ACT Financial Controller

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 Command Group provides general support, coordination, management, administrative service and specialist advice to SACT, DSACT and COS.

Chief of Staff (COS) is responsible to SACT and DSACT for the staff activity necessary to execute ACT’s mission. It is the focal point for the implementation of the Commander’s direction and guidance as well as the initiation and co-ordination of all ACT staff efforts.

The Staff Advisory Group (SAG) is comprised of different competencies grouped into several offices (Political Advisor, Legal Advisor, Gender Advisor, Financial Controller, Command Auditor, Communication Branch and Pentagon Liaison). It works under the direction and guidance of COS and provides general staff support, coordination, management, administrative service, and specialists’ advice to SACT.

As part of the Staff Advisory Group, the Office of the Financial Controller is the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation’s principal financial advisor, and is responsible to him/her for ensuring adherence to the principles of sound financial management, the management of all internationally appropriated and non-appropriated funds made available to the Command, and for the organization and administration of the financial internal control system in accordance with NATO financial regulations. He is also the Chief of the Budget & Finance Office.

Executive agent and principal financial advisor to the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation in all matters of budget and finance. Per the NATO Financial Regulations, the Financial Controller and his/her staff shall be independent of other staff elements. The responsibility of the financial advisor includes: Headquarters, SACT; JWC; JFTC; JALLC; and subordinate SACT elements. Also serves as Branch Head, Budget & Finance.

Has a Direct Line to the Commander, but reports to the COS for normal Day-to-Day business.

Principal Duties

• Act as SACT’s, and the Commanders of JALLC, JFTC and JATEC principal financial advisor, personally responsible to them for ensuring the proper use of all internationally appropriated funds made available to the Command in accordance with NATO Financial Regulations.
• Provide representation and support to the Budget Committee (BC), Investment Committee (IC), Resource Policy and Planning Board (RPPB) on behalf of SACT on all matters with financial implications.
• Senior responsible executive for all financial management operations of the entirety of ACT (HQ SACT, Representative offices in Mons and Brussels and four sub-ordinate HQs), exercising technical supervision and control over the activities of subordinate Financial Controllers and Heads of Budget and Finance.
• Directs the activities of the ACT Office of BUDFIN which delivers the following functions:
  • Maintaining effective oversight and resource prioritization throughout the financial planning, programming, budgeting and evaluation cycle.
  • Development of financial, budgetary, accounting, treasury, and procurement policies and procedures (including Bi-SC policies).
  • Administration of the automated financial and budgetary control and accounting system for ACT.
  • Development and promulgation of ACT budgetary guidance and Implementation Directives.
  • Screening, coordinating, processing, and presenting of all ACT budget estimates, budget submissions and other requests for funds. Lead the justification and defense of ACT budgets before the Budget Committee and other NATO Committees.
  • Oversight of all ACT procurement activities, and provision of procurement support to ACT HQs and programmes (i.e. NSIP and Trust Funds).
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• Ensure that comprehensive and interoperable accounting systems are established and maintained for all international funds and property.
• Represent SACT in MOU negotiation delegations.
• Supervise the execution of approved budgets and assigned infrastructure projects to include the receipt, disbursement and reporting of all international funds per the NATO Financial Regulations, Financial Rules and Procedures, and the ACT Financial Manual.
• Maintain accounting data in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards.
• Provides information and directly supports ACT in all issues presented to the RPPB with focus on Military Budget eligibility and policy issues.
• Budget Authority - The Financial Controller has full authority to enter into contracts, commit ACT resources and negotiate agreements on behalf of ACT, in accordance with the NATO Financial Regulations and BC Implementing Procedures.
• The incumbent is the senior financial management executive in ACT, and is personally responsible for the forecasting of financial requirements and the correct execution of and accountability for all international funds allocated to ACT. Responsible to ACT and the NATO nations for correct accountability of all funding in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards. Authorized to commit the organization to funding obligations and specific courses of action. Provides binding advice on matters of financial policy and interpretation of regulations.
• Is the senior authority in ACT empowered to waive bidding requirements elements of acquisition regulations, and approve write-offs of international property and funds. The ACT Financial Controller is the only ACT authority authorized to approve transfers of funding between organizational budgets. The post holder delegates authority to designated ACT BUDFIN staff to approve commitments of funds, and authorize expenditures.

Essential Qualifications / Experience

• University Degree  in finance, accounting, business administration, economics, public administration or related discipline  and 10 years related experience.
• At least 15 years experience in Budgeting, Accounting or Financial Management with a minimum of 5 years in higher managerial positions commensurate with the responsibilities of this position
• Knowledge and/or experience working with international accounting and auditing standards.
• Knowledge and/or experience in public accounting, banking or funds management.
• Knowledge and/or experience in purchasing and contracting.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively represent and defend budget submissions.
• Excellent presentational skills.

Language

• English - SLP 4343 - (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing)

Desirable Qualifications / Experience:

• Experience in IPSAS.
• Experience in international business operations.
• Practical knowledge of military organizations.
• Business experience outside the continental United States.
• Professional accreditation as certified public accountant, certified government financial manager or equivalent.
• French - SLP 2222 - (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).

Attributes/Competencies

Personal Attributes:

• Capable of working harmoniously in a multi-national environment.
• Capable of representing the Command in a professional manner.
• Able to travel extensively to support the Command’s transformational mission.
• Must be able to work effectively with senior military and civilian personnel,
• Must be able to effectively represent the Command at a multinational level.

Managerial Responsibilities:

One subordinate Financial Controller (JWC) and two Branch Heads, Budget and Finance (JALLC and JFTC).  Management responsibility is directly with the A-grade posts and indirectly with numerous B-grade and enlisted personnel.  Supervises and assists in work assignment where general guidance is required.

Professional Contacts:

Internal contacts include working with multinational staffs at all levels. Flag/A-7 grade level include SACT, Deputy SACT, Chief of Staff, Assistant Chiefs of Staff, Management Boards. External contacts include, Financial Controllers in ACO, IMS and NCIA in negotiating and coordinating budgetary guidance and controls. Continuous contact with all staff members of the BC Chair, BC Secretariat including the Secretariat of the Working Group of National Technical Experts for ADP and Communications at NATO Headquarters.

Contribution To Objectives:

The Financial Advisor contributes to the achievement of the Command’s transformational aims and objectives by providing the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, and the Command as a whole, with sound and appropriate support and advice on all financial aspects.

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

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 G22 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 21 September 2026 @ 17:59hrs (EDT)/11:59hrs (CEST).