD PC, the Joint Capability Group on Surface Based Air and Missile Defence (JCG SBAMD), IAMD-related aspects of CNAD work and the programmatic governance of NATO Ballistic Missile Defence and Air C2 programs. The Section develops and conducts relevant activities with Partners in various NATO fora. It liaises and coordinates with all space, JAP and IAMD entities, in particular the NATO Military Authorities (NMAs) and other relevant NATO bodies and agencies and external stakeholders.
The incumbent is responsible for managing, promoting and coordinating all assigned activities. This includes: acting as secretary of the IAMD PC; having the lead responsibility for some of the Committee’s policy work strands; working with nations, NMAs and Partners to develop and implement relevant IAMD policies to ensure a comprehensive approach to Alliance IAMD; establishing work priorities to support Directorate, Division, Committee and Alliance goals and objectives on IAMD; anticipating requirements and providing relevant inputs to other Divisions or entities, as required; performing any other IAMD related duties as assigned.
2. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
ESSENTIAL
The incumbent must:
- hold a master’s degree from a university, college, institute or defence institution (OF-3 or higher) of recognised standing;
- have at least five years of relevant professional experience;
- demonstrate knowledge of the Alliance’s political and military consultative processes and their related policies and procedures;
- demonstrate knowledge of conceptual and operational aspects of NATO’s deterrence and defence;
- demonstrate knowledge of JAP and IAMD strategies, policies, capabilities, operations and organisation;
- have experience working in an international work environment;
- be able to draft quickly, clearly and concisely in one of the official languages of the Organization with commonly used office software packages;
- have experience and a proven ability to prepare and present briefings to military and civilian audiences at all levels;
- possess the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): V (“Advanced”) in one; I (“Beginner”) in the other;
- be willing to travel and to work outside normal office hours.
DESIRABLE
The following would be considered an advantage:
- experience in policy or military concept development;
- policy experience in a Ministry of Defence or Foreign Affairs, national delegation or a NATO body;
- familiarity with NATO procedures, policies and initiatives, including those with relevant NATO Partners and partnership frameworks;
- experience in multinational negotiations;
- knowledge of NATO civilian and military defence organisations;
- knowledge of the NDPP;
- higher level of the 2nd official NATO language.
3. MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES
Policy Development
Support the development of NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence policy within the overarching framework of joint air power and the drafting of conceptual IAMD working papers. Draft new IAMD policy works strands, as relevant. Coordinate within the section/division and with other divisions, the NMAs and national experts to develop options and recommendations on the integrated air and missile defence policies, concepts, required capabilities and activities. Contribute to the preparation of and advise on IAMD-related meetings and documents to the respective Committees and the North Atlantic Council, as appropriate.
Expertise Development
Provide subject matter expertise on development of relevant IAMD-related documents. Liaise with partner nations on IAMD issues, as appropriate and within agreed frameworks.
Information Management
Prepare agendas of meetings of the IAMD PC. Draft decisions sheets and reports resulting from meetings. Ensure efficient organisation of Committee work long-term, based on tasked and foreseen work.
Stakeholder Management
Establish and maintain the necessary liaison with the various NATO bodies, agencies, nations and military authorities involved in air and missile defence. Establish and maintain a broad network of relevant contacts inside and outside NATO Headquarters with a focus on IAMD, and deterrence and defence more broadly. Improve coordination and help establish systemic mechanisms to coordinate effectively among these stakeholders. Establish and maintain close relations with partner nations, as relevant, to support their interactions with NATO on IAMD issues, as needed.
Representation of the Organisation
Participate in meetings, seminars, exercises and workshops on IAMD and related issues, by providing briefings and expertise as requested. Represent the International Staff (IS) and/or the IAMD PC in relevant bodies or working groups, as necessary.
Knowledge Management
Regularly review extant documents, initiating corrective action when appropriate. Work with the administrative staff to ensure that documents are distributed in a timely manner to stakeholders and customers.
Project Management
Support the implementation of follow-up action concerning the decisions of the IAMD PC, ensuring the timely execution of tasks agreed upon by the committee. Monitor and take necessary follow-up actions to implement these decisions, initiating any required support actions, including supporting the preparation and conduct of workshops and seminars.
Perform any other related duty as assigned.
4. INTERRELATIONSHIPS
The incumbent reports to the Head of Section, but is responsible for executing a large amount of independent work. The incumbent maintains a good working relationship with members of other IS Divisions and the International Military Staff (IMS), and provides guidance on policy development and implementation on a regular basis to relevant stakeholders. They work closely with staff of the Bi-Strategic Commands and subordinate HQs, including centres of excellence, national, partners, delegations/authorities and NATO Agencies.
Direct reports: N/a Indirect reports: N/a
5. COMPETENCIES
The incumbent must demonstrate:
- Analytical Thinking: Makes complex plans or analyses;
- Clarity and Accuracy: Checks own work;
- Conceptual Thinking: Applies learned concepts;
- Customer Service Orientation: Takes personal responsibility for correcting problems;
- Impact and Influence: Takes multiple actions to persuade;
- Initiative: Is decisive in a time-sensitive situation;
- Organisational Awareness: Understands organisational climate and culture;
- 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.