ACO Legal Advisor

Post Context/Post Summary

Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) provides an integrated Strategic Effects framework employing a multidomain and multiregion focus to create a 360degree 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 of Europe (SACEUR) in fulfilling his terms of reference as directed by the North Atlantic Council.

The Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) provides full spectrum expert legal advice technical guidance and other legal assistance to SACEUR the SHAPE Command Group and ACO Staff.

The incumbent as the Director of the OLA provides the vision and establishes the priorities of the OLA through leading its four branches (International Operations Legal Management and Paralegal) so as to meet all legal requirements and matters concerning ACO SHAPE and other bodies or entities within ACO as directed by SACEUR.

Principal Duties

1 The incumbent provides legal advice to SACEUR the SHAPE Command Group and senior staff on all legal matters in particular the law of armed conflict human rights law as well as the interpretation and application of international treaties convention and customary international law in all operational settings and activities of ACO.

2 Incumbent provides general legal advice guidance and information of a legal nature to the legal advisors of ACO subordinated commands NATO Force Structure and other MOU organizations on matters of of importance ACOwide.

3 Incumbent provides expertise and reachback to NATOled operations and exercises which often take place outside NATO member country territories and requires a firm understanding of legal issues dealing with United Nations mandates Status of Forces Agreement (SOFAs) host nation support arrangements (HNSA) use of NATO civilians and local nationals international organizations (IOs) nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) governmental organizations (GOs) rules of engagement detention contracting privileges and immunities etc. Operations may also include those led by the European Union (EU) using the SHAPE Deputy Supreme Allied Commander as the operational commander and wherein NATO assets and capabilities may be provided. Also Operations may include those of the African Union (AU).

4 The incumbent leads and manages the legal office at SHAPE. The incumbent is a role model for the other staff in the Office of Legal Affairs and is expected to demonstrate the highest ethical standards.

5 Until such time as SHAPE has an approved Crisis Establishment OLA provides the full spectrum of legal advice to any eventual battle staff Crisis Management Organization (CMO) or Joint Operations Centre (JOC). Moreover legal services are provided daily to the SHAPE Strategic Direction Centre (SDC) through attendance at formal meetings and otherwise by request on a 24/7 basis.

6 The Incumbent negotiates concludes and monitors international agreements or Host Nation Support Agreements between SHAPE and NATO and nonNATO member countries hosting NATO military activities taking appropriate action as required. International agreements and arrangements are also required with regard to IOs NGOs GOs and international tribunals for support of ACO activities especially NATOled operations exercises and disaster relief operations as required. As well as the archiving of such agreements in the ACO Central Repository of International Agreements (CRIA)

7 The Incumbent leads and participates in meetings with senior officials from NATO and nonNATO countries and relevant IOs NGOs GOs and international tribunals representing SHAPE or NATO.

8 The Incumbent represents SHAPE at meetings seminars conferences and similar functions of a professional or protocol nature.

9 As law pervades virtually everything incumbent supported by and representing his/her four OLA Offices has to function in all areas dealt with at SHAPE subordinate HQs and multinational or NATO subsidiary bodies/entities colocated at SHAPE under the operational control command and/or administrative control or drawing their legal personality from SHAPE.

Above areas include but are not limited to the following:

1 The incumbent provides legal support (deployment) for various field training exercises (FTXs) in NATO and nonNATO countries as well as legal staffing of exercise staffs supporting SHAPE and other command post exercises (CPXs).

2 Conducts legal reviews of all Standing Defence Plans (SDP) Concept of Operations (CONOPs) OPLANS and Contingency Operation Plans (COPs) Standard Operations Procedures (SOPs) and other documents intended to conduct exercises or NATOled Operations as well as all ACO and SHAPE directives/supplements and policies.

3 Participates in the development of ACO procurement policies and procedures as well as providing legal guidance for all contracting matters particularly contract disputes. Reviews individual contracts when requested. This includes the development of ethics fraud and policies.

4 Personally serves on the battle staff for any article V operations. Personally supporting any Crisis Management Organisation set up by SHAPE to deal with actual or potential crises/peace support operations (e.g. JOC).

5 Provides legal advice to the SHAPE staff in the field of peacekeeping enlargement and integration/reintegration of NATO member countries to the integrated military structure.

6 Oversees through the OLA International Office the lifeprocess of all international agreements generated by any entity within or outside ACO in the domain of public international law as well as the archiving of selected basic treaties and conventions in the ACO Central Repository of International Agreements (CRIA) located at the OLA.

7 Provides legal reachback to Legal Advisors of intheatre operational headquarters on complex juridical issues raised through the chain of command.

8 Initiates/defends or prepares with legal firms legal actions in national and international judicial and administrative tribunals many with clear external repercussions often in the media that entail not only SHAPEs visibility and image but that of NATO as well.

9 Collaborates with designated prosecutors of International Tribunals or organizations as directed by SACEUR.

10 Represents SACEUR and as requested subordinate ACO Commanders before the NATO Administrative Tribunal (NAT). In relation thereto furnishes ACO Civilian Personnel Officers with analysis of NAT jurisprudence. Monitors the preparation of Appeals Board cases that arise at subordinate command levels.

11 Promotes and participates in activities related to future aspects of international institutional law and operational law.

12 Designates for any of the above functions any of the Office Heads or any other legal advisors.

13 Advice given to the commander and their staff will commit NATO and/or the HQ to locally required LOAs HN MOUs purchasing contracts and employment contracts.

Special Requirements and Additional Duties

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. The employee may be required to perform a similar range of duties elsewhere within the organization at the same grade without there being any change to the contract.

Essential Qualifications

A. Professional/Experience

1. Proven experience in managing and leading a legal office with other legal advisor and legal support personnel..

2. At least fifteen years general legal experience with substantial background in Public international Operational and Administrative law of which incumbent must have a minimum of three years experience in Operational law.

B. Education/Training

University Degree in law or related discipline and 15 years related experience.

C. Language

English SLP 4343 (Listening Speaking Reading and Writing)

French SLP 2222 (Listening Speaking Reading and Writing)

Desirable Qualifications

A. Professional Experience

1. Post graduate studies in law (e.g. Masters degree) above the basic law degree.

2. Legal experience in a major military headquarters or international organization or in a national MoD or equivalent.

3. Sound knowledge of the NATO and ACO structure organisation and mission.

4. At least five years experience directly related to legal aspects of crisis/peace support operations.

5. At least five years experience in public/government negotiation and conclusion of international agreements.

6. Previous deployment in a theatre of operations.

B. Language

French SLP 3333 (Listening Speaking Reading and Writing)

English SLP 4444 (Listening Speaking Reading and Writing)

Attributes/Competencies

1. Personal Attributes: The incumbent must be a highly articulate and persuasive individual possessing tact and diplomacy. They must have a proven ability to work with no supervision and the ability to spontaneously identify legal issues in complex and/or technical situations. Incumbent is expected to be a proactive selfstarter. They are expected to be a major contributor to development of ACOwide policies and thus must possess keen perception and apply sound and flexible judgment which must take due account of political realities as well as laws and regulations. The incumbent is expected to carry out tasks with when necessary creativity and originality in the numerous instances when precedents are unavailable or inappropriate. Incumbent must be able to deal with issues spanning a broad spectrum not always legal and treat matters with vision and confidentiality. The incumbent may be required to work outside normal office hours. The incumbent must have a proven ability/record to lead and manage a legal office.

2. Managerial Responsibilities: The incumbent must have a proven ability/record to lead and manage a legal office.

3. Professional Contacts: Routinely directly interrelates with members of the SHAPE senior staff and Command Group at the twostar level and above. Contacts apart from the SHAPE staff are principally with National Military Representatives to SHAPE legal officials in other NATO bodies and national administrations senior officials of various ministries of NATO and nonNATO countries IOs NGOs GOs and international tribunals. Within the context of current and future NATO partnership programmes may be involved in formal negotiations with ministrylevel officials or give briefings. Meetings are substantive on a wide range of issues and are certainly not for the mere passing of information. Interacts with lawyers in national or international courts and in the NATO international administrative tribunal the NATO Appeals Board.

4. Contribution to Objectives: The Director Legal Advisor frequently plays not only an important role in the development of SHAPE policies and objectives across a vast spectrum of issues but also ACO and NATO be they operational matters like NATOled operations or administrative matters like rules and policies visvis international civilian personnel.

Legal litigation and cases pleaded before the NATO Appeals Board national and international courts are high risk either in terms of judgments or precedents. In negotiations with NATO and nonNATO IOs NGOs GOs and international tribunals the Director Legal Advisor and his/her OLA Office Heads are often in the lead to develop the SHAPE negotiating position.

The above involves highsensitive negotiations with senior representatives with many issues being precedentsetting which may have significant impact on NATO ACO and SHAPE and that can set statepractice on the SHAPE community. The majority of issues addressed are of precedent setting nature and can involve the commitment of considerable effort and resources to include significant sums of money by SHAPE ACO HQs and the NATO nations.

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.

The interviews for this position will be scheduled on Monday June 16^th 2025.

The salary will be the basic entrylevel monthly salary defined by the NATO Grade of the post which may be augmented by allowances based on the selected staff members 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 NATOs 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) Applications submitted by other means (e.g. mail email fax etc) are not accepted.

More information to be found on these links:

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Application Process

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 security clearance and a medical certificate.

Additional Information:

1 Only nationals from the 32 NATO member states can apply for vacancies at SHAPE.

2 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 resubmit the application.

3 Qualified redundant staff of the same grade interested in this post should inform this office via their HR/Personnel Office by not later than vacancys closing date.

4 NATO will not accept any phase of the recruitment and selection prepared in whole or in part by means of generative artificialintelligence (AI) tools including and without limitation to Chatbots such as Chat Generative Pretrained 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 NATOs sole discretion and NATO reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.