Staff Officer; Russia Strategic Analyst

Overview

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 Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate (SPP) acts on behalf of SACT to formulate policies, strategies, engagements, ACT contributions to NDPP, and analytical practices that enable the Commander to provide strategic foresight, planning, strategy and policy advice, concepts, and strategic engagement to NATO's political and military leadership.

Principal outputs include, but are not limited to: long‑term strategic foresight, strategic level concepts, situational awareness/strategic anticipation, Minimum Capability Requirements, Draft Capability Targets, Suitability Assessment of Allies and NATO Defence Plans, and regional and functional to security‑related environments. The Strategic Alternatives Branch provides SACT with innovative ideas, derived through the extensive use of data and analytics, outside of NATO's conventional processes in the service of Warfare Development.

The Branch studies complex challenges relevant to the security domain and uses advanced research to enhance rigor and responsiveness of transformational work. The Branch provides scientific analysis, improving the quality of NATO's Awareness and Understanding, risk assessment, strategy, and decision making over the mid‑to‑long term horizon. It is comprised of two sections:
Analytics and Strategy.

The post holder provides SACT with an understanding of the evolution of Russia's strategy, strategic thinking, military doctrine and capabilities with a view to providing to the Military Committee with military strategic shaping options to ensure NATO maintains its strategic advantage over Russia over the long term.

• Develop threat‑informed analysis on futures, foresight and strategy of Russia. Study the long‑term environment, trajectories, trends and evolution to support development of NATO shaping strategy, Political guidance, Concept development, and ACT's transformational efforts with regards to Russia.
• Determine and apply appropriate analysis to ensure the robust derivation of research requirements and determination of potential concepts to assist NATO's LTMSS work on Russia. Apply a range of analytical techniques, optimise current strategies, produce actionable insights and develop unbiased recommendations.
• Develop and support the delivery of LTMSS‑related war games, working groups, conferences, workshops and high‑level engagements. Initiate, lead or contribute to strategic thinking documents, forward‑looking articles, studies, proposals to the chain of command as directed by the SALT leadership. Interact with, inform and brief ACT senior leadership of results and findings. Coordinate with staff involved in these tasks.
• Conduct expert coordination with NATO bodies, entities and Nations with a focus on LTMSS products, and military strategic shaping. The incumbent may have to work closely with NATO Nations strategic shaping and doctrine counterparts, or any other Partner or non‑NATO entity regarding Russia shaping work.
• Provide input to papers, presentations, guidance, and direction for all ACT pillars on issues relating to NATO strategy and policy on Russia. Execute complex and strategic work using research and analytical frameworks. Collaborates with other analysts within and outside NATO, such as academia.
• Topics covered are cross‑divisional in nature; therefore coordination within the Branch, with other SPP Branches, and throughout the Headquarters is essential.

• University Degree in history, geography, politics, economics, operations research or related discipline and 2 years function related experience, or Higher Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training in that discipline leading to a professional qualification or professional accreditation with 4 years post related experience.
• At least 3 years of demonstrable experience in analysing and researching Russia, its strategic culture, military…