Project Coordinator (ACT Red Team), Norfolk

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.

DCOS MDFD Directorate consists of eight HQ SACT-based Branches that have responsibility for NATO Force Development activities.

ACOS MDFD manages, coordinates and quality assures the outputs within the MDFD directorate.
The Experimentation and Wargaming Branch is responsible for developing and managing ACT’s Experimentation activities.

Within the EW Branch, the incumbent's main responsibility is to manage the Red Team's day-to-day operations.

Principal Duties:

Lead the establishment, development, and management of a Red Team, ensuring that it remains a dynamic and adaptable capability, ready to meet NATO's evolving operational needs and address emerging threats. Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Red Team, including resource allocation, task prioritization, and performance management, to maintain a high level of operational effectiveness. Provide objective, forward-looking analysis that strengthens the Common Intelligence Picture (CIP) and enhances ACT's decision-making processes. Work closely with other NATO entities to incorporate Red Team insights into broader strategic initiatives, ensuring that potential threats from adversaries, terrorist groups, and strategic competitors are proactively identified and mitigated. Develop and sustain a robust network of subject matter experts across ACO, NATO and partner nations, and academic institutions, ensuring that the Red Team can leverage specialized knowledge and expertise to enhance operations and meet emerging challenges. Serve as a critical advisor to the EWB Branch Head and senior leaders on adversarial strategies and operational planning matters, offering insights that enhance strategic planning and risk management. Act as the (COTR) for the Red Team and wargaming contractors, ensuring all contractual obligations and the team's efforts align with NATO's strategic objectives. Monitor contractor performance, manage contract modifications, and ensure the Red and Wargame teams operate within budgetary and timeline constraints. Maintain internal project control mechanisms to ensure the Red Team project remains within scope, schedule, and budget. This includes the use of NATO’s standard project management tools (e.g., project milestone tracking, risk registers, deliverable review boards). Regular progress reports will be submitted to the EW Branch Head and MDFD leadership to review adherence to objectives and identify corrective actions when required. Build and maintain strong relationships with sponsors, customers, and stakeholders within NATO to ensure alignment with broader Alliance goals. Communicate Red Team findings and recommendations clearly to the senior leadership. Coordinate with the EWB Branch Head and other NATO entities to integrate the Red Team into broader initiatives within the Multi-Domain Force Development (MDFD) Directorate. Stay informed of emerging trends in adversarial strategies, technologies, and methodologies to ensure the Red Team remains at the forefront of innovation and effectiveness. Deliver comprehensive documentation, including Red Team reports, strategic analysis, and wargame evaluations, ensuring that all outputs meet NATO's standards and contribute to ongoing initiatives. Promote a culture of critical thinking and continuous improvement within the Red Team, encouraging the adoption of best practices and lessons learned to maximize the effectiveness of NATO's strategic initiatives.

Essential 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 Previous Staff experience in a large HQ, Joint Command, NATO/National HQ or large multi-national organization. Four years recent experience in the application of experimentation and and/ or wargaming techniques that address concept or capability development, or larger military and milpol strategic questions. Two years previous experience as an Intelligence Analyst. Demonstrated experience in effective customer/ sponsor and stakeholder interaction and communication. Demonstrated experience in working in multinational teams.

Language:

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

Desirable Qualifications / Experience:

Familiarity with NATO and the NATO Command Structure (NCS) and NATO Force Structure (NFS). Experience as a Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) for managing multiple contractors in a NATO environment. Previous professional experience working within a NATO context/ within NATO on strategic level. Previous professional experience working within a NATO context/ within NATO on operational level. Knowledge of the NATO Concept Development and Experimentation process.

Attributes/Competencies:

Personal Attributes:

The incumbent must demonstrate management skills, adaptability, and sound judgment, essential for navigating complex and dynamic red teaming scenarios. The role requires a proactive approach, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks, often under tight deadlines. The incumbent must exhibit excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Tact and diplomacy are crucial, as the role often involves sensitive interactions across various levels of the organization. A commitment to continuous learning and the ability to adjust strategies based on evolving circumstances are vital. The role may require working outside of normal office hours and involves occasional travel.

Managerial Responsibilities:

The post may coordinate Red Teaming or Wargame related project teams, including analysts, overall three to ten (3-10) persons.

Professional Contacts:

The incumbent will routinely interface with the following:

Red Team stakeholders and sponsors at all professional levels, providing expert advice, guidance, and information on red teaming methodologies, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and the practical application of red team practices. Red Team sponsors to lead the requirement elicitation and refinement process, offering guidance and management throughout the entire red teaming lifecycle, from planning and execution to analysis, reporting, and post-engagement follow-up. Red Team and operational experts across the NATO enterprise, collaborating with experts in red teaming, operational analysis, and related fields to integrate diverse perspectives and ensure robust red team activities. All members of the Red Team, providing leadership and direction during dedicated projects, ensuring cohesive and effective teamwork in achieving project goals.

Contribution To Objectives:

This position will be fundamental to the management and execution of red teaming activities within ACT, contributing significantly to the effectiveness of the headquarters and the broader NATO community. The role will directly support ACTs strategic objectives by providing critical insights and analysis that inform decision-making and enhance operational readiness.

Security Clearance

The successful applicant will be required to apply for and receive a NATO SECRET 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 24 August @ 17:59hrs (EDT)/11:59hrs (CEST).