Staff Officer (Wargame Designer/Support Officer) - Project Linked NIC

Staff Officer (Wargame Designer/Support Officer) – Project Linked NATO International Civilian

If you are an experienced Staff Officer (Wargame Designer/Support Officer) looking to join a dynamic team working in a multi-national environment, JFTC would be interested in hearing from you!

Post Context:

The Joint Force Training Centre supports Warfare Development, contributing to concept development and maintenance of joint doctrine and standards while coordinating the integration of experimentation, capability development, and interoperability to improve NATO’s interoperability, capabilities, and operational effectiveness.

The Training and Exercise Enabling Division (TEED) enables training and exercises, and warfare development events. Likewise, the Division provides the basis for the Joint Force Training Centre’s engagement with Allied Command Transformation Doctrine validation activities. The Division also maintains the JFTC’s analysis and lessons learned capability for both training/exercise/experimentation and institutional improvement.

The Concepts, Capability Integration & Experimentation (CCIE) Branch provides resources to ensure JFTC’s warfare development through doctrine validation and support to the CD&E methodology.

This position is required to provide JFTC with professional military wargaming expertise in support of NATO 2030, NATO Wargaming Capability, future training and exercise development, Multi-Domain Operations (MDO), Digital Transformation, the Future Exercise Model and Future Modelling & Simulation. The incumbent will design, develop, facilitate, analyze and report professional wargames that support joint, combined and multinational headquarters in testing plans, exploring options, supporting alternative analysis and improving decision-making.

The incumbent acts as JFTC’s subject matter expert for professional military wargame design in support of NATO 2030, NATO Wargaming Capability, future training and exercise development, and warfare development. The post supports joint, combined and multinational headquarters by translating operational and tactical problems into professional wargaming activities and decision-support outputs, integrating multi-domain considerations and relevant analytical tools where appropriate.

Reports to: Branch Head (Concepts, Cap Integration & Exp) - OF-4

Principal Duties:

The Staff Officer Wargame Designer is responsible for the design, development, facilitation, adjudication, analysis and reporting of professional military wargames. Duties include:

a. Designs professional military wargames supporting operational and tactical-level training, planning, experimentation and decision-making.

b. Translates operational and tactical problems into wargame objectives, scenarios, player roles, decision points, adjudication methods, data-capture plans and analytical outputs.

c. Develops wargame concepts, mechanics, scenario material, force laydowns, injects, adjudication rules, assessment criteria and supporting documentation.

d. Integrates relevant operational context, regional plans, real-world considerations and multi-domain factors, including land, air, maritime, space, cyber, sustainment, information and special operations, into wargame design and execution.

e. Leads or supports multidisciplinary teams, applies qualitative and quantitative analysis methods, and produces reports, briefings, decision-support products, recommendations and lessons.

Decision Authority - Authorized to adjust day-to-day work priorities for assigned personnel and contributors to meet approved wargaming activity, project or programme requirements.

Special Requirements and Additional Duties:

Lessons Learned (LL) is an integrated part of all activities. LL requests, planning, creation, collection, staffing and handling in accordance with the NATO LL Process as an integrated part of any activity.

The employee may be required to perform a similar range of duties elsewhere within the organisation at the same grade without there being any change to the contract

a. Flexibility Clause: In order for the command to deal with emergent requirements the incumbent may be required to perform other related duties as directed (in particular, the incumbent can expect to work as a member of Working Groups, Project Teams, etc. for defined periods of time).

b. Annual TDY Requirement: The incumbent may be required to undertake Temporary Duty (TDY) and/or travel within and outside NATO’s boundaries for up to 65 days per year.

Personnel are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the current NATO Code of Conduct agreed by the North Atlantic Council (NAC), and thus display the core values of integrity, impartiality, loyalty, accountability, and professionalism.

The work is normally performed in a Normal NATO office working environment.

Normal Working Conditions apply.

The risk of injury is categorised as No Risk.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Professional Experience:

1) Minimum 3 years’ experience designing, developing, facilitating, evaluating or supporting professional military wargames, preferably for joint, combined or multinational headquarters.

2) Experience translating operational or tactical problems into wargame objectives, scenarios, player guidance, decision points, adjudication methods, data-capture plans and analytical outputs.

3) Experience supporting or conducting joint operational planning at tactical, operational or strategic level, preferably in a NATO, national military, multinational or defence-related environment.

4) Experience conducting or supporting seminars, tabletop exercises, command post exercises, analytical wargames or similar military decision-support activities, including alternative analysis, operational analysis, operations assessment, lessons learned or other structured decision-support methodologies.

5) Strong facilitation, briefing, stakeholder engagement and report-writing skills, including experience working in a multinational environment and presenting complex information to senior military or civilian decision-makers.

6) University Degree in military science, defence studies, strategic planning, systems analysis, operations research, statistics, computer-assisted modelling or a related discipline or Higher Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training.

Education/Training:

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.

Language:

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

NOTE: The work both oral and written in this post and in this Headquarters as a whole is conducted mainly in English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Professional Experience:

1) Significant military or defence experience, including operational-level joint, combined or multinational planning appointments, and experience working with senior military/civilian leaders or multinational partners.

2) Experience with NATO or equivalent exercise planning processes, operational art, campaign design, force employment and military decision-making processes.

3) Experience with modelling and simulation tools, constructive simulation databases, computer-assisted exercises, professional wargaming software, AI-assisted wargaming, data analytics or decision-support systems.

4) Knowledge of operational analysis, alternative analysis, operations assessment or structured analytical methodologies, and/or experience with academia, industry, think tanks or defence research organizations.

Education/Training:

1) NATO, national, commercial or equivalent training in wargaming, strategic/operational planning, alternative analysis, operations assessment, operational analysis, data analytics, decision-support methods, modelling and simulation, AI-enabled analytical tools or project/programme management.

2) Senior-level Joint Command and Staff College, NATO Defence College, national equivalent or comparable senior professional military education.

3) Master’s degree in military science, defence studies, strategic planning, systems analysis, operations research, statistics, computer-assisted modelling or a related discipline.

4) To meet the organizational requirements, the incumbent attends training courses/seminars to maintain or achieve functional qualifications in the subject field of service.

5) Course: ETE-WG-36888 - NATO Wargaming Practitioner Course.

ATTRIBUTES/COMPETENCIES:

• Personal Attributes: The incumbent is expected to be a JFTC subject matter expert in professional military wargame design and must be capable of working independently within applicable NATO policies, directives and guidance. The incumbent must possess:

a. Strong communication, facilitation and briefing skills, including the ability to present complex wargaming, operational and analytical issues to senior military and civilian audiences.

b. The ability to build, lead and support multidisciplinary teams drawn from military, civilian, governmental, academic, industry and research communities.

c. The ability to analyze complex operational problems, develop practical solutions, manage divergent views and support structured decision-making.

d. The self-confidence, initiative and resilience to work under pressure, manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outputs within short timelines.

• Managerial Responsibilities: The incumbent controls daily work priorities for assigned wargaming activities and may functionally lead multidisciplinary teams for specific projects or events.

• Professional Contacts: The incumbent maintains professional contacts across JFTC, JWC, NATO Strategic Commands, NATO entities, national headquarters, partners, academia, industry, think tanks and defence research organizations. The incumbent provides advice on wargaming design, methodology, facilitation, adjudication, analysis and reporting, and may represent JFTC in relevant working groups or professional forums.

• Contribution To Objectives: The work directly supports JFTC’s contribution to NATO Wargaming Capability, NATO 2030, warfare development, future training and exercise development, and operational decision support by improving NATO’s ability to analyze operational problems, test plans, explore options, identify risks and derive lessons.

• Supervisory Responsibilities: The incumbent has no permanent line-management responsibilities but may lead, coordinate or monitor assigned personnel and contributors during specific wargaming activities, projects or programmes.

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.

Employment start date:

Not earlier than 01 January 2027.

Contract:

Project-Linked-NIC (PLN) - 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 candidature of NATO redundant staff at grade G15 will be considered with priority.

Applicants who are not successful in this competition may be offered an appointment to another post of a similar nature, albeit at the same or a lower grade, provided they meet the necessary requirements.

Notes for NATO Civilian Human Resources Managers:

If you have qualified redundant staff at grade G15, please advise the JFTC Civilian Human Resources Manager no later than the closing date.

Recruitment Process:

Due to the significant volume of recruitment being undertaken by Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC) the processing time for applications will take longer than normal. Once you have submitted your application please ensure that you have received a TALEO/NTAP acknowledgement email, which is your proof that your application has been submitted.  After this you will be contacted in due course by our recruitment team with further information on the status of your application, but please note that this may not be for several weeks after the vacancy notice closes.

Please read carefuly:

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 sections of your application form, which should be populated with details fo your career to date and educational acheivements and certifications as they relate to your application.

When completing the application form using the NATO Talent Acquisition Platform, you will be able to add attachments. One of these attachments must be a copy of the qualification or certificate covering the highest level of education required by the job description. If this certificate is not in one of the official NATO languages, you should include a translation into English.

You should attach only RELEVANT certifications and diplomas to support your application for the given post.

NOTE ON PLAGIARISM AND AI USAGE BY CANDIDATES IN RECRUITMENT:

NATO will not accept any phase of the recruitment and selection prepared, in whole or in part, by means of reference documents without proper quotes (plagiarism), or any tools available on internet, including but not limited to translation facilities, or generative artificial-intelligence (AI) 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 tools will be rejected without further consideration, and NATO reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.

For any queries, please contact the JFTC Recruitment Team at:  jftc.civrecruitment@nato.int .