Are you an experienced Cyberspace Engineer?  If so, this position offers you a unique opportunity to support the NATO Alliance at its Capability Development Command.

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 NATO’s posture, military structures, forces, capabilities and doctrines.

The Capability Development Directorate (CAPDEV) comprises two Divisions—Requirements 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 Cyberspace Branch provides scientific, technical and operational expertise for the development and continuous improvement of modern and agile Cyberspace capabilities including Cyber Defence and enabling cryptographic infrastructure. The Branch provides services and products through a competency-aligned structure to support appropriate product, programme coordination across DOTMLPFI lines of development throughout the lifecycle. The Branch supports cyber concepts development, capability requirements elicitation, architectures (including cryptographic reference and target architectures) and federated interoperability. This includes leveraging applied science, technology, operations research and horizon scanning. The Branch leads the development of Capability Programme Plans (CPPs) and ensures delivery of programme outcomes by assessing throughout the lifecycle the CSSPR against agreed tolerances. The Branch leads the acceptance testing and documentation of assigned capabilities. The Branch analyses emerging technologies with stakeholders. It ensures military and technical coherence and persistent interoperability.

He/she serves as the Cyberspace Capability Development Engineer in the Cyberspace Capabilities Section within the Cyberspace Branch.

Reports to: – Section Head (Programme Director Cyberspace Capabilities).

Principal Duties: His/her duties are:

a.         Provide system-engineering expertise to develop cyberspace capability programs, including systems specification, systems analysis and design, systems architectures, systems design, technology evaluation and insertion.

b.         Contribute to the development of cyberspace capability programmes:

i.          Contribute to the elicitation of capability requirements in support of the Requirements Division.

ii.         Lead the development of contents for cyberspace capability program plans (including cyber security and cryptography, cyber situational awareness, cyber C2 capabilities, cyber ranges and labs, etc.), including the development and support to the development of: capability description, specifications, architectures, costing and analysis of alternatives.

iii.        Support Allied Command Operations (ACO) and other NATO organizations in the development of cyber Operational Requirement Statements (ORSs), standalone projects and urgent requirement requests (URR).

iv.        Ensure the delivery of program outcomes by assessing scope, cost, schedule, risk and performance throughout the capability life cycle.

v.         Ensure technical and content coordination and synchronization with the cyberspace capabilities communities of interest and SMEs, including HQ SACT, other NATO organizations, host nations, nations, industry and academia.

vi.        Provide expertise and guide the acceptance testing for cyberspace capabilities in direct liaison with the host nation and industry.

vii.       Support the development of Cyberspace Capability Development Plans.

c.         Provide cyber SME support to branch Warfare Development (WD) plan, resource plan, cyberspace Program of Work (POW) and other cyber branch products including feasibility studies, concepts, white papers, requests for information, etc.

d.         Liaise with NATO, the nations, partners, industry, academia, IOs and NGOs cyber experts, to derive cyber requirements, trends, technology evaluations and best-practice solutions, to ensure that capability program plans are technically sound and represent feasible solutions and capability development plans follow current trends.

e.         Support to the NATO Defence Planning Process (NDPP) Steps 2-5 for Cyberspace Domain.

f.          Ensure Lessons Learned (LL) are integrated into all cyberspace program and activities. Ensure LL requests, planning, creation, collection, staffing and handling in accordance with the NATO LL Process is an integrated part of any activity.

g.         Represent ACT on appropriate cyber-related committees, task forces, panels and working groups.

h.         Perform as Capability Project Coordinator as needed within the Cyberspace Branch.

Essential Qualifications

a.         University Degree in information security, computer science or related discipline and 2 years function related experience.

b.         3-4 years in-depth experience in development and implementation of cyber-related capabilities, including market research, technology evaluation and insertion, requirements specifications, architectures, design, implementation, validation and verification.

c.         2-3 years experience (depending on educational background/degrees) in system engineering, including systems specification, systems analysis and design, systems architectures, systems implementation.

d.         2-3 years experience in project management of medium to large (10 to larger than 100 USD million) IT/CIS/crypto and/or cyber projects, including programming, financial and budget management for government or military organizations.

e.         2-3 years experience (depending on educational background/degrees) in the management, technical lead and coordination of heterogeneous engineering teams.

f.          Ability to work in team environments.

g.         Experience interacting/briefing with/to senior leadership at the Flag/General Officers level.

h.         Excellent analytical, problem solving and verbal and written communication skills.

i.          Expert-level certification in cyber security, at the level of (ISC)2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or ISACA’s Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).

j.          Introductory-level certification in project management, at the level of PMI Certified Associate In Project Management (CAPM), CompTIA Project , Axelos PRINCE2 Foundation or APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ).

Language

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

Desirable Qualifications

a.         Professional Experience

1.         Architecture development using NATO Architectural Framework (NAF) or equivalent (e.g. DoDAF).

2.         General knowledge of the organization and structure of NATO.

3.         Demonstrable understanding of cyberspace operations.

b. Education/Training

1.         Masters Degree in information technology, computer science, computer networking and communications, and 3-4 years post-related experience.

2.         ITIL 4 Managing Professional.

3.         Project Management at the level of PMI Project Management Professional (PMP), Axelos PRINCE2 Practitioner, APM Project Manager Qualification (PMQ).

Attributes/Competencies

•           Managerial Responsibilities: He/she has no direct managerial (reporting) responsibilities, although is responsible to enable coherent understanding of the capability development process over four Military Officers (OF-4/3) and one NATO civilian (A-3), plus varying levels of contractor support in the role as deputy section head.

•           Professional Contacts: Daily and routine professional contact is required at the OF-4 level, both inside and outside the command HQ. Contact with contractors, senior staff and participation in briefings and internal review boards is undertaken regularly. He/she will be required to work along national representatives at the level of senior experts in multiple cyberspace fora.

•           Contribution To Objectives: All activities within the Cyberspace Branch are directly linked to the Command’s Management Objectives Plan. Projects and Services are directly linked to Performance Indicators and Targets derived from Command Standing Objectives and Principal Activity Areas. He/she is often the first to notice an issue or shortfall requiring leadership and management intervention, and his/her work may contribute to inform Command’s commitment to a particular long term strategy.

As ACT is focused on military capability transformation and the vast majority of modern capability is reliant upon some aspect of communications and information services, the capabilities developed will be instrumental in the collective output of NATO as a whole.

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.

Work Environment

He/she will be required to work in a normal office environment.

Contract

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 details on the eligibility criteria and application processes to be adopted by all candidates.

The candidature of NATO redundant staff at grade A-2/NG 15 will be considered with priority.

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.

This vacancy will close on 23 May 2023 @ 17:59hrs (Eastern)/11:59hrs (CET).

Notes for NATO Civilian Human Resources Managers

If you have qualified redundant staff at grade A-2/NG 15, please advise the HQ SACT Civilian HR Manager no later than the closing date.

For any queries, please contact the HQ SACT Recruitment Team at [email protected]