Staff Officer Military Partnerships (Partner Capabilities)

Spektrum have a wide range of exciting opportunities in several global locations.

We are always looking to add great new talent to our team and look forward to hearing from you.

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

Allied Command Transformation (ACT) is NATO’s leading agent for change: driving, facilitating, and advocating the continuous improvement of Alliance capabilities to maintain and enhance the military relevance and effectiveness of the Alliance. The main objectives of ACT are: providing appropriate support to NATO missions and operations; leading NATO military transformation; and improving relationships, interaction and practical cooperation with partners, nations and international organisations. ACT therefore leads Alliance concept development, capability development, training and lessons-learned initiatives and provides unfettered military support to policy development within NATO.

The program 

Capability Development & Management Support (CDMS)

 DCOS Capability Development (CAPDEV) acts as the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation's Director for guidance, direction and coordination of the activities and resources of the Capability Development Directorate.

The Requirements Division will execute all tasks and activities needed to support requirements management for NATO capabilities

The Capability Requirements (CR) Branch will develop the Capability Requirements Brief and recommended courses of action to resolve issues through the life cycle management of requirements using matrixed, cross-functional project-specific Requirements Management teams.

The Requirements Forward Branch (Mons) is responsible for conducting requirements development and management representation and engagement-related functions in Europe.

The Capability Division coordinates the development of capabilities from capability planning through acceptance and then disposal with management entities, NATO Headquarters staff and the NATO Governance Structure

The Capability Forward Branch (Mons) coordinates with ACO, NCIA, NSPA, NATO HQ, territorial Host Nations, and NATO Centres of Excellence (COEs) to support the development of capabilities.

Strategic Plans and Policy (SPP) supports Allied Command Transformation in formalizing military advice to shape future military strategy, political guidance, and other policy documents supporting NATO’s strategic objectives.

Role Responsibilities

• Contribute to the activities of the Partnerships IPT/Branch.
• Contribute to develop and deliver briefings to senior officers and decision makers as it relates to Partnerships.
• Contribute and participate in the development of policies, directives and process refinement related to Partnerships.
• Directly supports the Head of Partnerships IPT/Branch and will be required to travel to meetings and conferences both within and outside NATO’s boundaries for up to 30 days per year.
• Performs additional tasks as required by the COTR related to the LABOR category.
• Influence and collaborate with HQ SACT Capability Development Directorate, Partners, NATO HQ, and relevant stakeholders to foster a partners’ and NATO mutual cooperation on capability development
• Support the integration of NATO capability development processes, including the full capability lifecycle, into Partner capability development activities, ensuring coherence with NATO’s Defence Planning Process (NDPP) and alignment with NATO standardization policies and doctrine
• Coordinate ACT inputs on emerging and cross-domain capabilities (including space and cyberspace) into relevant DCB packages, Partner capability plans, and ITPPs to enhance resilience, interoperability, and alignment with NATO strategic priorities
• Provide input to ACT’s strategic foresight and capability gap analysis processes to anticipate and address future Partner needs, while contributing to NATO policy and guidance documents that reflect Partner perspectives and priorities
• Support the development of Partner capability requirements using doctrine, organization, training, material, leadership, personnel, facilities and interoperability
• (DOTMLPFI) gap analysis, concepts, wargaming, and experimentation, and contributing contribute to the development and validation of federated interoperability standards, solutions, and exercises
• Identify and promote innovative, cost-effective, and interoperable partners’ capability solutions through engagement with science and technology (S&T) trends, the S&T community, industry, and academia.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Experience working in the field of foreign/international security/international cooperation/defence/military affairs
• Experience working within NATO Enterprise (preferred); or other International Organization (in a defence or Security-related position); or within a national mission, delegation, or embassy to an IO (in a Defence or Security-related position)
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of: NATO Partnerships; or security sector reform / defence and security capacity building; or defence planning; or military capability development / military applications of operations Research.

 Education

• University postgraduate degree (master’s or higher) in international relations, international security, international development, military studies (including military technology or operations research), foreign policy, public affairs, political science, or related discipline; or have attended a NATO or national military staff college (OF-3 level or higher)

 Language Proficiency

• Advanced Proficiency in English

 Working Location

• Norfolk, VA, USA

Working Policy

• On-Site

Contract Duration

• Nov 2025 – December 2026

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance

We never know what new opportunities might be just over the horizon. If this opportunity isn't for you please feel free to send us your resume anyway and be the first to know if something suitable for your skills and experience comes up.