Principal Engineer (Information Assurance & Cyber Defence)

OPEN TO NATIONALS OF NATO MEMBER STATES ONLY

STAFF VACANCY 220139

DIVISION: International Military Staff

NATO HQ C3 Staff

Information Assurance and Cyber Defence Branch (IACD)

TITLE: Principal Engineer (Information Assurance & Cyber Defence)

GRADE: G-20/A-4

Please note that the competition for this post is provisionally scheduled for second half of June 2022.

1.Post Context. The NHQC3S is an integrated staff composed of members of the International Military Staff (IMS) and the International Staff (IS) responsible for analysis, advice, and actionable recommendations to Nations and NATO Bodies that will lead to the delivery of C3 capabilities and C3 support to other related systems. Led by the Director NHQC3S, the Staff supports the different NATO committees and in particular, the Military Committee, the C3 Board (C3B) and the Cyber Defence Committee. It functionally operates under the coordinated executive management authority of the Director General of the IMS and the Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment.

The IACD Branch acts as the Staff lead for cyberspace operations, information assurance and cyber defence. This includes: supporting the Military Committee in its governance roles for cyberspace as a domain of operations and for cryptography, supporting the C3 Board (C3B) and its substructure in the expertise domains of Communications and Information Systems (CIS) Security, cyber defence, cryptography, as well as Identity and Access Management (IAM), including Public Key Infrastructure (PKI); and the improvement within these three domains.

The incumbent is the principal policy and technical advisor with the IACD Branch and assists the Branch in its support of the Programme of Work (PoW) of the C3B and its substructure, the PoWs and tasks of the C3 Staff, as well as tasks from the IS and IMS in matters relating to Cyberspace Operations, Information Assurance and Cyber Defence.

2.Principal Duties.

• Serving as the Information Assurance, Cyber Defence and Cyberspace Operations Principal Policy and Technical Advisor;
• Coordinating the NHQC3S efforts in the development of policies, directives and guidance for the technical implementation of cyber defence measures in NATO communication and information systems;
• Advising the Branch Head on all matters related to cyberspace operations, information assurance and cyber defence, providing oversight and quality assurance for the initiatives dealt with by the Staff;
• Developing overarching security architectures and ensuring that all Branch programmes and activities are harmonized and coordinated;
• Representing the Branch in meetings with international organisations, industry and academia, NATO committees and inter- as well as intra-staff meetings;
• Managing the development of programmes of work and projects, along with associated budgets within the CDO area of responsibility, and liaising with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the PoWs and projects are coherent with other initiatives;
• Analysing emerging consultation, command and control concepts as well as emerging technologies , assessing their impact on cyber defence and the security posture of NATO communication and information systems and identifying information assurance and cyber defence requirements, in terms of directives, guidance and products or standardisation, for their implementation;
• Coordinating the development and maintenance of NATO-wide guidance on cyber defence and network security architectures and their implementation with commercial security technology or solutions;
• Supporting the oversight of NATO’s capability development efforts in information assurance and cyber defence; participating in the screening of operational and capability requirements in this context;
• Supporting Branch engagement with the Military Committee, Director General IMS, C3B, Cyber Defence Committee, Emerging Security Challenges Division, Office of the Chief Information Officer, NATO Office of Security, NATO Office of Resources, ACO, ACT, academia and industry;
• Representing the NHQC3S in the main NATO Security Accreditation Bodies and providing them with the assessments and advice on information assurance and cyber defence requirements for NATO communication and information systems to ensure conformance to NATO security policy and supporting directives.
  

3.Special Requirements and Additional Duties.The incumbent may be required to:

• Perform additional related duties, albeit in a different organisational element to which the individual normally works;
• Travel both within and outside of NATO boundaries;
• Attend as directed additional training and specialised courses relevant to the aforementioned duties;
• Perform a role in the IMS Crisis Management Organisation during exercises and in times of tension, crisis and conflict;
• Work irregular hours and overtime whenever necessary.
  

4.Essential Qualifications.

Professional/Experience.

• A minimum of 10 years’ professional experience relevant for the duties of the post, some of which gained in an international or multinational environment;
• A minimum of six years in a combination of the domains of information assurance, cyber defence, cyber security and/or cyberspace operations;
• Comprehensive and in-depth technical and conceptual knowledge in at least one of the domains above;
• Experience in the implementation and integration of information assurance, cyber security and cyber defence measures in CIS;
• A proven record of managing teams and creating an enabling environment, including the ability to effectively lead, supervise, mentor and evaluate Staff;
• Excellent drafting ability, presentation and communication skills, both oral and written, coupled with experience in writing conceptual papers at political or strategic level;
• Excellent negotiating skills for participation in multinational conferences and meetings within his/her area of responsibility.
  

Education/Training. University degree (Master’s level - ISCED level 7) in one of the following areas; Computer or (Tele)Communication Science, Information Management, Information Security, or related field. Exceptionally a degree at a lower level or in a different area if complemented with relevant expertise, knowledge, and experience in information assurance, cyber defence, cyber security and/or cyberspace operations.

Languages. Candidates must have an advanced command of spoken and written English. The working language in the IMS is English and therefore candidates will be required to pass a one-hour multiple-choice computer-based test in English at the required level as well as to demonstrate their abilities in the written test and interview.

Information Technology (IT) Knowledge. Use of MS-Office applications is crucial to the effective and successful execution of daily duties. Advanced user experience with Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and web applications and database programs.

5.Desirable Qualifications.

Professional/Experience.

• Experience in the development of technical policy, directives and guidance to set security requirements and controls for information assurance and cyber defence;
• Experience with the military perspective of cyber defence, including the planning, training, exercising, and conduct of cyberspace operations;
• Experience chairing or providing secretarial support to multinational expert-level meetings;
• Familiarity with NATO’s cyber defence organisation, method of work and procedures;
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a highly complex organisational context.
  

Education/Training.

• Formal certifications in the fields of information assurance, cyber defence or cyber security (e.g. CISSP, CEH, GCIH, GSEC, etc.);
• NATO Consultation, Command and Control (C3) Course – NSO (N5-35);
• NATO Crisis Management Course – NSO (M3-52);
• Integration Cyber Considerations into Operational Planning – CCD CoE;
• NATO Security Course – NSO (N1-38);
• Non-specified training that will allow the incumbent to remain current or gain new skills associated with existing or emerging requirements of the post.
  

Languages. An intermediate level of spoken and written French.

6.Personal Attributes

• Ability to conduct as Chair of multinational groups and seek, through keen sense of judgement and tact, the resolution of conflicts;
• Ability to manage effectively a large group dynamic to meet objectives and deadlines as well as facilitate discussions and provide professional guidance;
• Ability to respond to any mission and task in the most flexible and efficient manner;
• Ability to analyse complex problems and provide realistic solutions in a timely manner;
• Ability to deal with numerous problems simultaneously.
  

• Candidates must demonstrate the following competencies:
  

• Achievement: Creates own measures of excellence and improves performance;
• Analytical Thinking:Sees multiple relationships;
• Change Leadership:Expresses vision for a 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.Managerial Responsibilities.

• Oversee and coordinate the staff of the IACD Branch to ensure comprehensiveness, coherence and quality of initiatives and products;
• Perform the duties of the Branch Head, IACD Branch when required;
• Manage projects and their associated budgets in IACD Branch’s area of responsibility;
• Lead NHQC3S Task Teams, as required;
• Chair the relevant elements of the C3B sub-structure;
  

8.Professional Contacts.

• Staff members of the IMS, IS, Strategic Commands and other NATO Civil and Military Bodies;
• National Representatives to NATO Committees and WGs;
• Staff members of national and international organisations, such as the European Union and the United Nations;
• Representatives of industry and academia.
  

9.Contribution to the Objectives. This post is fundamental for the operation and continuity of the NHQC3S to accomplish its mission.

10.Remarks.

• Security Clearance – COSMIC TOP SECRET (if not currently held, the incumbent must be eligible for this level of clearance).
• Multinational environment and work with groups where members represent sovereign Nations;
• Work Environment – Normal office environment.
  

11.How to apply.

Applications must be submitted by 2 May 2022(23:59 Brussels time) using one of the following links, as applicable:

• For NATO civilian staff members only: please apply via the internal recruitment portal (for more information, please contact your local Civilian HR Manager);
• For all other applications: www.nato.int/recruitment
  

12.Additional Information.

The successful applicant will be offered a three-year definite duration contract which may be renewed. If the successful candidate is seconded from a national administration, public institution or the armed forces of a NATO member state, he/she will be offered a three-year definite duration contract which may be renewed for a further period of up to three years. The maximum time of service in post for seconded staff is six years. Serving NATO international civilian personnel will be offered a contract in accordance with the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations.

Appointment will be subject to the deliverance of a COSMIC TOP SECRET security clearance by the national authorities and approval of the medical file by the NATO Medical Adviser.

A written test will be held as part of the selection procedure.

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.

NATO as an employer values diverse backgrounds and perspectives and is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and talented workforce. NATO welcomes applications of nationals from all Member States and strongly encourages women to apply.

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.

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.

Please note that the IMS at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium is a non-smoking environment.