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Defence Industry Capacity Officer

  • International Staff, NATO HQ
Brussels, Belgium
Full-time
Published:
Application Deadline: December 17, 2024
  • International Staff, NATO HQ
Brussels, Belgium
Full-time
Published:
Application Deadline: December 17, 2024

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 critical Consultation, Command & Control (C3)– and in doing so addressing all policy, politicalmilitary, technical and practical aspects;

  • Leading NATO’s policy and engagements in the aviation domain;

  • Pursuing interoperability through prioritised standardization efforts, developing with Allies new approaches to operational challenges, supported by a commitment to operational experimentation and innovation;

  • Leading NATO engagement with defence industry and working to ensure the resilience and robustness of the transatlantic defence industrial base;

  • Maintaining the Alliance’s technological edge through exploring and driving adoption of emerging and disruptive technologies, with an initial 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 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 Strategy Directorate is responsible for providing overall coherence of capability deliverables through policies, plans and links with external stakeholders. Within the Strategy Directorate, the Policy, Plans and Partnerships Section (P3S) formulates policies and offers advice on cooperation and planning in the DI areas of responsibility. It coordinates with other NATO entities involved in the development of defence capabilities as well as the European Union (EU) and European Defence Agency (EDA). Furthermore, the Section is responsible for formulating policies and advising on the involvement of non-NATO nations into the NATO structures supported by DI. It also links DI work on a strategic level into NATO’s overall Defence Planning and capability development and delivery efforts.

The incumbent’s main responsibility is to provide support on issues specific to the transatlantic technological and defence industrial base, particularly in relation to NATO partners. The individual is required to work laterally across a complex set of stakeholders and organisations to ensure coherence of their work and other strategic initiatives. The incumbent monitors and supports coherence and outreach with similar national and EU policy efforts. They provide coordination, organisational and policy support to both Divisional leadership and Allies in matters relating to the board and industrial partnership issues. They provide options, conduct research and draft policy advice and recommendations that reflect industrial base research for discussion and agreement by both the Defence Industrial Production Board and the Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD).

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

Essential

The incumbent must:

  • Possess a university degree from an institute of a recognized standing or equivalent level qualification in a relevant field (e.g. technology, strategic-security policy, international relations);

  • Have at least 2 year of relevant work experience, including researching, analysing and presenting data for decision making;

  • Possess knowledge of defence capabilities and military armaments;

  • Have an understanding of current strategic policies and issues relating to the transatlantic defence and technological industrial base;

  • Have excellent analytical skills, strong briefing (verbal and written) skills including the ability to identify and distil complex policy issues;

  • Have strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work effectively in a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment as a team member as well as independently;

  • Possess the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): V (“Advanced”) in one; I (“Beginner”) in the other.


Desirable

The following would be considered an advantage:

  • A broad knowledge of the military armament systems/equipment including platforms, weapons and associated support equipment;

  • Programme management, strategy or policy development training (for example military staff college, civil service or industry programmes).


MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Policy Development

Provide or coordinate advice on general questions of international cooperation related to defence industry, including the development of general and specific policy documents. Contribute to the development of guidance on industry related defence matters. Draft policy proposals and provide input to policy, strategy and conceptual papers developed by colleagues.

Expertise Development

Develop and maintain expertise on current developments across Alliance and partner defence industry and defence industrial policies. Advise committees and groups supported by DI on partner-related defence industrial considerations for capability delivery-related policies and initiatives. Proactively propose options for policy-focused responses. Closely monitor developments in the transatlantic industrial base, academia, government policy and other relevant NATO committees/bodies for developments of relevant to broader policy making and implementation.

Knowledge Management

Exchange knowledge and information with colleagues on topics influenced by industrial developments, in particular with Allies’ representatives, industry representatives and NATO stakeholders. Monitor ongoing developments in the Alliances’ industrial base, work in international and regional Defence Industry Associations and other relevant NATO committees/bodies.

Stakeholder Management

Develop and maintain a broad external and internal stakeholder network relevant to transatlantic defence industry issues and policy development. Liaise extensively with stakeholders across industry, the NATO Enterprise, the CNAD and its substructure, and other organisations to ensure that requirements related to the transatlantic industrial base are well informed, coherent and aligned.

Representation of the Organisation

Report, as appropriate, to the Defence Industrial Production Board, the CNAD and other committees and groups. Represent the Division and participate in meetings at NATO staff level, NATO committee level and with the EU. Brief visiting groups; represent the Alliance at conferences, workshops and seminars; and present papers, as directed. Represent the organisation at international industrial events and conferences.

Perform any other related duty as assigned.

INTERRELATIONSHIPS:

The incumbent reports to the Defence Industrial Base Officer and works in close cooperation with the section and entire Division. They perform relevant tasks in direct contact with senior members of the International Staff and International Military Staff, members of national delegations, NATO Science & Technology Organisation, NATO Agencies, International Organisations, industry partners and subject-matter experts.

  • Direct reports: N/a;

  • Indirect reports: N/a.


COMPETENCIES:

The incumbent must demonstrate:

  • Analytical Thinking: Sees multiple relationships;

  • 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;

  • Organizational Awareness: Understands organisational climate and culture;

  • Teamwork: Expresses positive attitudes and expectations of team or team members.


CONTRACT:

Contract to be offered to the successful applicant (if non-seconded): Definite duration contract of three years; possibility of renewal for up to three years, during which the incumbent may apply for conversion to an indefinite duration contract.

Contract clause applicable

In accordance with the contract policy, this is a post in which turnover is desirable for political reasons in order to be able to accommodate the Organisation's need to carry out its tasks as mandated by the Nations in a changing environment, for example by maintaining the flexibility necessary to shape the Organisation's skills profile, and to ensure appropriate international diversity.

The maximum period of service foreseen in this post is 6 years. The successful applicant will be offered a 3-year definite duration contract, which may be renewed for a further period of up to 3 years. However, according to the procedure described in the contract policy the incumbent may apply for conversion to an indefinite contract during the period of renewal and no later than one year before the end of contract.

If the successful applicant is seconded from the national administration of one of NATO’s member States, a 3-year definite duration contract will be offered, which may be renewed for a further period of up to 3 years subject also to the agreement of the national authority concerned. The maximum period of service in the post as a seconded staff member is six years.

Serving staff will be offered a contract in accordance with the NATO Civilian Personnel Régulations.

Note: Irrespective of previous qualifications and experience, candidates for twin-graded posts will be appointed at the lower grade. Advancement to the higher grade is not automatic, and will not normally take place during the first three years of service in the post.

Under specific circumstances, serving staff members may be appointed directly to the higher grade, and a period of three years might be reduced by up to twenty four months for external candidates. These circumstances are described in the IS directive on twin-graded posts.

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.


Before you apply to any position, we encourage you to click here and watch our video providing 6 tips to prepare you for your application and recruitment process.

Do you have questions on the application process in the system and not sure how to proceed? Click here for a video containing the information you need to successfully submit your application on time.

More information about the recruitment process and conditions of employment, can be found at our website.

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.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

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.

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.
Due to the broad interest in NATO and the large number of potential candidates, telephone or e-mail enquiries cannot be dealt with.

Applicants who are not successful in this competition may be offered an appointment to another post of a similar nature, albeit at the same or a lower grade, provided they meet the necessary requirements.

The nature of this position may require the staff member at times to be called upon to travel for work and/or to work outside normal office hours.

The organization offers several work-life policies including Teleworking and Flexible Workingarrangements (Flexitime) subject to business requirements.

Please note that the International Staff at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium is a non-smoking environment.

For information about the NATO Single Salary Scale (Grading, Allowances, etc.) please visit our website. Detailed data is available under the Salary and Benefits tab.
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