Principal Technical Advisor
🔍 Belgium
SHAPE is looking for a Principal Technical Advisor responsible for advising ACOS J6 Cyberspace on ACO Cyberspace strategy, for representing ACO positions and concerns regarding Cyberspace operations capabilities and resources in formal and informal meetings of NATO governance bodies.
General Background:
SHAPE, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, is the Headquarters of Allied Command Operations (ACO), one of the two major military commands of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). ACO safeguards an area extending from the northern tip of Norway to the eastern border of Turkey. This equates to nearly two million square kilometres of land, more than three million square kilometres of sea, and a population of about 320 million people.
POST DESCRIPTION:
Location: Casteau/Mons, 60 Km south of Brussels (Belgium)
Division: Cyberspace Directorate
Post Context/Post Summary
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) provides an integrated Strategic Effects framework, employing a multi-domain and multi-region focus to create a 360-degree approach, with the flexibility to enable, upon direction, a seamless transition from Baseline Activities and Current Operations (BACO) up to the Maximum Level of Effort (MLE). SHAPE supports SACEUR in fulfilling his terms of reference, as directed by the North Atlantic Council.
The Cyberspace Directorate directs monitors and coordinates all Cyberspace Operations (CO), Electronic Warfare (EW), Electro Magnetic Spectrum (EMS) activity and Communications and Information Systems (CIS) functional area activities and staff functions across ACO.
The J6 Cyberspace Division provides the strategic staff functions for cyberspace aspects within ACO’s strategic direction, planning and risk management to support NATO-led operations, initiatives, exercises and activities.
The post is responsible for advising ACOS J6 Cyberspace on ACO Cyberspace strategy, for representing ACO positions and concerns regarding Cyberspace operations, capabilities and resources in formal and informal meetings of NATO governance bodies, and for providing coherent and consistent technical advice to the ACO MB, SHAPE MB and Command Group as well as the management and leadership of the directorate.
Principal Duties
The incumbent's duties are:
- To act as ACO's subject matter expert on the full range of Cyberspace matters;
- To provide enterprise-wide technical guidance for ACO on behalf of ACOS J6 Cyberspace;
- To resolve differing technical viewpoints among the ACO Cyberspace community;
- To interact at the most senior levels with cyberspace experts from other NATO Cyberspace Stakeholders, particularly the NATO C&I Agency;
- To monitor and evaluate, from a high-level view, the performance of the C&I Agency in the performance of Service Level Agreements, project implementation, and similar matters, allowing ACO to act as an intelligent customer of all communications and information services;
- To attend senior working groups and committee meetings on key cyberspace issues for SHAPE and ACO;
- To maintain a cyberspace overview of the ACO Cyberspace requirements;
- To co-ordinate and provide technical advice to the leadership and management of ACO, as well as the Cyberspace Directorate
- To maintain a technical overview of all Cyberspace capabilities in development and use;
- To provide overall Cyberspace related direction and guidence within SHAPE, in the conduct of capability management functions and responsibilities Develop ACO policy, directives, and procedures for Cyberspace Capability management and Cyberspace related programme and project management;
- Acts as CP member (CP Coordinator, Mission Sponsor, Operational Coordinator, Subject Matter Expert - CAPCO, MISPO, OCO, SME) to ensure coherence, in the development and implementation of CPs and Projects in the J6Cyberspace Division’s area of responsibility
- Internal-coordination authority
Committee Participation:
• National C3 Representatives - Member/Representative
• MBC Working Group of National Technical Experts - Member/Representative
• Cyber Defence Management Board – Observer.
Special Requirements and Additional Duties
The employee may be required to perform a similar range of duties elsewhere within the organisation at the same grade without there being any change to the contract.
The incumbent may be required to undertake TDY assignments to areas of military operations and exercises, both within and without NATO's boundaries. Such assignments are unlikely to exceed 7 days duration but may be on short notice. For NATO International Civilian staff, acceptance of an employment contract linked to this post constitutes agreement to deploy in excess of 30 days if required;
May be required to formally represent ACOS J6 Cyberspace at NATO meetings;
May be required to formally represent ACOS J6 Cyberspace at Bi-SC and ACO meetings.
The work is normally performed in a Normal NATO office working environment.
Normal Working Conditions apply.
The risk of injury is categorised as: No risk / risk might increase when deployed
Essential Qualifications
a. Professional/Experience
1) Minimum of 10 years’ experience within headquarters at the operational or strategic levels of military command, or a ministry of defence. This experience must involve either CIS capability delivery, CIS sustainment, cybersecurity, or cyber defence. (Experience within other governmental departments or ministries may be included, if relevance to military functions can be justified).
2) Minimum of 5 years’ experience within military field units or agencies involved in CIS development, delivery, sustainment, security, or defence.
3) Minimum of 3 years’ experience in CIS, cyber defence or cyberspace domain related policy. This includes policy development, implementation, analysis, or support to governance (NATO Governance bodies such as the Military Committee, C3B, CDC or National equivalent).
b. Education/Training
University Degree in information technology, information systems engineering, telecommunications or related discipline and 6 years post related experience, or Higher Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training in that discipline leading to a professional qualification or professional accreditation with 8 years post related experience.
c. Language
English - SLP 4343 (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).
NOTE: The work both oral and written in this post and in this Headquarters as a whole is conducted mainly in English.
Desirable Qualifications
a. Professional Experience
1) NATO experience involved in CIS or cyberspace domain. This includes serving within a NATO Command or Force Structure or other NATO chartered entity, National offices involved in delegations or representation to NATO;
2) Experience within J2, J3, J4 functions of military command & control;
3) Deployment on military operations;
4) Industry experience within the last 10 years, involved in information or communications technology or cybersecurity;
5) Overall experience in serving at a NATO HQ;
6) National/NATO Command experience of a CIS Unit;
b. Education/Training
1) Master degree or post graduate diploma (Management of Information Systems, Information Technologies, Telecommunications, Computer Science or related disciplines.
2) Project management at the practitioner level: PRINCE II, PMP or equivalent.
3) IT Service Operations practitioner level: ITIL, COBIT or equivalent.
4) Formal military staff training at a nationally recognised institution.
Attributes/Competencies
a. Personal Attributes
The incumbent must possess courtesy, tact, diplomacy, mental alertness, negotiating skills and service-mindedness together with good health, stress tolerance and ability to work long hours when required. Frequent TDY throughout NATO is an essential element of the duties.
b. Professional Contacts:
Required to interface on a regular basis with national authorities at a senior (normally Flag Officer) level. Presents ACO policies and priorities at NATO technical and financial committees and negotiates with national representatives to ensure positive results for ACO are embodied in committee decisions.
c. Contribution To Objectives:
Originates and develops recommendations for ACO policies on the logistic support and associated funding mechanisms for the operations and maintenance of C2 systems. Acts as the focal point decision maker for the cost-effective management of ACO budgets. Balances operational requirements and technical risks to ensure SACEUR is provided with necessary technical capability.
Providing coordination of professional guidance and instruction to the staff of the organisation element. Provides general guidance and advice within the assigned sub-functional area. Dependent on requirements may be required to direct and supervise the work priorities of one or more HQ multifunctional teams. Supervises and consolidates the technical advice and inputs to the CIS and CD senior leadership and management.
There are no reporting responsibilities.
This post reports to:OSC CYXX 0010 - Assistant Chief of Staff (J6 Cyberspace) - OF-6.
This post does not deputises anybody.
This post is not deputised by anybody.
REMARKS:
Duration of contract: Serving staff members will be offered a contract according to the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations (NCPR). Newly recruited staff will be offered a definite duration contract of three years normally followed by an indefinite duration contract.
HOW TO APPLY FOR A NATO CIVILIAN POST AT SHAPE:
Applications are to be submitted using NATO Talent Acquisition Platform (NTAP) (https://nato.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobsearch.ftl?lang-en). Applications submitted by other means (e.g. mail, e-mail, fax, etc) are not accepted.
NTAP allows adding attachments. A copy of the qualification/certificate covering the highest level of education required by the job description must be provided as an attachment.
Essential information must be included in the application form. Particular attention should be given to Education and Experience section of the application form. Each question should be answered completely. Expressions such as “please see attached CV, please see annex / enclosed document” or invitations to follow links to personal webpages are not acceptable and will be disregarded. All answers should be in English (preferably) or in French.
Shortlisted candidates will be requested to provide original documentary evidence and a set of copies supporting statements in their applications.
Current and past civilians working for NATO or any Coordinated Organization, shall indicate their last grade and step held (next to job title), and specify the name of employing NATO body or Coordinated Organization.
Remarks:
A) Only nationals from the 31 NATO member states can apply for vacancies at SHAPE.
B) Applications are automatically acknowledged within one working day after submission. In the absence of an acknowledgement please make sure the submission process is completed, or, re-submit the application.
C) Qualified redundant staff of the same grade interested in this post should inform this office, via their HR/Personnel Office by not later than vacancy’s closing date.
D) Candidates’ individual telephone, e-mail or telefax enquiries cannot be dealt with. All candidates will receive an answer indicating the outcome of their application.