Senior Capability Development Adviser - NRU
Important Note: this post is stationed in Kyiv, Ukraine, rated as an extreme risk location by the NATO Office of Security (NOS). Special security measures will apply for those assigned or travelling. For the time being Kyiv will remain an unaccompanied post and family members will not be relocated with the incumbent.
1. SUMMARY
The NATO Representation to Ukraine (NRU) facilitates political and military dialogue and cooperation between the Alliance and Ukraine, as well as coordinating NATO’s practical support to Ukraine. The Defence Advisory Section of the NRU provides advice and support to Ukraine’s defence and security institutions, encompassing the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Ministry of Interior (MoI) and Security Service Ukraine (SSU), in pursuit of interoperability with NATO and longer-term defence and deterrence goals. The Defence Advisory Section, in conjunction with other branches of the NRU, works closely with allies and partners in Kyiv, other NATO entities and NATO HQ in support of Ukraine.
The Senior Capability Development Adviser, under the Defence Advisory Section of the NRU, is the Principal NRU Military Capability Development Adviser to the Ukrainian (UKR) Ministry of Defence (MoD). The incumbent provides advice to UKR MoD Strategic Planning Staff on the development and implementation of a resource-aware approach to capability requirement definition and programme/project identification.
The incumbent supports the development of MoD transformation through the provision of capability budgeting tools and techniques such as 10-year programmes; silt charts; or capability mapping. Additionally, they develop relations with Allies and International Organisation stakeholders supporting UKR capability development transformation. They will develop a clear picture of who is doing what, working closely with other NATO entities, allies and international partners to support the delivery of NATO-UKR Interoperability Roadmap (IORM) initial Interoperability Requirements (iIORs) and their subsequent Long-Term Capability Development Plans (LTCDPs).
This role is located within the NRU in Kyiv, Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the country is rated by the NATO Office of Security as an extreme risk location. This means that special security measures apply for people assigned or traveling there, which includes restrictions on movement and on accommodation. Moreover, it is essential that NATO International Civilians receive Civilian Pre-deployment Training (CPDT) or similar training, such as Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT), before taking up the assignment or prior to travel.
2. QUALIFICATIONS
ESSENTIAL
The incumbent must:
- possess a minimum of 5 years' experience in the field of Military Capability Development and budgeting, evidenced through previous posts held, with experience in a relevant assignment at national Ministry of Defence level.
- demonstrate a very good understanding of national defence planning and the translation of military strategic intent to a resource-aware military capability plan.
- possess in-depth knowledge of international affairs and defence policy issues.
- be able to communicate concisely, clearly, logically and persuasively, verbally and in writing.
- have social skills and cultural awareness enabling work in a multinational environment, complemented by experience of mentoring/advising international partners.
- the following minimum levels of NATO's official languages (English/French): V ("Advanced") in one; I ("Beginner") in the other;
- be competent with the management and presentation of information through Information Technology including with Teams, Sharepoint and MS Office tools.
DESIRABLE
The following would be considered an advantage:
- previous experience as an adviser/mentor in an international environment at national Ministry level;
- have knowledge of NATO’s organisation and policies;
- advanced language skills in in Ukrainian and/or Russian would be an asset.
- a higher level of the other NATO official language.
Expertise Development
Support and advise UKR MoD in generating a process to manage balance of investment decisions and the creation of objective assessment tools.
Policy Development
Advise and support the delivery of agreed initial Interoperability Requirements (iIORs) related to Capability Development under the NATO-Ukraine Interoperability Roadmap (IORM), working with Ukraine’s Defence and Security sector counterparts and other relevant institutions.
Representation of the Organization
Represent the NATO Representation to Ukraine (NRU) in meetings with high-level Ukrainian authorities, Allies, and partners. Participate in conferences and activities to strengthen partnerships and support Ukrainian reform.
Knowledge Management
Draft reports, assessments, and briefing materials on Ukrainian defence transformation and related IORM progress, tracking evidence-based progress toward interoperability goals, and providing updates as required.
Stakeholder Management
Build and maintain relationships with Ukrainian defence experts, state agencies and Allied stakeholders. Coordinate relevant NRU interoperability work strands and foster cooperation between Ukrainian authorities, NATO staff, and Allied partners. Promote best practice and collaboration to support reform efforts. Provide a reach-back link to NATO HQ for additional short-term augmentation of subject-matter expertise to enable support to the role where necessary.
Project Management
Manage projects aligned with Ukraine’s National Defence Plan, Ukrainian defence transformation goals and NATO-Ukraine Interoperability Roadmap (IORM). Advise on the design and implementation of relevant NATO Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) programmes and projects. Monitor progress, resolve issues, and ensure timely delivery of objectives.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Head, Defence Advisory Section.
4. INTERRELATIONSHIPS
The incumbent reports to the Head Defence Advisory Section, NRU and works closely with stakeholders involved in Defence and Security Transformation including the EU Advisory Mission in Ukraine as well as bilaterally and multilaterally with allies. The incumbent will work closely with other NATO bodies including the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), the Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Centre (JATEC), and the NATO HQ Ukraine Cooperation and Transformation (UCT) Section.
Direct reports: N/a
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.
- Organizational 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 countries. Applications 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: www.nato.int/recruitment
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Appointment will be subject to receipt of a security clearance (provided by the national Authorities of the selected candidate), approval of the candidate’s medical file by the NATO Medical Adviser, verification of your study(ies) and work experience, and the successful completion of the accreditation and 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 NATO’s 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 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.
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.
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