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Principal Technology Officer

  • SACT Representative Europe
Brussels, Belgium
Full-time
Published:
Application Deadline: February 26, 2025
  • SACT Representative Europe
Brussels, Belgium
Full-time
Published:
Application Deadline: February 26, 2025
Apply now
POST CONTEXT:

  • NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) is an essential and continuous mission in peacetime, crisis, and times of conflict. Modern, fit for purpose Air Command and Control (AirC2) is critical to conduct NATO IAMD. Effective AirC2 is essential for air operations, and requires integration of sensors and effectors to enable centralised planning and decentralised execution;

  • The Enhanced AirC2 (eAirC2) Independent Programme Office (iPO) has been set up in NATO Headquarters as an independent entity responsible for the management and execution of the eAirC2 Programme. The iPO core functions include programme management duties, system engineering activities, contracting strategies, risk reduction, sustainment and integration, verification and validation activities at federated system-of-systems level;

  • The incumbent of this position will spearhead the development, integration, and deployment of cutting-edge enhanced AirC2 capabilities for NATO. This role is critical in the conception and design of target architecture systems to ensure they meet the strategic and operational needs of NATO. The individual will be responsible for leading technical teams, overseeing the end-to-end technical delivery process, and ensuring the alignment of technological solutions with programme objectives and NATO standards;

  • As decided by the North Atlantic Council, the eAirC2 iPO’s structure is to be a hybrid composition of posts manned by NATO HQ International Staff, NATO International Civilians provided by the NATO Strategic Commands as well as contracted experts from the industry. In that context this post is considered as the Allied Command Transformation (ACT) contribution to the iPO.


PRINCIPAL DUTIES:

  • Leading the iPO Technical Office. Provide leadership and senior experience in the technical part of the eAirC2 Programme, including the programme roadmap and management of the requirements database. Provide senior guidance on the assessment of different technical solutions to ensure quality and performance. Contribute to trade off analysis of technical capability versus schedule and budget;

  • Lead the selection, integration and, if necessary development, of enhanced AirC2 capabilities, oversee the design and implementation of existing system components and interfaces and ensure interoperability and compatibility with existing NATO systems;

  • Conceive and design a target architecture of systems that are scalable, reliable, and secure while balancing the requirements with the solutions that exist on the market. Taking into account innovation and probable product evolvements. Develop architectural blueprints and technical specifications and ensure that designs meet NATO’s strategic and operational requirements. Compare architecture with the available market solution;

  • Collaborate with stakeholders to gather and document technical requirements, facilitate technical discussions and workshops and ensure alignment of technical solutions with stakeholder needs. Colaborate with the nations/industry and academia on the technical and innovation landscape;

  • Actively engage with nations/key industry partners to monitor and evaluate emerging technologies and trends, identify opportunities for innovation and continuous improvement, and ensure implementation of new technologies and practices to enhance AirC2 capabilities. Represent the aAirC2 iPO and promote the technical part of eAirC2 Programme at conferences and workshops;

  • Ensure compliance with NATO’s technical standards, policies, and procedures. Conduct regular reviews to ensure adherence to established guidelines. Identify new standardization requirements needed to meet operational objectives;

  • Prepare and present technical reports, status updates, and recommendations to stakeholders, use technical documentation tools to create detailed reports and presentations and communicate technical concepts and solutions clearly to non-technical stakeholders.


QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Essential

  • University Degree in management information systems, accounting, economics, finance, business administration, public administration, operations research, project management 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 6 years post related and 2 years function related experience;

  • Six years of experience in business, information, application, technology and system architecture and integration;

  • Six years of experience with data modelling techniques, object oriented and evolutionary methodologies, open system architectures and technology evaluation;

  • Experience with the acquisition of technology intensive capabilities;

  • Experience in translateing operational requirements into technical requirements;

  • Ability to work in team environments (both as a contributor and a leader);

  • Excellent analytical, problem solving and verbal and written communication skills;

  • At least eight years of practical experience (participation and/or advice) in projects on design and/or implementation of Communications and Information Services;

  • At least five years of managing CIS/C2 (specialists) staff;

  • At least five years of Project management experience.


Language

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


Desirable

  • Master’s Degree in Management, Engineering or Sciences;

  • Qualifications and/or certification in The Open Group Architectural Framework (TOGAF) or equivalent framework;

  • Experience with military command and control systems and their use in multinational environments;

  • Qualifications and/or certification as a Project Management specialist (e.g. PRINCE 2 Practitioner).


ATTRIBUTES AND COMPETENCIES:

Personal Attributes

  • The incumbent must have good interpersonal skills and the ability to work well with others to produce coordinated and cohesive outputs. In addition, the post requires clarity of thought, the ability to analyse and extract information from a variety of sources and propose sound and well-reasoned solutions clearly and articulately. There is also a requirement for international travel as part of the duties of this post and to work outside normal working hours occasionally. This post will be required to interface with staff at all levels of NATO and Nations, representing the iPO at meetings, inspections and conferences, presenting to those groups if necessary. These contacts will be both formal and informal. This post will be required to interface with others at all levels and to actively participate in identifying solutions and proposals, but will not normally be expected to commit the organization without consultation and agreement within the iPO. A good standard of interpersonal skills is required.


Managerial Responsibilities

  • This position leads the Technical Delivery Office in iPO and is responsible for the development and management of capability-level architecture and requirements along with the management and exploitation of the technical data produced. The employee will gain and maintain complete knowledge of the different plans, processes, governance, funding and status associated with development, acquisition, and implementation of the enhanced AirC2 capability. This will include knowing how to initiate and sustain work within NATO’s Science and Technology, Research and Development, Concept Development and Experimentation, and NATO Security Investment Programme.


Professional Contacts

  • This position can only be successful by leveraging a network of other NATO employees in the various headquarters and agencies, eventually within national entities and other international organizations. Due to the complexity of NATO policies, processes, and structures, rapid and effective coordination depends greatly on professional contacts and constant coordination and cooperation with senior civilian/military staff in different NATO bodies and committees.


Contribution to Objectives

  • This post has significant impact on NATO’s ability to implement and maintain enhanced AirC2 capability. This work contributes significantly to the objectives of the iPO Senior Programme Manager.


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.


NOTE 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;

  • This vacancy will close on 26 February 2025 @ 17:59hrs (EDT)/11:59hrs (CEST).


EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY:

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.
Apply now
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