Assistant

1. SUMMARY

NATO’s public diplomacy efforts serve a vital function within the Alliance by communicating its purpose and priorities to audiences worldwide. In fulfilling this role, the Public Diplomacy Division (PDD) actively strengthens NATO’s public image, thereby fostering awareness and understanding of NATO’s policies and activities, and ultimately enhances trust in and support for the Alliance.

PDD works to promote security cooperation through a variety of programmes in NATO and partner countries and contributes to a continuous process of international security debate and policy creation. The Division also acts as coordinator for strategic communication activities across all NATO civilian and military bodies and harmonises public diplomacy activities undertaken by other Divisions at NATO Headquarters (HQ), as well as by other entities belonging to the NATO structure.

The Public Diplomacy Division Engagements Section’s principal goals are to strengthen NATO’s public image, foster awareness and understanding of NATO, its values, policies and activities, and ultimately enhance trust in and support for the Alliance. The Section’s is implementing the NATO Communications Strategy via building long-term relationships, fostering dialogue and cooperation with relevant audiences in NATO countries and around the world through a combination of people-to-people as well as digital engagement tools. To that effect, the Section engages with opinion leaders, policy makers and professionals as well as online interest groups and young people across NATO member and partner countries. Cooperation themes are guided by NATO’s evolving political agenda, with a focus on the Alliance’s core tasks, i.e. collective defence, crisis management and cooperative security. The management of the external NATO Satellite Offices (NASO ) are integral part of the Section’s portfolio.

Reporting daily to the Head of the Engagements Section, the incumbent is accountable for efficiently handling a wide range of assistant duties of an administrative and financial resources nature. S/he will coordinate the SharePoint Collaborative Spaces for the Engagement Section.

2. QUALIFICATIONSANDEXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL

The incumbent must:

• have a good general education at least to higher secondary level;
• have at least 4 years’ professional experience of administrative support duties; or else have at least the equivalent experience executing similar duties deemed necessary to the post, in particular related to budget, and information technology;
• possess in-depth working knowledge of PC software applications, in particular the Microsoft Office suite, SharePoint, or similar;
• have experience in organising conferences or programme administration;
• have knowledge of, and experience in financial management;
• possess the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): V (“Advanced”) in one; III (“Intermediate”) in the other.

DESIRABLE

The following would be considered an advantage:

• a diploma or qualification in a related filed
• excellent writing skills in one of the two official languages of the Organization;
• experience working in an international organisation and environment;
• practical working knowledge of an additional NATO member or partner country language.
  

3.MAINACCOUNTABILITIES

Planning and Execution

Reporting daily to the Head of Section the incumbent will assist with day-to-day administration of the Section’s activities, including those pertaining to the NASO Offices. In close coordination with the Budget Officer and Financial Unit, support the preparation of the Section’s Financial Plan and annual budget. Act as the Section’s assistant coordinating the publication, deadlines and management of the public diplomacy grants under the supervision of the Head of Section.

Financial Management

Under the daily supervision of the Head of Section, support the planning and the execution of the budget for the Section. Ensure that proper financial procedures are followed. Assist with the administration of budgetary matters. Run the financial database of the Section’s activities to have immediate overview of the general or a particular budget.

Support the preparation of the Section’s Financial Plan and annual budget, and provide support to a sound execution of the annual budget in accordance with applicable procedures. Develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as necessary and Medium Term Financial Plan. Coordinate the Section’s report on target achievement. In coordination with the PDD Financial Unit, and in line with NATO Financial Regulations, monitor and track the Section’s expenditures, including travel, hospitality, training, consultancy and programme funds. Support all financial and administrative operations pertaining to the functioning of the external NATO Satellite Offices, in close cooperation with the Section’s officers in charge, local staff NATO Satellite Offices as well as PDD’s Financial Unit.

Information Management

Draft/edit documents, memoranda, cover letters pertaining to projects and activities. Type and format all kinds of documents, including tables of figures requiring careful presentation using the standard software packages used by NATO (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Take minutes at meetings as necessary. Oversee the document flow into and out of the office including retrieving and organizing correspondence/documents/taskers (for either non classified or classified information).

Knowledge Management

Collect, categorise, and track relevant information required for various tasks and projects. Maintain well-structured paper and electronic filing systems.

Stakeholder Management

Liaise with the Budget Officer and Financial Unit on budget and financial administration. Maintain close contact with the Section’s managers and personnel in order to ensure timely and efficient planning and execution of personnel/budget-related processes and procedures. Collaborate with colleagues in similar positions to ensure exchange of information and best practice implementation and diagnose potential organisational issues. Coordinate work and relations with the relevant colleagues, to ensure the efficient planning and oversight of all activities, projects or events undertaken and/or supported by the Section. Maintain good working relations with internal and external contacts, including national delegations, other NATO bodies, such as the NATO Office of Security, as well as providers of services like local transportation companies, hotels and catering firms. Demonstrate tact, diplomacy and good judgment when dealing with clients.

Expertise Development

Proactively develop skills in areas such as planning and organising, IT, languages and audio-visual equipment use and maintenance. Attend training sessions to stay up to date with the latest processes and workflows in NATO’s ERP system. Liaise with other Assistants to leverage knowledge.

Organisational Efficiencies

Provide constructive suggestions to improve office procedures, ways to be faster, better and more effective in managing information and using office tools. Act as back-up to other Programme Assistants as required. Act as back up to the Head’s Assistant.

Project Management

Support specific projects as required in order for PDD’s Engagements Section to continuously improve services and deliveries. Commensurate accountability and ownership and help to drive projects/initiatives to completion. Find timely and creative solutions to problems that meet client and organisational needs concerning programmes and projects. When required, coordinate and efficiently handle briefing programmes, many of which have the structure and complexity of small projects, or other projects and initiatives including all associated finances, as assigned.

Perform any other related duty as assigned.

4. INTERRELATIONSHIPS

The incumbent reports daily to the Head, Engagements Section, PDD and work closely with the Section Head’s Assistant. He/she maintains a good working relationship with all Section staff including in the NASO Offices, other members of the Public Diplomacy Division as well as counterparts in other Divisions, other NATO bodies and in the Delegations.

Direct reports: N/a

Indirect reports: N/a.

5. COMPETENCIES

The incumbent must demonstrate:

• Clarity and Accuracy: Checks own work;
• Customer Service Orientation: Takes personal responsibility for correcting problems;
• Empathy: Listens actively;
• Flexibility: Acts with flexibility;
• Initiative: Is decisive in a time-sensitive situation;
• Organisational Awareness: Understands the Organization’s structure;
• Teamwork: Expresses positive attitudes and expectations of team or team members.