Staff Officer (Counter Terrorism)
🔍 Belgium
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 the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) in fulfilling his terms of reference, as directed by the North Atlantic Council.
The PLANS Directorate is responsible for the development, review and maintenance of Strategic Planning, Advanced Planning and Crisis Planning products for Allied Command Operations (ACO); contributes to the development of strategic policy and concepts for ACO; preparation of the NATO Command Structure (NCS) and declared forces for current and future operations across the full spectrum of mission areas; developing Education, Training, Exercise and Evaluation (ETEE) direction and guidance in line with strategic policy; ensuring that forces are prepared in accordance with evaluation criteria; oversees and executes the ACO Lessons Learned (LL) process.
The J5 Division leads the overarching strategic campaign and operations planning processes to prepare for and respond to crises and conflicts that threaten the security and integrity of the Alliance.
The Plans and Policy Branch is responsible for the development of strategic policy and concepts in its area of expertise for ACO, development of strategic policy and concepts for ACO, development of initiatives and addressing issues dealing with NATO’s security and emerging challenges policy and military strategy, dealing with the implementation of superior HQ policy for and advising on European Security and SHAPE – EU relations, management of military standardization, Conventional Arms Control and WMD/CBRN Defence.
Principal Duties
The incumbent's duties are:
1. Under the direction of Staff Officer (Strategic Policy and Counter Terrorism), oversee the development of Counter Terrorism Operations Doctrine under AJP-3 Operations.
2. Assist CT SME in SHAPE in the coordination of ACO military activities related to Counter Terrorism.
3. Assist in the implementation and application of superior HQ policy, guidance, directives, doctrines, procedures and regulations.
4. Assist primary action officer for CT policy development and CT Education and Training development, supporting ACOS J5 in his role as CT Requirements Authority (RA) with specific responsibility for CT Training Needs Analysis.
5. Maintain close cooperation with CT elements across NATO.
6. Assist in the preparation of briefings, background papers and talking points for the SHAPE Command Group.
Secondary duties:
7. Assist in the development of military concepts or provide inputs to higher HQ's concept development (non-CONOPS/OPLAN) across all functional areas.
8. Assist in supporting other HQs as required.
9. Will confirm undertakings to the Staff Officer (Strategic Policy and Counter Terrorism) - OSC PPPX 0030.
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 both within and without NATO’s boundaries and be willing to work unsocial hours.
The incumbent may be required to undertake deployments in support of military operations and exercises, and/or TDY assignments, both within and without NATO boundaries up to 180 days.
Essential Qualifications
A. Professional/Experience
1) Extensive experience working at high strategic level in development of policies and concepts.
2) Wide experience and in-depth knowledge in counter terrorism and counter terrorism doctrine development.
B. Education/Training
University Degree in business administration, engineering, economics, public administration, operations research, business process engineering or related discipline and 2 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 4 years post related.
C. Language
English - SLP 3333 (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing)
Desirable Qualifications
A. Professional Experience
1. Experience in negotiating strategic and operational ACO outputs with Nations.
2. Broad knowledge in DDA planning products and the executability of plans.
3. Comprehensive understanding of the NATO structure, concepts, policies and procedures.
4. Experience in operating in a political sensitive environment where various different, also national interest are at stake.
B. Education/Training
NATO Defence against Terrorism Course provided by NATO - School Oberammergau (NSO) or equivalent.
Attributes/Competencies
Personal Attributes:
The individual must have the ability to successfully achieve consensus amongst the Allies, whilst promoting ACO’s operational focus. Tact, diplomacy and the ability to listen and think are essential to this post.
Professional Contacts:
The incumbent must maintain an ever-changing network of standardization SMEs within ACO, and maintain good working relationships with SMEs, NSO and ACT.
Contribution to Objectives:
Given the difficulty of developing a new doctrine that will support the executability of DDA FoPs, this post will contribute to the great efforts all across the ACO to meet SACEUR’s operational vision.
REMARKS:
Duration of contract: The successful candidate will fill this post as a Project Linked NATO International Civilian (PLN) with a three-year definite duration contract within the NATO 2030 Agenda. On expiry of this term the PLN will be deleted or absorbed into the ceiling pending approval or will exceptionally be considered for extension.
The salary will be the basic entry-level monthly salary defined by the NATO Grade of the post, which may be augmented by allowances based on the selected staff member’s eligibility, and which is subject to the withholding of approximately 20% for pension and medical insurance contributions.
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.
Building integrity is a key element of NATO’s core tasks. As an employer, NATO values commitment to the principles of integrity, transparency, and accountability in accordance with international norms and practices established for the defence and related security sector. Selected candidates are expected to be role models of integrity, and to promote good governance through ongoing efforts in their work.
Applicants who prove to be competent for the post but who are not successful in this competition may be offered an appointment in another post of a similar nature, which might become vacant in the near future, albeit at the same or lower grade, provided they meet the necessary requirements.
We believe that all people are capable of great things. Because of this, we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet all of the criteria listed within this job description.
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.
More information to be found on these links:
Shortlisted candidates will be requested to provide original documentary evidence and a set of copies supporting statements in their applications. Appointment is subject to obtaining a NS security clearance and a medical certificate.
Remarks:
A) Only nationals from the 32 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) Candidates’ individual telephone, e-mail or telefax enquiries cannot be dealt with. All candidates will receive an answer indicating the outcome of their application.
D) 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.