Staff Officer; Quality Assurance

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.

DCOS MDFD Directorate consists of eight HQ SACT-based Branches that have responsibility for NATO Force Development activities.

ACOS MDFD manages, coordinates and quality assures the outputs within the MDFD directorate.

The Education & Training Plans & Programmes Branch is responsible for oversight, co-ordination and harmonization of NATO Education and Training Plans and Programmes.

The Staff Officer (Quality Assurance) coordinates the execution and management of the HQ SACT NATO Quality Assurance Programme, ensuring compliance with NATO Education and Individual Training Quality Standards, validating training solutions, conducting quality inspections, delivering quality assurance training and driving continuous improvement to meet the evolving needs of NATO's training requirements.

• Support the implementation of the Quality Management principles described in NATO Education and Training policy and directives through established processes and procedures for Quality Assurance and Quality Control.
• Within the Quality Assurance Team of Experts (QA ToE), support the management of the NATO Quality Assurance Programme.
• Act as a subject matter expert within the Quality Assurance Team of Experts (QA ToE), to include expertise on NATO Quality Assurance policy, curriculum, instruction, instructional systems design, leadership, training analysis and evaluation and organizational management.
• Manage the assigned Quality Assurance projects related to the institutional accreditation of Education and Training Facilities (ETF) and perform assessments, analyses and evaluations for education and training institutions.
• Support the Section Head (Quality Assurance) with the conduct of NATO Course Certification of eligible NATO Education and Training solutions by coordinating with relevant Education and Training stakeholders.
• Design, develop, and support the continuous improvement of procedures, templates and tools and support the delivery of specific training solutions to support institutions during the accreditation process.
• Deliver to Education and Training stakeholders the findings of analyses and the training strategy that serve as a foundation for the Quality Assurance Programme for NATO Education and Training.
• Analyse institutional data collected throughout the quality assurance accreditations and relevant periodic reports, and provide analyses, recommendations and advice to Education and Training stakeholders.
• Coordinate with Quality Assurance stakeholders regarding any follow-on accreditation actions, review processes, or processes and procedures development and improvement.
• Produce the annual HQ SACT NATO Education and Individual Training Quality Assurance Summary.
• Provide instructor and facilitator support to the NATO QA Course in NATO Education and Individual Training at the NATO School Oberammergau and, when required and possible, on Mobile Education and Training Teams.
• Coordinate with external accreditation agencies, industry and academia as education and training subject matter expert and attend necessary conferences, meetings with quality assurance related issues to ensure the continuous improvement of internal and external components of NATO Quality Assurance Programme for NATO Education and Training and the related processes and procedures.
• Participate in the development and review of doctrines and concepts related to quality assurance for education and training.
• Support the building expertise process for new functional areas, particularly regarding quality management.
• Provide support to NATO HQ, SHAPE and other divisions in HQ SACT on Education and Training regarding critical capabilities within Education and Training to ensure quality and continuous improvement of NATO Education and Training.
• Support the PTEC recognition process with respect to NATO Education and Individual Training.
• Any other tasks as directed by Branch Head.