AFSC Programme Coordinator (Forward)

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 NATOs posture military structures forces capabilities and doctrines.

The Capability Development Directorate (CAPDEV) comprises two DivisionsRequirements and Capabilities. The Directorate supports SACT in his Capabilities Requirement Authority (CRA) role. It is responsible for a holistic through lifecycle Capability Development approach that infuses innovation and transformative efforts that are an integral part of the Warfare Development. This includes responsibilities for elicitation development capture and collection quality review traceability and visibility of capability requirements.

The Capabilities Division coordinates the development of capabilities from capability planning through acceptance and then disposal with the management entities NATO Headquarters staff and the NATO Governance Structure. This entails synchronizing horizontally across capabilities to achieve coherent efforts and outcomes.

The Capabilities Forward Branch coordinates with ACO NCIA NSPA NATO HQ territorial Host Nation and COEs in support of the development of capabilities. The Branch is a supporting entity to the programme directors of NATO capability delivery. The Branch supports the development of capability programme plans to meet the operational requirements in a through lifecycle approach. It synchronizes and aligns efforts within CSSPR.

The AFSC Programme Coordinator (Forward) will have the specific task of liaising with all local European NATO Stakeholders such as ACTs Defence Planners ACO IS/DI IMS IS/NOR NCIA and to represent the AFSC Programme in all the necessary bodies or meetings as directed by AFSC Program Director. This position will have a strategic role to explain and advertise ACTs position on AFSC in Europe.

Principal Duties

a. Programme coordinator for the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) Programme and other assigned programmes that may arise.

b. Guides the efforts of AFSC Project Coordinators and their projects to ensure coherent and effective full-life cycle management including the following steps:

1) Converts capability requirements into a capability programme plan

2) Create implementation plans

3) Coordinate with nations and host nations to develop and implement capabilities

4) Coordinate the acceptance of capabilities

5) Coordinate the disposal of obsolete capabilities

6) Provide reports and updates

c. Monitor the implementation and assess Cost Scope Schedule Risk and Performance issues raised by implementation programme and project managers through the full life cycle of the capability.

d. Coordinate capability development efforts with JISR Air C2 Cyber Defence CAP FWD and CIS branches to ensure that all AFSC functions are covered in a comprehensive and consistent manner.

e. Support capability development efforts across ACT for AFSC programme with a special focus on defence planning requirements development doctrine concepts training experimentation interoperability policy and future technologies.

f. Provide inputs to and receives support from the Project Management Office (PMO) in order to make informed programmatic decisions and to support ACTs overall project management process.

g. Coordinate with NCI Agency/Host nation for the effective management of common-funded capability development programs and projects.

h. Coordinate with Capability User Authorities across the NATO Command Structure for development and improvement of capabilities.

i. Engage with NATO AFSC fora as well as with relevant NATO national or multi-national boards committees and working groups to coordinate capability development efforts.

j. Request/coordinate (as appropriate) NATO Center of Excellence support.

k. Supervise development and maintenance of capability architectures for AFSC capabilities in close coordination with NATO Enterprise Architecture (EA) and project architecture custodians in accordance with relevant strategies policies and directives.

l. Provide and coordinate AFSC capability area SME support to other branches divisions and directorates as necessary.

May act as COTR. May represent HQ SACT the JISR branch or the AFSC section on behalf of the section head at workshops conferences etc.

Essential Qualifications / Experience:

• University Degree in business administration engineering economics public administration operations research business process engineering or related discipline and 4 years post related experience or Higher Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training in that discipline
• Six years experience as a Programme Manager (full-life cycle management);
• Four years experience in the development of a data-centric environment in a complex organization;
• Four years experience in a military capability development assigned role.

Language:

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

Desirable Qualifications / Experience:

• Proven success facilitating working groups sessions and survey assessments.
• General knowledge of the organization and structure of NATO.
• Experience with military command and control systems and their use in multinational environments.

Attributes/Competencies:

Personal Attributes:

• Must exercise sound thought judgment initiative adaptability and flexibility particularly when dealing with organizations and agencies in a multi-national and multi-cultural environment.
• Must have tact and diplomacy when dealing with working groups committees contractors and consultants to achieve stated ACT goals and objectives.
• May routinely be expected to work extended hours and to travel as part of the appointment.
• The job relies heavily on the person having great analytical and problem-solving skills to create interoperability architectures and specifications for managing technology complexities in military command and control systems.

Managerial Responsibilities:

• The incumbent will manage multidisciplinary project teams up to OF4 level which will include military and civilian staff members from different NATO and National organizations as well as contracted resources.

Professional Contacts:

• The incumbent must have a keen sense of the boundaries of post authority and the direction which superior leadership would adopt in response to an evolving situation.
• The incumbent will be required to persuade and influence senior decision makers who are routinely unfamiliar with interoperability challenges to adopt the most advantageous course of action for NATO and federation. The post will be required to present at conferences and respond to unplanned questions in a manner that best represents ACT and NATO.

Contribution To Objectives:

• The prime objective of SACT is to lead the transformation of Alliance capabilities especially in the context of the new concept for Multi-Domain Operations and the approved Digital Transformation Implementation Strategy. Lessons learned from the Ukraine war NATO has acknowledge more than before an importance of coalition operations.

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 G17 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 NATOs sole discretion and NATO reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.

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

This vacancy will close on 30 June 2025@ 17:59hrs (EDT)/11:59hrs (CEST).