Communication Information System Security Supervisor (Information Assurance)

Post Context/Post Summary

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 Operations Directorate is responsible for monitoring the strategic environment and manages current operations for the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). Operations Directorate directs and oversees all assigned operational and intelligence functional area activities through the J2 and the J3 divisions, coordinates the contribution of niche forces and capabilities (Joint Effects, Nuclear Operations, Office of the Provost Marshal, and Allied Command Counter Intelligence), and tasks MOU organizations (NIFC, JEWCS).

The J2 Division provides comprehensive advice, warning, and situational awareness to the Command Group (CG) and Allied Command Operations (ACO) on Intelligence, Counter-Intelligence, Security, Information Security, Biometrics and Identity Intelligence, Geospatial, Joint Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (including ISTAR), Maintains staff responsibility and supervision for Counterintelligence and Security within ACO. J2 maintains liaison with Nations, NATO International Staff and NATO International Military Staff (IMS), Allied Command Transformation (ACT), Subordinate Commands and other organizations as directed. 

The J2X Branch provides Security governance and oversight of NATO Command Structure (NCS) elements, security awareness and training, security policy development, and advice on security policy implementation, including advice on sharing of intelligence and information with non-NATO entities. It executes Communication and Information Systems security accreditation and inspections, and provides Information Security awareness and training, policy advice and development. 

The Information Assurance Section (IA) executes Communication and Information Systems (CIS) security accreditation on behalf of the ACO Security Accreditation Authority (SACEUR), represents the ACO Security Accreditation Authority at NATO and ACO security accreditation boards, conducts CIS security inspections, exercises CIS security oversight in support of the CIS Operational Authority (CISOA), supports CIS Security incident management, provides Information Security awareness and training, policy advice and development, and provides relevant CIS Security support to all CISOAs within ACO.

Principal Duties

1.  To be responsible for the development of long term ACO Information Assurance (IA) programme and implementation of awareness policy, including: to develop and to produce IA educational/ training material; to organize/conduct IA workshops ACO-wide; to provide ACO inputs to NATO training courses, which incorporate IA elements.

2.  To provide direct support to NATO missions, including: mission-specific IA policy development and deploying to operational theatres as an IA advisor, as required.

3.  To provide IA policy advice and security risk management guidance.

4.  To contribute to the development of ACO IA policies.

5.  To participate in the ACO liaison with industry and NATO Agencies, as required, on IA related matters, ensuring current and relevant technical knowledge is regularly fed into the IA Section.

6.  To support the evaluation/ assessment of IA threat vectors and the promotion of relevant counter measures, incorporating the output into ACO policy, CD efforts, IA awareness programmes and training.

7.  Supports the definition and evaluation of Cyber threat vectors and counter measures from Cyber Intelligence perspective.

8.  To provide IA Risk Assessments for specific major ACO CIS.

9.   Will conduct security oversight inspections and to support investigations on sub commands and NATO missions, as required.

10. To attend additional NATO / International IA working groups as required.

11. Supervises on behalf of the NATO Security Accreditation Board, the security evaluation of software within NCIA.

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. 

The risk of injury is categorised as No risk / risk might increase when deployed.

Essential Qualifications

a. Professional/Experience

1.    Experience of the investigation of CIS Security/security incidents and cyber forensic.

2.    Experience of CIS Security and security inspections and surveys.

3.    Experience in CIS Risk Management.

4.    Experience in Information Systems Security.

b. Education/Training

University Degree  in information security, computer science, criminology, police, public or business administration, administration of justice, criminal law, comparative general management, political theory, behavioural or social psychology or related discipline  and 2 years function related experience, or Higher Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training  in that discipline leading to a professional qualification or professional accreditation with 4 years post related experience.

In case of ambiguity the required job specific experience have priority over the standard education and training levels and experience described here.

c. Language

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

Desirable Qualifications

a. Professional Experience

1.    Experience of military exercises in J2 or Cyber roles.

2.    Extensive background in military security work covering Cyber/CIS security.

3.    At least one assignment as an IT, CIS, Cyber or INFOSEC security officer or equivalent.

4.    Experience in Cyber Operations, Red teams, Adversary emulation.

Attributes/Competencies

• Personal Attributes: The incumbent must have an outstanding task management and communication skills. He/she must be innovative and possess the intellectual ability to create, advertise and instruct CIS Security programmes that not only meet NATO security policy requirements but are pragmatic and implementable at the lowest command levels.

• Professional Contacts: The incumbent maintains regular contact with staffs from Nations, Industry, NATO Agencies, NATO HQ, SHAPE and its subordinate formations and senior security staffs in NATO nations and International Organisations. Contacts are frequent at the OF5 level and the incumbent is personally required to conduct briefings to collective audiences on the subject of technical topics, Security policies and regulations.

The incumbent represents SHAPE / ACO in NATO committee meetings, NATO working groups, engages international audiences in conferences or exhibitions and collects information as well as represents NATO as speaker in a wide venue of security related events (e.g. staff meetings, training events, workshops, conferences, etc.).

In addition to this, he/she chairs CIS Security related boards/meetings with national representatives in order to support NATO exercises /missions.

The incumbent is a very well respected, well networked and authoritative source in the NATO and international community when it comes to all matters of CIS Security.

Overall, contacts and relations have to be established, have to be maintained and have to be worked to be beneficial to the organization while enabling and supporting the requirements of SHAPE / ACO.

• Contribution To Objectives: In terms of ensuring the continued effective instigation of all aspects of security in ACO, the incumbent is central to achieving this objective. The ACO Security awareness program forms a keystone in maintaining effective security procedures within ACO. The incumbent will lead the new requirements for Security awareness across ACO. The incumbent will achieve this by translating the traditional security aspects of document, physical and personnel security into the environment of CIS Security, which will then be included in the ACO security awareness program.

Through the use of skills and knowledge acquired daily in the ACO/SHAPE/office environment, the incumbent can and will support ACO operations and exercises, making sure that CIS Security is achieved effectively and that missions/exercise can attempt to achieve their goals while operating inside a risk managed environment.  As an example, supporting ISAF and RS with CIS Security expertise, having visibility of security violations, while gaining inspection experience and merging this with technical audit capabilities (through training and day to day engagement with NCIA), the incumbent is capable of supporting and enabling CIS Security event, policy and technical challenges of ACO’s AOR primary focus.

By merging CIS Security threats, AOR findings and experiences with technical knowledge, cyberspace as an operational domain receives support in form of the enabled Intel support to cyber capability and by feeding entities like the SHAPE CG, SHAPE TF Cyber and soon the CyOC relevant information and associated CIS Security risk information.

Overall, day to day activities and products range in their contribution and support task from the SHAPE J2 X CIS Security section level to reaching SHAPE CG, all of ACO, NATO Agencies, partners, missions and outside entities (e.g. industry / academia).

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 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:

6 Tips for Applying to NATO

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.

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