Principal Policy Analyst (Ukraine)

Post Context

On 15 FEB 2024, the NATO – Ukraine Council (NUC) Defence Ministers took the political decision to endorse the establishment of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training, and Education, Centre (JATEC).  Subsequently, in JUL 2024, the Washington Summit agreed to take forward the establishment of the NATO-Ukraine JATEC, as an important pillar of practical cooperation, to identify and apply lessons from Russia’s war against Ukraine and increase Ukraine’s interoperability with NATO. With this agreement, the Allies approved the establishment of a Joint Civil-Military Centre under ACT Leadership to become a pillar of the NATO-UKR relationship.

JATEC provides analytical, educational, and training capabilities to jointly identify and apply lessons from Russia’s war against Ukraine, and embedding these in strategy, policy, doctrine, tactics, and operations. In this context, JATEC contributes to the development of NATO’s and Ukraine’s transformation in deterrence and defence, crisis prevention, crisis management and cooperative security, providing support to the successful achievement of NATO – Ukraine interoperability objectives.

Principal Duties:

• Provide policy analysis and guidance related to NATO/Ukraine topics to ACT leadership and the SAB on matters which affect or may affect JATEC, keeping SACTREPEUR and POLAD fully informed of all relevant in connection with JATEC with implications for the interests and initiatives of ACT.
• Act as interim secretary to the JATEC SAB, supporting the chair at SAB meetings to facilitate the smooth and efficient functioning of the SAB.
  • Analyse and anticipate SAB documentation, and data requirements.
  • Record SAB direction and guidance and monitor implementation. 
• Provide JATEC advocacy in ACT to provide reach back with knowledge of the JATEC set-up and key issues;
• Inform and assess on all relevant political developments taking place with relevance to JATEC and develop adequate strategic proposals for ACT Leadership and SAB.
• Advocate for JATEC’s strategic engagement goals and objectives with National Delegations, the IMS and IS; promote and advertise JATEC’s work at the political level and pol-mil level in all relevant meetings.
• Provide direct support, advice, and context for DCOS MDFD on interaction between JATEC stakeholders POL/UKR/NATO HQ. 
• Inform and assess on all relevant political developments taking place with relevance to JATEC and develop adequate strategic proposals for DCOS MDFD.
• Take lead, in support of DCOS MDFD, in developing documentation and policy framework for the JATEC Senior Advisory Board (SAB) and Board of Directors, and act as an initial SAB secretariat function. Analyse and anticipate SAB documentation, and data requirements.
• Support DCOS MDFD and other ACT personnel, by developing briefs and products for e.g Polad, CAG and speech writers on military/political context related to high level engagements with Ukraine. 
• As required, available for interface with Ukraine stakeholders.
• As directed, provide advice and support on optimize engagement with other JATEC SAB participants and stakeholders. 
• Contribute to JATEC deliverables under the direction of DCOS MDFD.
• Provide on-going advice and support in person and through JATEC staffing and document development to continuously improve ACT interface with UKR.

Essential Qualifications / Experience:

• University Degree and 10 years post related experience.
• A minimum of 10 years’ professional experience in international affairs and/or political influence and diplomacy with a strong emphasis on security and politico-military issues. This should include at least five years of experience as a senior civilian political and policy advisor, ideally to a Senior Leader (i.e. General Officer / Director / Ambassador and above) in a national Ministry (Foreign Affairs or Defence), or related civilian posting at a strategic or political level HQ.
• Significant experience working in Ukraine in the Pol/Mil environment.
• Experience working within and/or with international/multinational organisations such as NATO, EU, UN or OSCE.
• Previous political analysis experience with a demonstrated ability to synthesise data, develop recommendations, influence partners and provide advisory documents at 4 star (or civilian equivalent) strategic level.
• Proven experience in advising and influencing senior management and interacting with senior government officials.
• Extensive experience in providing high-level political, policy diplomatic and strategic advice, including a proven track record of success and progressive responsibility in such a role.
• Strong written and verbal communication and advocacy skills and a proven ability to work in an environment requiring liaison and collaboration with multiple actors

Language:

English – SLP 4343 - (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing)

Desirable Qualifications / Experience:

• Extensive network of contacts in academia, Government, International Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations and relevant Think Tanks.
• Demonstrated experience with coordination with Governmental Agencies, IOs and NGO’s.
• NATO Senior Officer Policy Course

Attributes/Competencies:

Personal Attributes:

• The work associated with this post requires considerable tact, persuasion and perseverance when dealing with other elements of the HQ staff, International staff and other Agencies. The ability to chair large scale meetings and working groups is required.
• Clarity of thought, problem-solving creativity, analytic skills to extract information from a variety of sources and propose sound and well-reasoned solutions clearly and articulately under short tie-lines and in the numerous instances when precedents are unavailable or inappropriate.

Managerial Responsibilities:

• There are no subordinates to this post, but the incumbent must be able to work as part of a team drawn from within and beyond the Director JATEC, persuading and reasoning to achieve solutions. The individual will be guided where required by virtue of knowledge or experience.

Professional Contacts:

• The incumbent must develop and maintain professional contacts, typically at a higher level, both within the HQ and with external HQs, specifically with NATO HQ International Staff, and agencies involved in defence policy and planning. These contacts will require the demonstration of considerable skills, tact and diplomacy coupled with broad professional skills.

Contribution To Objectives:

• In support of the Director JATEC and SAB the incumbents analytical input and advice will have major impact on strategic decision making and objectives.

Security Clearance

The successful applicant will be required to apply for and receive a NATO SECRET Security Clearance prior to final confirmation of contract and commencement of employment.

Contract

• This position is linked to a specific NATO project and is for a limited duration of 1 (one) year only.
• Serving NATO International Civilian staff will be offered a contract in accordance with the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations.  Newly recruited staff will be offered a one year definite duration contract.

Notes for Candidates

The HQ SACT web site gives full details on the eligibility criteria and application processes to be adopted by all candidates.  However, candidates should particularly note:

Please answer each of the pre-screening questions completely in English. Expressions such as: “please see attached CV, please see annex, please see enclosed document, etc” are not acceptable; this is a cause of immediate rejection of the application.

Particular attention should be given to Education and Experience section of your application form, which should be populated with details of your career to date and educational achievements and certifications as they relate to your application.

The candidature of NATO redundant staff at grade G20 will be considered with priority.

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.

NATO is committed to diversity and inclusion, and strives to provide equal access to employment, advancement and retention, independent of gender, age, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, cultural background, sexual orientation, and disability. NATO welcomes applications of nationals from all member Nations, and strongly encourages women to apply.

This vacancy will close on 12 December 2024 @ 17:59hrs (EST)/11:59hrs (CET).