Officer, Personnel Security
Officer, Personnel Security
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Job Description
1. SUMMARY
The Joint Intelligence and Security (JIS) Division under the leadership of the Assistant Secretary General (ASG) for Intelligence and Security comprises two principal pillars: Intelligence headed by the Deputy ASG for Intelligence (DASG-I); and the NATO Office of Security (NOS) headed by the Deputy ASG for Security (DASG-S) / Director NOS.
The NOS is responsible for the overall coordination of NATO security among member Nations NATO civil and military bodies as well as International Organisations and partner countries with which NATO cooperates. It is also responsible for the security of the NATO Headquarters (HQ) and its personnel in Brussels for the protection of the Secretary General and for the security and safety of its personnel in and on missions abroad. The NOS comprises the Office of the Director the Security and Policy Oversight Branch (SPOB) the Protective Security and Emergency Services Branch (PSESB) the Close Protection Unit (CPU) and the Security Intelligence Branch (SIB).
The SIB is responsible for NATO HQ personnel security notably when on duty travel or at NATO Satellite Offices and counter-Intelligence policy and strategy. Within SIB the Personnel Security Office (PSO) is responsible for handling the vetting process issuing the personnel security clearances (PSCs) for International Staff and other civilian employees working at NATO HQ monitoring subsequent developments and maintaining records of staff who have been granted the PSCs.
The Officer Personnel Security is responsible for overseeing the PSO to ensure that proper personnel security procedures are put in place at NATO HQ to assess and verify individuals authorization for access to classified systems and information and unescorted access to secure zones. The incumbent manages the overall process and provides necessary direction and guidance for the efficient handling of all matters relating to NATO PSCs. They work with the NATO HQ Human Resources Department and individual members of staff to ensure PSC processes are completed smoothly and in a timely fashion. The incumbent acts as the focal point of contact with National Security Authorities and with their representatives and other senior staff at the National Delegations and Military Representations at NATO HQ on matters relating to the security vetting of NATO civilian employees working at NATO HQ. They liaise on nations vetting policy and on individual of cases of concern supporting national investigations. They oversee the work of and provide direction and guidance to other staff members in the PSO. The incumbent works under general guidance by the Head SIB.
2. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
ESSENTIAL
The incumbent must:
- possess a relevant university degree or an equivalent level of qualification;
- possess comprehensive security training and have at least 5 years of professional experience working on personnel security in a NATO Member States Government (ideally in security/intelligence agencies National Security Authority police or military) or in an international public organisation;
- have operational and managerial experience in leading and mentoring a diverse team;
- have a good understanding of the basic legal principles governing the protection of classified information by member and partner nations;
- possess advanced analytical and planning skills;
- display considerable discretion and maturity of judgment;
- demonstrate ability to establish and maintain effective working networks with stakeholders;
- demonstrate ability to effectively manage numerous and complex data sets and information ensuring data accuracy consistency and protection;
- possess excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills;
- be able to draft clear and concise reports on subject matters;
- experience in leading (large-scale or organisation-wide) projects including organisational change;
- possess the following minimum levels of NATOs official languages (English/French): V (Advanced) in one; I (Beginner) in the other.
DESIRABLE
The following would be considered an advantage:
- familiarity with the NATO civilian and military structure and the strategic issues and challenges facing the Alliance and NATOs geopolitical environment;
- knowledge of the National and/or NATO security policy and regulations;
- understanding of insider threat programmes and wider counter intelligence issues;
- experience of working effectively in a multi-national and multi-cultural environment.
Develop expertise in the personnel security clearance lifecycle (initial request renewal extension continued access investigations and after-care). Oversee the PSO to ensure that proper personnel security procedures are put in place at NATO HQ with relation to personnels access to classified information and unescorted access to secure zones without constituting an unacceptable risk to security. Stay abreast of developments in the application of technology in validating and managing clearances.
Knowledge Management
Ensure that the PSO is equipped with the right tools and processes to collect manage and disseminate information. Oversee the overall record management process and provide direction and guidance to the PSO staff members in relation to collaboration workflows for the personnel security clearance process lifecycle. Oversee the management of the personnel security clearance details in the NATOs Identity Access and Management System (IdAMS). Ensure the security of information at the standards outlined in the relevant NATO directives and guidance documents related to personnel security NATO personnel data protection and Information & Knowledge Management (IKM) practices. Oversee the regular status reporting and provide direction and guidance for information exchange with the National Security Authorities Human Resources Department and other relevant stakeholders. Contribute to knowledge management within the broader context of the SIB operations. Identify plan and propose implementation of initiatives aimed at improving efficiency and coordination of different aspects of work.
Policy Development
Develop policy and processes to underpin operational delivery in coordination with SIB and wider NATO stakeholders to protect NATO personnel.
Project Management
Manage the personnel security clearance process including revalidations for civilians at NATO HQ and directly supervise case management. Carry out internal inquiries including interviews of staff where the status of an individuals personnel security clearance may be in question. Support the SIBs counter-intelligence inquiries and/or investigations. Oversee the work of and provide direction and guidance to the staff members working in the PSO. Perform continuous evaluation of the management of the personnel security clearance process and suggest improvements as necessary.
Representation of the Organization
Work with NATO Allies partner nations commercial entities and International Organisations to ensure the integrity of personnel security clearances is maintained building trust to enable the smooth timely exchange of sensitive information. Represent NATO interests and policies with National Security Authorities and other counterparts and work to develop and spread best practice in personnel security.
Stakeholder Management
Perform any other related duty as assigned.
4. INTERRELATIONSHIPS
The incumbent reports to the Head SIB. They maintain a close working relationship with the other members of the JISD/NOS/SIB and more broadly within JISD as well as with stakeholders in other NATO divisions most specifically the Human Resources regarding security clearance applications. They also liaise with the National Security Authorities and with their representatives and other senior staff at the National Delegations and Military Representations at NATO HQ.
Direct reports: 2
Indirect reports: N/A
5. COMPETENCIES
The incumbent must demonstrate:
Achievement: Creates own measures of excellence and improves performance; - Analytical Thinking: Sees multiple relationships;
- Change Leadership: Expresses vision for change;
- Impact and Influence: Uses indirect influence;
- Initiative: Is decisive in a time-sensitive situation;
- Organisational Awareness: Understands organisational politics;
- Teamwork: Solicits inputs and encourages others.
7. USEFUL INFORMATION REGARDING APPLICATION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Please note that we can only accept applications from nationals of NATO member 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: 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 ( will be subject to receipt of asecurity clearance(provided by the national Authorities of the selected candidate) approval of the candidatesmedical fileby the NATO Medical Adviser verification of your study(ies) and work experience and the successful completion of theaccreditationand 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 NATOs sole discretion and NATO reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.
8. 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.
NATO is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible working environment where all candidates living with disabilities can fully participate in the recruitment and selection process. If you require reasonable accommodation please inform us during your selection process.
Candidates will be required to provide documented medical evidence to support their request for accommodation.
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.
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 Working arrangements (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 ourwebsite. Detailed data is available under the Salary and Benefits tab.
NATO does not charge any application processing training interviewing testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. For more info please click here.
Required Experience:
Unclear Seniority
Employment Type
Full-Time
