1. Post Context
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) provides an integrated Strategic Effects framework, employing a multi-domain and multi-region focus to create a 360-degree 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 SACEUR in fulfilling his terms of reference, as directed by the North Atlantic Council.
The Defence Planning Capability Requirement Section (CR) co-ordinates ACO’s contribution to NATO Defence Planning Process and represents SHAPE in all related activities.
This post contributes to the CR section.
2. Principal Duties
The incumbent's duties are:
1) Provide Joint Enabling expertise to the CR section, ensuring coordination with relevant staff officers from SHAPE divisions and the subordinated commands.
2) Support the inclusion of the Enablement of SACEUR AOR through the Strategic Subordinate Plans (SSP-R) and Host Nation Support (HNS) development in the NATO Defence Planning Process (NDPP).
3) Support the NDPP step 2, coordinating ACO inputs to the Capability Codes and Capability Statements (CC&CS) and the Minimum Capability Requirements (MCR) in the Joint Enabling domain;
4) Provide domain expert staff analysis to support the NDPP step 3 apportionment, ensuring the consideration of operational priorities;
5) Act as the ACO country officer for the step 3 apportionment process, including the participation to the joint consultation meetings, multilaterals and support the development of the capability targets;
6) Ensure the Joint Enabling domain part of the NDPP step 3 Impact Assessment;
7) Lead the Joint enabling part of the nations DPCS analysis, in the provision of ACO contribution to the countries impact analysis;
8) Act as the Country officer for some countries in the step 5 process, including the participation to the bilateral and multilateral discussions;
9) Lead the Joint Enabling Domain part of the Bi-SC Suitability and Risk Assessment;
10) Support Force generation and verification with NDPP step 5 analytical data in the relevant domain expertise;
11) Support the directorate activities in the development of relevant concepts, studies, ACO force standards (AFS), interoperability with J/E expertise;
12) Assists the section head in all relevant domain matter, activities, meetings and document production;
13) Provides liaison with SHAPE divisions, Subordinate commands, ACT and NCIA in support of Defence Planning documents.
3. Special Requirements and Additional Duties
The employee may be required to perform a similar range of duties elsewhere within the organisation at the same grade without there being any change to the contract.
The incumbent may be required to undertake TDY assignments both within and without NATO’s boundaries and be willing to work unsocial hours.
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. Such operational deployment may exceed 30 days duration up to 183 days in any period of 547 days and may be on short notice. For NATO International Civilian Staff, acceptance of an employment contract linked to this post constitutes agreement to deploy in excess of 30 days if required.
The work is normally performed in a Normal NATO office working environment.
Normal Working Conditions apply.
The risk of injury is categorised as No risk / risk might increase when deployed.
4. Essential Qualifications
a. Professional/Experience
- Previous relevant experience in Operations Planning, specifically in Joint Tactical, Operations and/or Strategic Headquarters;
- Ability to coordinate and follow up timely, accurately and tactfully with internal and external stakeholders;
- Ability to collate, analyze and synthesize information.
b. Education/Training
University Degree and 2 years function related experience, or Higher Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training leading to a professional qualification or professional accreditation with 4 years post related experience.
In case of ambiguity the required job specific experience has priority over the standard education and training levels and experience described here.
c. Language
English - SLP 3333 - (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing)
5. Desirable Qualifications
- Previous relevant experience in Defence Planning related issues at national or NATO level.
- Previous experience in joint enabling/logistics support.
- Completion of NATO Staff Officer Defense Planning Course (ETE-DP-26805) or any equivalent Defence Planning / Capability Development course at national level.
6. Attributes/Competencies
Personal Attributes: The candidate needs to display strong critical thinking and analysing skills in order to provide insightful inputs in its daily activities, which would mostly require autonomous work. However, the candidate should also be able to work in a team, respecting team-members’ views and striving to include them in any product, as well as being ready to give priority to the accomplishment of tasks received by his/her managers. Moreover, the candidate should be able to adapt to a fast-paced, intense workload. Multitasking and prioritizing is likely to be frequent, and the candidate should be able to handle a variety of topics in the given timeframe. Finally, considering the range of stakeholders involved, the numerous political sensitivities and the high-level authorities interactions that characterize the Defence Planning Process, the candidate should be able to act in a tactful and diplomatic way to protect the strategic interests of SACEUR while respecting the complexities of other stakeholders’ positions.
Professional Contacts: For the accomplishment of its duties, the incumbent will be required to be in touch with counterparts and authorities from the SHAPE Divisions and Branches, ACT, NATO HQ, ACO HQs and NCIA. Specifically, he/she will do so to collect and validate information, discuss and share positions and opinions, as well as request assistance as required.
Contribution To Objectives: The post is directly in support of the NDPP activities of the Force Development division, contributing to the provision of the required pool of forces and capabilities to SACEUR’s ability to conduct its missions, tasks and other activities in the short and medium term. Furthermore, the post can also act to inform the decisions taken by the NDPP community, including the DPPC(R) and the Military Committee in the Defence Planning environment.
REMARKS:
Duration of contract: The successful candidate will fill this post as a Project Linked NATO International Civilian (PLN) with a three-year definite duration contract within the NATO 2030 Agenda. On expiry of this term the PLN will be deleted or absorbed into the ceiling pending approval or will exceptionally be considered for extension.
The salary will be the basic entry-level monthly salary defined by the NATO Grade of the post, which may be augmented by allowances based on the selected staff member’s 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 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.
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) (https://nato.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobsearch.ftl?lang-en). Applications submitted by other means (e.g. mail, e-mail, fax, etc) are not accepted.
More information to be found on these links:
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 NS security clearance and a medical certificate.
Final Remarks:
a) Only nationals from the 32 NATO member states can apply for vacancies at SHAPE.
b) 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, re-submit the application.
c) Qualified redundant staff of the same grade interested in this post should inform this office, via their HR/Personnel Office by not later than vacancy’s closing date.
d) Candidates’ individual telephone, e-mail or telefax enquiries cannot be dealt with. All candidates will receive an answer indicating the outcome of their application.
e) 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.
f) As part of the recruitment process, the organization may review publicly available information to assess potential conflicts of interest, reputational risks, or behaviors inconsistent with the organization’s values.