Senior Staff Officer (Portfolio Planning & Analysis)

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 Capability Development Directorate (CAPDEV) comprises two Divisions—Requirements and Capabilities. The Directorate supports SACT in his Capabilities Requirement Authority (CRA) role. It is responsible for a holistic through lifecycle Capability Development approach that infuses innovation and transformative efforts that are an integral part of the Warfare Development. This includes responsibilities for elicitation, development, capture and collection, quality review, traceability and visibility of capability requirements.

The Capabilities Division coordinates the development of capabilities from capability planning through acceptance and then disposal with the management entities, NATO Headquarters staff and the NATO Governance Structure. This entails synchronizing horizontally across capabilities to achieve coherent efforts and outcomes.

The incumbent is responsible for undertaking the coherent set of portfolio planning and analysis activities which scope, plan, oversee, evaluate, manage, coordinate and report on NATO’s capability development portfolios, as represented in the Strategic Capability Development Plan (SCDP). Experienced in portfolio planning and analysis, this PLN will provide the necessary expertise and support to the SPC to meet nation’s capability development coherence and performance expectations.

Principal Duties:

• Subject matter expert for the development, analysis and assessment of CAPDEV’s capability development portfolios to ensure their continued accurate and reliable alignment with NATO’s strategic drivers and operational requirements.
• Supports the translation of NATO strategies and operational requirements into clearly defined and executable, benefits-driven capability development programmes.
• Ensures coherence between Portfolio and Programme level planning.
• Ensures the effective management of interdependencies derived from enterprise / capability architectural designs.
• Ensures capability portfolios are correctly managed to deliver the expected outcomes and benefits for NATO, taking into consideration prioritization, risk, dependency and capacity planning aspects.
• Subject matter expert for development and maintenance of the portfolio planning aspects of the ACT Strategic Capability Development Plan (SCDP).
• Provides subject matter expert support to NATO’s broader portfolio steering activities, ensuring continued alignment of the SCDP with capability portfolio planning.
• Subject matter expert supporting ACT’s broader defence planning, resource planning, strategic planning, portfolio alignment, architecture and capability implementation activities.
• Routinely coordinates with NATO stakeholders to ensure capability portfolio planning information continues to meet their needs and expectations.
• Support the development of appropriate business processes, reporting functions and analysis to provide transparency to HQ SACT leadership, stakeholders and Governance.
• Support the information and data-driven culture in HQ SACT that uses analysis to generate insights, improve decision making at all levels, inform strategy and policy decisions, and improve performance.
• Perform other duties as may be required.

Essential Qualifications / Experience:

• University Degree in management information systems, accounting, economics, finance, business administration, public administration, operations research, project management or related discipline  and 4 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 5 years post related and 2 years function related experience.
• At least 6 years of relevant experience in portfolio planning and analysis relating to services, systems and/or solutions.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• A keen eye for detail and accuracy.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• A team player with the ability to work independently.

Desirable Qualifications / Experience

• Management of Portfolios (MoP) Certification or equivalent.
• Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) Certification or equivalent.
• Masters Degree in programme management, business analysis, information technology, computer science, data science, data analysis, engineering, mathematics, business management, business administration, social science, operations research or relevant discipline.

Language:

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

Attributes/Competencies:

Personal Attributes:

Deciding and Initiating Action - Takes responsibility for actions, projects and people; takes initiative and works under own direction; initiates and generates activity and introduces changes into work processes; makes quick, clear decisions which may include tough choices or considered risks

Professional Contacts:

Must have an ability to engage effectively with personnel at various levels in HQ SCT, as well as other NATO Agencies and entities, including external stakeholders (especially on matters of event organization and administrative support).

Contribution To Objectives:

The incumbent will, either directly or indirectly contribute to the work and objectives of the Strategic Planning Cell and ACT, under direct supervision of SPC Head. The impact could involve day-to-day support through analysis, which assists others to make decisions

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 2 (two) 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 G17 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.

This vacancy will close on 10 November 2026 @ 17:59hrs (EST)/11:59hrs (CET).