Remote Principal Spectrum Management Consultant at Spektrum

Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO, UN, EU, and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services, specialised aerospace and defence sales, delivery, and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.

Who we are supporting 

The NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATO's member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

The NCIA provides a wide range of services, including:

• Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATO's communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
• Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATO's military commanders to plan and execute operations.
• Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
• Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATO's mission to detect, deny, and defeat threats to its communication networks.
• Information Management: The NCIA manages NATO's information technology infrastructure, including its databases, applications, and servers.

Overall, the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATO's communication and information technology capabilities.

The program

Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO’s principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides, maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV, and, when required, stand together in the face of attack under Article V.

To provide these critical services, in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorise's: NATO International Civilians (NIC)'s, Military (Mil), and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)'s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.

Role Background

Within its mission, the NATO Digital Staff (NDS) is actively driving forward a number of specific areas in conjunction with the nations, specifically:

• Ensuring that NATO and nations have access to sufficient electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) for military usage;
• Working with NATO Commands and the nations to understand their spectrum requirements;
• Identifying opportunities, methods and tools to support more dynamic forms of spectrum management and use;
• Understanding the spectrum related threats and opportunities of emerging 5G/6G systems;
• Implementing the objectives of the Electromagnetic Spectrum Strategy (EMSS) and the transition to Electromagnetic Operations (EMO);
• Developing and supporting the Spectrum Management Information Repository – OnLine (SMIROnLine).

Spectrum is a finite natural resource disputed by different users including the military. As a result, NATO and military users are under both external and internal pressure to better manage their utilisation of spectrum and share it even more. Externally, the civil community, through forums like the World Radio Conference, are putting pressure on the military by seeking access to key military frequency bands for systems like 5G/6G. Additionally, there are external pressures to achieve more efficient spectrum usage through the use of innovative tools and techniques such as Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM).

Internally, spectrum congestion continues to be a growing challenge to the reliable operation of military systems. Spectrum requirements of nations and NATO are increasing and there is more pressure to conduct high-tempo and high-density military operations. These operations change far too quickly to be effectively managed by legacy processes so new approaches and technology is needed. Spectrum Management is expected to interoperate effectively in real-time with EMO communities and to develop new operational processes and tools to support Electromagnetic Battle Management. Actionable recommendations are needed to implement strategies such as the EMSS and Digital Transformation which will have wide-ranging implications on the Spectrum Community including its current tools such as SMIROnLine.

In this context, the NDS Programme of Work (PoW) require expert technical and managerial knowledge in: military use of spectrum; delivery of technical studies and research on spectrum related topics; EMO and Electromagnetic Battle Management concepts and requirements; Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM), NATO spectrum policy including preparations for World Radio Conference; and SMIROnLine.

In particular, support from a principal technical manager is required in 2025, and beyond, in support of technical and management work in the above areas contributing to the support that NCIA provides to the NDS PoW in the broad area of Spectrum Management.

Role Duties and Responsibilities

The work shall cover analysis, writing, reviewing, holding discussions, modifying documents after each discussion, preparing briefs, presenting results and attending meetings and conferences.

They shall support the below activities with guidance from the NCIA Point of Contact or delegated staff:

• The selected contractor will be responsible to assist the NCIA PoW teams and the NDS sponsors in providing programmatic coordination and management of the different work strands, including:
  • Developing the necessary supporting artefacts and dashboards;
  • Supporting the PoW project manager and the various technical leads;
  • Proactively coordinate activities with other NCIA PoW teams (working in related topic areas and sub-programmes in the overall NDS PoW); and,
  • Exercising technical leadership and management of work packages within the Spectrum work strands as necessary.
• Participate in portfolio management, programme management and associated coordination activities with a view to improve the situational awareness at portfolio and programme levels, identify links between the NDS PoW and other NATO programmes of work and initiatives, develop technical and non-technical dashboards, and liaise with non-technical staff.
• Organize and engage in scoping discussions with sponsors and project team members on PoW activities, elaborate work plans, and act as technical manager and/or senior contributor to the work to be conducted.
• Prepare, organize and lead scoping and coordination meetings with the different PoW external and internal stakeholders, and contribute to overall coherence and awareness in PoW execution.
• Provide technical briefings and presentations on the progress of the various work activities, making sure that work plans are followed and meet internal and external milestones.
• Elaborate high-quality technical reports and briefs to be circulated as NATO technical documents and inputs to NATO committees and other forums.
• Perform other duties as required, including deputizing for the senior NCIA project team members as required.

Essential Skills and Experience

• A senior profile matching the level of a principal engineer with a solid scientific background and with a proven track record of technical management work in the area of Spectrum Management in the context of complex programmes.
• With limited guidance, coordinate activities with the different stakeholders and organize meetings and discussions to discuss and/or present interim results;
• Engaging with stakeholders, understanding their needs, problems and requests, and proposing constructive ways ahead;
• Planning, coordinating and execution of technical and scientific work for defence projects involving multiple stakeholders, including development of project management artefacts and documentation like plans, status reports, briefs, etc.;
• Collecting disparate information from multiple sources and building bodies of knowledge;
• Conducting analysis and developing concepts in the areas of Spectrum Management and Policy and Electromagnetic Operations, including applying architecture methodologies where relevant;
• Communicating effectively in English both in writing and orally, with excellent writing and briefing skills to different types of audiences (including senior technical and non-technical stakeholders), with presentations at conferences and NATO venues and writing high-quality technical reports for NATO circulation;
• Expert knowledge of NATO’s spectrum management framework, its policy documents, stakeholders and organizational structure;
• Expert knowledge of the international spectrum management framework and the organisational structure and processes;
• Expert knowledge of the military spectrum impacts, threats and opportunities of 5G/6G systems;
• Demonstrated experience in supporting the development of military positions for World Radio Conferences;
• Demonstrated experience in developing and presenting Spectrum Management concepts, including but not limited to Dynamic Spectrum Management;
• Demonstrated experience of participating in NATO / military scientific research in the field of spectrum management and/or electromagnetic operations.

Working Location

• Remote

Working Policy

• Off-Site with a physical attendance at occasional meetings and conferences

Travel

• Some travel to other NATO sites may be required

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance