• Job Description

  Req#: 260106

  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 Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate (SPP) acts on behalf of SACT to formulate policies, strategies, engagements, ACT contributions to NDPP, and analytical practices that enable the Commander to provide strategic foresight, planning, strategy and policy advice, concepts, and strategic engagement to NATO’s political and military leadership. Principal outputs include but are not limited to: long term strategic foresight, strategic level concepts, situational awareness/strategic anticipation, Minimum Capability Requirements, Draft Capability Targets, Suitability Assessment of Allies and NATO Defence Plans, and regional and functional to security related environments.

  The Branch provides SACT with advice pertaining to strategy and policy matters at the political and military levels. It coordinates the development of unfettered military advice and Transformation and Adaptation Plans and Policy, ensures coherence of ACT’s internal work strands in relation to overarching NATO policy and strategy, and supports the Commander’s engagements in areas relevant to policy and strategy. The Branch maintains a persistent relationship with the NATO Strategic Direction (South) Hub on Deterrence & Defence matters.

  Within the Policy and Plans Branch, the Counter-Terrorism Threats SME is responsible for ensuring that terrorist threats to the Alliance and Euro-Atlantic security are understood, coordinated, and incorporated through all associated ACT strands of work and policy.

  Principal Duties

  • Provide input and direction for all ACT pillars on issues specifically relating to terrorist threats. Develop and maintain an understanding of terrorist groups through research and develop reports, briefings and presentations, papers, or other deliverables that contribute to a better understanding of their intentions and capabilities.
  • Conduct analysis and identify trends relating to terrorist group activities.
  • Coordinate with SALT and STRATFOR to endure SPPs provides coherent terrorist analysis for ACT.
  • Contribute to cross-functional projects and programs with summaries, research papers, and other written products or briefings.
  • Directly support the 4 Star Supreme Allied Commander Transformation in the development of military advice related to terrorist threats. The CT SME ensures that coherent, blunt, reasoned, clear and when necessity dictates blunt advice is delivered. The CTT SME must have intimate knowledge of the Strategic Commander’s Long-Term Vision and the realities of NATO decision making at the political and military level. The CTT SME must also have comprehensive knowledge of extant NATO policy and procedures. A lack of such a detailed knowledge would result in a significant reduction in HQ SACT effectiveness;
  • Provide direct support to the 2 Star DCOS SPP for the day-to-day interaction with the NATO HQ and other stakeholders in the strategy and policy community, informing the inclusion of transformational positions in NATO strategy, strategic plans and policy.
  • There is a high-level impact from a broad perspective across the NATO strategy and policy community.
  • Must be able to contribute to the development/review/update of terrorist threat elements of NATO Military Strategy & NWCC, ACT or Bi-SC policy papers, concepts, action plans, and input to NATO Military Authorities (NMA`s) advice to the North Atlantic Council (NAC) on issues related to terrorist threats through close interaction with NATO HQ and ACO/SHAPE when required
  • Ability to participate in conferences and meetings representing ACT and provide terrorist threat subject matter expertise when and where required
  • Guide and prepare Initial Progress Reports (IPRs), background briefs, presentations, and point papers for HQ SACT on terrorist threats
  • Maintain close contact with NATO HQ International Staff (IS) Emerging Security Challenging Division (ESCD) to understand current terrorist threats posture, and what future positions may be
  • Maintain close contact with all Centres of Excellence that have equities in terrorist threats (Defence Against Terrorism, Counter-IED, Strategic Communication, Hybrid Threats, etc) to share information, identify current and future trends, and inform policy recommendations
  • Maintain a robust network of contacts with NATO entities, international organizations and other academic agencies in order to have a broader co-operation
  • Develop and lead Strategic Wargames and Studies that will contribute to the related efforts within WDA and NWCC programmes of work.
  • Coordinate assigned Branch activities to meet the requirements of the Strategic Management Plan and ACT mission as assigned.

  Ess ential Qualifications / Experience

  • 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.
  • Four (4) years of experience in data collection and analysis – both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
  • Three (3) years of experience in counterterrorism, risk analysis and threat assessment in international/regional organizations.
  • Extensive knowledge and broad experience regarding terrorist threats, to include all related sub-threshold activities.
  • Proven ability to engage and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
  • Experience with NATO (preferred) or other international organization at the policy level.
  • Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills; ability to work in a team environment.
  • Experience in coordination of major symposia, seminars, and presentations.
  • Degree in a national security-related field with at least 4 years’ post related experience.

  Language:

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

  Desirable Qualifications / Experience

  • Masters degree in a national security-related field.
  • Experience in academia.
  • Experience in a think tank.

  Attributes/Competencies:

  Personal Attributes:

  • The incumbent must exhibit negotiating and diplomatic skills in dealing with colleagues at different commands and senior staff of various Headquarters, with external supporting agencies and with contractors.
  • The incumbent will have regular external contact with other NATO Commands, the COE DAT and NATO HQ and must be able to work effectively without close SME support.
  • The employee must be flexible and able to work in more than one context simultaneously
  • The incumbent will have to exhibit both collegiate and team management skills and be able to delegate and escalate within and outside of the HQ.

  Managerial Responsibilities:

  • The post does not directly control the work of others. However, the post has a high degree of influence in planning and assessing how Counter Terrorism will be perceived within the Alliance at military level.

  Professional Contacts:

  The incumbent will routinely interface with the following:

  • Counter Terrorism Staff Officers
  • Counter Terrorism Advisors
  • Professional Counter Terrorism SME’s at various professional level within NATO to provide advice, guidance and to share information on SACT’s view on Counter Terrorism.

  Contribution To Objectives:

  • The incumbent will be responsible for effective contribution to SACT efforts to provide high level Counter Terrorism Planning Advice to the Alliance.
  • The incumbent will contribute to the development of Counter Terrorism Point Papers, Presentations and written Planning Advice.
  • The incumbent shall also contribute to the development and updates on Counter Terrorism policies and documents.

  Security Clearance

  The successful applicant will be required to apply for and receive a NATO SECRET CLEARANCE Security Clearance prior to final confirmation of contract and commencement of employment.

  Contract

  • This position is linked to a specific NATO project and is for a limited duration of 3 (three) years only.
  • 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 full details on the eligibility criteria and application processes to be adopted by all candidates. However, candidates should particularly note:

  Please answer each of the pre-screening questions completely in English. Expressions such as: “please see attached CV, please see annex, please see enclosed document, etc” are not acceptable; this is a cause of immediate rejection of the application.

  Particular attention should be given to Education and Experience section of your application form, which should be populated with details of your career to date and educational achievements and certifications as they relate to your application.

  The candidature of NATO redundant staff at grade G15 will be considered with priority.

  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.

  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 .

  This vacancy will close on 23 February 2026 @ 17:59hrs (EST)/11:59hrs (CET).

• About the company

  The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 European and North American countries.

Notice