Branch Head (Civilian Personnel)

Please note that this post belongs to JFC Norfolk

Post Context

Headquarters Allied Joint Force Command Norfolk (JFCNF) provides a resilient, static Joint headquarters to plan, prepare and conduct operations across all domains in peacetime, crisis and conflict, in order to support NATO’s three core tasks, at the Joint Operational level, as directed by SACEUR.

The Support Directorate (SPT) plans, directs, monitors, assesses and coordinates Sustainment. It provides advice on policy matters and in the execution of support activities. It identifies, implements and sustains resource requirements in co-ordination with military and non-military actors.

The J1 Division provides human resources (HR) plans, policy, guidance, technical support and programmes for the HQ and the supported organisations. It implements organisational design, analyses workforce requirements, as well as manages the staff and their records, databases, reports and returns.

The Civilian Personnel Branch (CPB) manages civilian HR activities as required and the deployment of civilian staff.

The incumbent is responsible for the management and administration of civilian personnel as well as for the provision of Civilian Human Resources services to the heads of NATO bodies of served Organisations.

Principal Duties

• Holds formal and direct delegated authority from the Head of NATO Body for managing and administering NATO International Civilians, Temporary civilians and Consultants in full application of the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations, to include personal decision making authority on items pertaining to recruitment, appointment, contract management, performance, working hours, leave management, discipline, grievances, payment of allowances, separation, and deployment.
• Direct a Civilian Human Resources Management (CHRM) service for the Heads of NATO Bodies of served Organizations, theatre HQs and missions, and NATO Force Structure entities, to include during exercises.
• Develop, revise and implement Human Resources Management policies for the effective use of Civilians in peacetime and theatre HQs, to include establishment of theatre conditions of employment for international and local civilian hires, salary surveys, pay scales and liability management.
• Negotiate agreements with worker associations and unions, Host Nation Ministries of Labour social security and labour agencies in each Host Nation thus committing the Organization to a course of action.
• Act as primary point of contact between the representatives of civilians and Heads of NATO Bodies, committing the Organisation to courses of actions.
• Advise Commanders on issues ranging from strategic human capital planning and development to matters pertaining to individual employees.
• Act as major player in periodic reorganisations and changes of NATO bodies. Act as change manager, identifying opportunities for building on the Organization’s civilian capacity, proposing transformations aimed at enhancing organizational flexibility, responsiveness, and productivity.
• Ensure adequate professional development and training for the CHRM staff to reduce liability for the Organization.
• Develop and certify payroll and budget inputs and calculations.
• Provide “National Support Element” services for all civilians belonging to served Organizations and theatre HQs, acting as “Senior National Representative” for administered civilians.
• Legal Authority - Legally accountable for appointment, contract management and separation for all civilian staff (NIC, Consultants, Temporary Personnel) employed by the Organisation and serviced Organisations Holds power of attorney from HONB for all matter pertaining to court cases and social institutions.
• Budget Authority - Holds delegated budgetary control authority for Branch tasks and agencies funded through budget allocations.
• Decision Authority - Holds direct and formal delegation for decision making authority.
• Decision authority is held: Holds authority to decide on employment and remunerative aspects of civilian employment, to include leave. Authorised to make decisions within assigned functional area. Such decisions may require coordination within the HQ and with the same functional area in lateral, subordinate and superior HQs. Such decisions normally affect the commitment of the NATO body or HQ in theatre to a specific course of action. Authority to task and intervene to adjust the day to day work priorities of the assigned functional area staff.

Essential Qualifications / Experience

• University Degree in human resources management, business administration, law, social sciences, or related field, public administration or related discipline and 6 years post related experience, or Higher Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training in that discipline leading to a professional qualification or professional accreditation with 6 years post related and 2 years function related experience.
• 6-8 years experience in personnel management and four to five in the management of a personnel office.
• Maintains broad and deep functional area knowledge coupled with equivalent knowledge of the activities of other related/supported organisations. Takes initiative to keep both own and subordinates skills up to date and to maintain awareness of and, in own areas of expertise.
• Experience in human capital planning and development.
• Proven ability to lead negotiations on labour management policies.
• Proven ability to advise and influence management at the highest level on Workforce and Personnel strategy and its effects on the wider operational environment.

Language

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

Desirable Qualifications / Experience

• Labour Legislation and labour relations practices.
• Experience in planning, organising, directing, coordinating, controlling and evaluating the use of workforce, budgets and facilities to achieve direct effects.
• Knowledge of Host Nation labour legislation and labour relations practices.
• Knowledge of NATO regulations and procedures related to the administration of civilians employed in support of serviced Organisations and theatre HQs.
• Good understanding of military organisations.
• Experience in deployed (NATO) operations (civilian) human resources management.
• At least 12 years of experience in personnel management.
• At least 8 years managing a personnel office in an international organisation.
• Master degree in HRM, social science, law, business administration or related field.
• English - SLP 4444 - (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing)

Attributes/Competencies

Personal Attributes:

Competencies

• Achievement - sets and works to meet challenging goals;
• Analytical thinking - makes complex plans or analyses;
• Conceptual thinking - creates new concepts;
• Empathy - understands underlying issues;
• Impact and influence - uses complex influence strategies;
• Organisational commitment - places the organisation above personal considerations;
• Teamwork - works to build commitment.

Attributes

• The incumbent is self-supervisory in own professional field, working in line with general policies and goals, which he/she takes part in formulating. Guidance and/or functional review available from chain of command and higher headquarters. Initiative and high work standards, the ability to energize and mobilize, original thought and an imaginative approach should characterize the individual charged with proposing solutions for handling negotiations, resolving conflicts, developing policy and new methodologies for dealing with evolving requirements and changing environment to include international and local labour laws in peace-time and operational settings. The Head of Civilian Human Resources Management must have strong analytical skills and be capable of highly critical thinking in the face of new issues and in applying research methods to conducting pertinent surveys, under stringent time constraints due to operational requirements. Inter-personal sensitivity and strong communication skills, both oral and written, maturity, poise, tact, firmness and persuasion are crucial to successful performance of duties, which involve extensive interaction with a wide range of interlocutors. Must be able to resolve difficult or delicate personnel issues in areas of disagreement between staff member and management and different Organizational entities, usually in a situation where several complex problems co-exist and/or characterised by significant time pressure. Considerable professional judgment is required to make decisions on personnel matters within the general framework of available procedural guidance. Frequently works under pressure, works long/irregular hours, carries high workload, so good health is essential. Must be able to travel regularly on duty and to theatres of operation without interrupting services utilising modern Information technology.
• Often required, due to budgetary and operational restrains, to find solutions from several options each carrying risks, when binding the Organization to a specific course of action.

Managerial Responsibilities:

• Dependent of the requirement, directs and supervises the work priorities of one or more multifunctional teams. To include the theatre of operations.

Professional Contacts:

• Has direct access to the Heads of NATO bodies of all Organizations served. Interfaces with HN labour authorities at Ministerial level. Internal co-ordination with other sections, branches and divisions, up to JFC Command Group level, includes Legal Advisor, Financial Controller and Civilian Staff Association and LWR Committee Chair. External co-ordination with ACO and subordinate commands at equivalent or higher-grade level on personnel policy and human capital issues. Represents the headquarters at the NATO Advisory Panel on Administration and the ACO Civilian Personnel Officers’ Conference. External contacts include executive-level representatives of host-nation Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Foreign affairs and local officials of host-nation government agencies. Maintains external contact with various professional organizations. Contacts with host-nation Ministry of Labour officials in out-of-area operations may be conducted in French. During out-of area operations contacts are normally with the highest level of the Host Nation entity or Nation or International Organization controlling the area. Maintains contact with the Senior National Representatives at each served Organizations to discuss items of common interest to represented populations.

Contribution To Objectives:

• Primary player in developing policies to meet goals and objectives of the Sec Gen and the Council in the field of HR. Develops and helps to meet goals for the NATO professional HR community. Develops and assists in meeting goals of the Heads of NATO body served specifically in the fields of HR policy, project management, budget development and management and in the implementation of the full range of personnel services ranging from recruitment to separation. Develops strategies to inspire and mobilize assigned/administered HR assets, during organizational change and periods of constant restructuring, in addition to improving standing organizations.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Directs and supervises the work priorities of the branch, providing professional guidance and instruction to assigned staff. Duties include leading and coaching; explaining or demonstrating work functions; counselling and motivating, assigning and reviewing work; ensuring health and environmental safety; maintaining and adjusting work schedules; assessing performance and initiating disciplinary action, and/or implementing new or changed work procedures.

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 G20 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).