Branch Head (Requirements Management)

ABOUT YOU

We are looking for a motivated professional to join our Requirements Division to lead the Requirements Management Branch. For this role, you will bring deep expertise in large-scale requirements processes, project management, and implementation of large contracts. Your key focus will be:

• Leadership, Resource and Project Management

• Technical and Requirements Expertise

• Stakeholder Relations and Budget Coordination

A central focus of this role is comprehensive requirement coordination, which demands a high proficiency in establishing technical requirements, managing traceability, and authoring rigorous acquisition technical documentation (such as Statements of Work, System Requirements Documents, and Technical Specifications). Duties include chairing working groups with functional stakeholders, ensuring effective operation of/leading the Management Board processes, and preparing Force leadership for high-level engagements. Additionally, the role demands comprehensive interfacing and negotiating with NATO and contractual acquisition agencies to secure cost-effective solutions, alongside coordination on budgets, mid-year reviews, and financial plans.

THE ROLE

In particular, you will be responsible for:

• Developing, revising and implementing requirements policies that are essential for identifying and resourcing capabilities in support of our mission;

• Managing the Requirements Management Branch, exercising general supervision, ensuring the effective utilization of assigned personnel and allocated resources, and providing technical expertise to assigned staff;

• Providing expert advice to Commanders on issues ranging from replacement of ground support equipment to the sustainment and modernization of aircraft systems;

• Leading the effective operation of the Management Board process to include staffing, synchronizing, presenting and reporting of requirements/major issues; monitoring and reporting of the Management Plan and any other performance reporting; defining and developing new Management Board processes as needed;

• Initiating and managing the synchronization of emerging Force mission support requirements across the acquisition, programming and budgeting processes;

• Developing processes that ensure mission support requirements are consistent with Higher Headquarter (HHQ) and Force Commander (FCC) policies and strategic plans;

• Planning, coordinating and chairing requirement working group meetings with functional users and NATO agency stakeholders;

• Negotiating with NATO acquisition agencies to obtain the most practical and cost-effective solutions to mission support requirements;

• Coordinating with NATO acquisition agencies on all areas of mission support initiatives impacting requirements planning;

• Providing requirements expertise and support of Force requirements at HHQ organizations, boards and working groups;

• Serving as member on the Management Board and Pre-board;

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• Providing lead role in Force requirements at the Working Group of National Technical Experts;

• Interfacing, coordinating and corresponding with NATO and contractual acquisition management agencies related to the requirements acquisition programme;

• Assisting in the preparation of Force leadership on all mission support requirement issues for Board of Directors meetings and engagement with North Atlantic Council, NATO Headquarters, the International Military Staff and SACEUR;

• Participating in Consolidated Inspections of the FOBs/FOL in the area of requirements and infrastructure management, and participating in Technical Support Visits to the FOBs/FOL as required;

• Coordinating on Budget, Mid-Year Review, Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP), and NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP) documents, to ensure only approved requirements have been included and that Force policies are being followed;

• May be assigned to Project Teams.

YOUR PROFESSIONAL/EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Essential Qualifications

• University Degree and 4 years post related experience, or Higher Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training leading to a professional qualification or professional accreditation with 5 years post related and 2 years function related experience;

• Extensive working knowledge of, and practical experience in, the management of large-scale Headquarters/Enterprise level requirement programmes acquired through at least 4 years post related, current professional experience;

• Thorough experience with large-scale project management and implementation of large contracts;

• At least 2 years previous experience in financial management, information technology, engineering or a technical field;

• Experience in management planning and performance reporting for a large organisation;

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• Experience in performing inspections/audits;

• Experience in conducting presentation to higher echelon management;

• The work both oral and written, in this post and in this Headquarters as a whole, is conducted mainly in English therefore sufficient English proficiency is essential;

• Working knowledge of Standard Automatic Data Processing (ADP) is required.

Desirable qualifications:

• Ability to provide requirements expertise and briefings to senior level leadership, higher echelons, and external organizations;

• Familiarity with NATO or similar budgetary policies and procedures;

• Experience with quality management;

• Experience in evaluating requirements for adequacy and conformance with operational goals and plans, and monitoring requirements throughout system life-cycle;

• Experience in an international organization, military environment or aerospace field;

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Financial Management, Business Management/Administration, Aviation Engineering, or related field;

• Completed large-scale project management education;

• Familiarity with advanced analytical tools for decision making.

YOUR SKILLS

• Collaborative Leadership: Proven ability to foster high-trust environments, ensuring clarity and alignment across all stakeholders;

• Strategic Liaison: Experienced in bridging the gap between business vision, stakeholder expectations, and technical execution;

• Decisive Autonomy: Self-motivated professional who operates independently, takes accountability, and makes high-impact decisions;

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Skilled at managing competing priorities, building consensus, and negotiating strategic trade-offs;

• Technical Precision: Adept at creating unambiguous, testable specifications that serve as a reliable single source of truth;

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• Flexibility: Strong personal time management, flexibility to work outside standard hours, and frequent travel.

WHY TO WORK FOR US?

By joining our organization, you will be part of a multi-national team while working towards NATO`s common goal of safeguarding peace and promoting democratic values for over a billion people. We are committed to fostering a collaborative work environment built on mutual respect and professionalism, where every individual’s work makes a difference and has a meaningful impact on the mission and operation of the Alliance. If this resonates with you, we encourage you to apply.

YOUR TEAM

The Requirements Division is responsible for the validation and prioritization of operational capability and support requirements, synchronizing them across the NAEW&CF Requirements, Acquisition, Programming, and Budgeting processes. The Requirements Management Branch validates support requirements and synchronizes them across the requirements, acquisition, programming, and budgeting processes.

HOW TO APPLY

Ready to make an impact and work in an international environment?

After creating a candidate account, select the job title you are applying for and complete the application form which includes a pre-screening questionnaire.

Please attach any documentation (proof of highest education, diplomas, certificates, testimonials etc.) that you consider to be particularly relevant to the qualification requirements specified in this advertisement. Any documentation submitted in a language other than English must be accompanied by at least an unofficial translation. Please note that upon taking up duties, candidates will be asked to provide original certificates of their education and professional experience as relevant for this vacancy.

CONTRACT

Serving civilian members of NATO will be offered a contract in accordance with the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations. Newly recruited staff will be initially offered a definite duration contract of three years. Thereafter, an indefinite duration contract might be offered.

SALARY/BENEFITS

• Salary values indicated in this vacancy notice are based on NATO`S Single Salary Spine scale;

• The salary is tax free including (where eligible) expatriation, family and children's allowances and additional privileges for expatriate staff;

• Education allowance for children (where appropriate) and an excellent private health insurance scheme;

• Generous annual leave and home leave (if eligible);

• Retirement Pension Plan.

TEST/INTERVIEW

The selection process will consist of multiple stages. Candidates shortlisted for further consideration will be contacted by the Recruitment Team and receive detailed information on subsequent steps. The process will conclude with an interview.

NOTE:

NATO will not accept any phase of the recruitment and selection process, 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.

For more information on how to apply:

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