Staff Officer (COE POW Digitisation)

Post Context

ACT contributes to preserving the peace, security and territorial integrity of Alliance member states by leading, at Strategic Command level, Warfare Development required to enhance NATO’s posture, military structures, forces, capabilities and doctrines.

The Joint Force Development (JFD) Directorate consists of six HQ SACT-based Branches that, together with the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC), Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC) and Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC), have responsibility for NATO Force Development activities. The aim is to improve interoperability amongst NCS, NFS as well as interoperable Partners’ forces allocated to NATO, and enhance capabilities, to undertake the full spectrum of Alliance missions

The COE Programme Development Branch coordinates support from NATO COEs to the NCS, through SACT’s Delegated Tasking Authority. The Branch leads and coordinates the development and NATO accreditation of new NATO COEs, and conducts the periodic assessments of established COEs. The Branch, supported by SHAPE, leads and coordinates the military aspects of the A&I of new members of the Alliance.

Within the CPD Branch, the incumbent’s main responsibility is to innovate and manage the digitalized services for the COEs’ Programme Development, while also providing support regarding the coordination and synchronization via COE clusters, and POW issues in general, in accordance with the Bi-SC Directive 80-1 Coordination of NATO COEs and the HQ SACT Directive 80-3 HQ SACT Coordination with NATO Accredited COEs.

Principal Duties:

• Conduct work to identify, scope and define NATO needs and operational requirements, including key performance indicators and measures that may be satisfied with new tools and technologies for enhancing the development and coordination of the NATO COE POW.
• Conduct, in coordination with HQ SACT DT Champion and Innovation Branch / Hub, specific technology watch, and advise the Branch and Section heads on disruptive technologies including the use of Artificial Intelligence, game-changing solutions and potential innovation opportunities for NATO and the COEs’ programme development.
• As directed by the Branch and Section heads, prepare and manage the COE POW digitalization project and work for the capability development of the new NATO COE platforms, including analysis of alternatives, risk management and proposed resources, in accordance with NATO rules and procedures.
• As directed by the Branch and Section heads, be responsible for supporting COE coordination and POW, including analytic tasks and periodic reports and on-demand analysis.
• Elaborate new processes and coordination procedures, ensuring that a continuous, solid base of corporate knowledge is maintained, in the support and synchronization required across the clusters of COEs, and the four pillars: Education, Training, Exercises and Evaluation (ETEE); Analysis and Lessons Learned (LL); Doctrine Development and Standardization; and Concept Development and Experimentation.
• As directed by the Branch and Section heads, deliver subject matter expertise that informs ACOS/ DCOS MDFD and the COE clusters covering NATO strategic foresight analysis efforts, NATO defence planning and capability and force development efforts, including capability requirements formulation, concept development and experimentation and analysis of alternatives for the COE POW development.
• Support the Branch and Section heads to coordinate with COEs and NATO stakeholders, organizing as required meetings and workshops, in presence or virtual.
• As directed by the Section Head, support BH’s mentoring of the COE coordination.

Essential Qualifications / Experience:

• University Degree  in managerment information systems, accounting, economics, finance, business administration, public administration, operations research, project management or related discipline  and 2 years function related experience, or Higher Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training  in that discipline leading to a professional qualification or professional accreditation with 4 years post related experience.
• Two years' post related experience (depending on background/degree) in the coordination of international military cooperation in national or international/NATO positions.
• Two years' experience in cross-staff coordination.
• Two years' experience negotiating with senior national staff.
• Two years' post related experience (depending on background/degree) with a leading role in the management  of projects for the experimentation or development of IT and CIS services, in national or NATO positions.
• Two years' experience in the NATO capability development, with desired participation to their programme or project management, in national or international/NATO positions.
• Two years' experience working in innovation, emergent technology and interoperability of CIS services.

Language:

English – SLP 3333 - (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing)

Desirable Qualifications / Experience:

• Background and experience in NATO or National transformational policy.
• NATO and/or National MOD staff experience.
• Joint staff experience.
• Understanding NATO Common Funded Capability Development Governance Model and NATO Digital Transformation implementation strategy.
• Completion of NATO Staff Training course or equivalent NATO experience.
• Successful completion of PRINCE 2 or similar Project management training.

Attributes/Competencies:

Personal Attributes:

• Sound communication skills to brief and staff complex issues up to 2-star and occasionally higher flag officer and civilian equivalent levels.
• High diplomacy, persuasion and motivational skills together with a sound understanding of national sensitivities.
• The ability and knowledge to apply a process-based method for effective project and task management.
• The ability to analyse varying and complex problems in situations where no precedent exists but general policy and goals are defined. Quickly determining and executing a course of action using constructive thinking and judgement.
• The incumbent should have a background in staff work at a National Joint Military or NATO Strategic or Joint Force Command. The incumbent’s knowledge of cross staff or COEs coordination and multi-national cooperation should be good to advanced.

Managerial Responsibilities:

• The incumbent will be responsible for daily work load priorities with broad direction and guidance from Branch and Section heads. Post holder will likely control the workflow of the technical stakeholders and possible contractors responsible for various products and the planning and co- ordination of their work.
• The incumbent will support the designated Directorate Fund Manager

Professional Contacts:

• Able to liaise effectively both within and outside the HQ with international military and civilian personnel of all ranks and grades. Outside contacts include senior officials in NATO HQ, NATO accredited COEs, NATO agencies and research centres, and national government agencies and industry.

Contribution To Objectives:

• In fulfilling ACT’s mission, the incumbent provides supporting analytical advice to HQ SACT staff. They will influence significantly the way in which NATO’s future capabilities are identified and solutions are implemented. The success of the development of new IT collaborative platforms is fundamental to the effort of Transformation as it provides the Alliance the necessary means to progress improvements within the nations in order to meet NATO’s present and future missions.
• Must have the ability to digest research from a variety of sources, including NATO policy, NATO nations’ policy, academia and think tanks. Should be capable of communicating research and advice to a variety of high-level audiences, including FOGOs, NATO representatives, and national policy makers The incumbent must be able to understand and work with academia and practitioners alike.

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 3 (three) years 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 three 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 G15 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.

This vacancy will close on 19 February 2025  @ 17:59hrs (EDT)/11:59hrs (CEST).