HiringCafe
Posted 13h ago

Staff Officer (Quality Assurance)

@ Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA)
View All Jobs
Norfolk or Oberammergau
$9k/moOnsiteFull Time
Responsibilities:managing quality, conducting assessments, delivering training
Requirements Summary:University degree in audit/math/statistics/business with 2 years function-related experience (or higher secondary + vocational training with 4 years experience); 4 years in education and individual training; 2 years quality management in education and training; planning/facilitating events; strong communication; English proficiency; NATO SECRET clearance.
Technical Tools Mentioned:Microsoft Office
Save
Mark Applied
Hide Job
Report & Hide
Job Description

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.

Principal Duties

  • 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.

Essential Qualifications / Experience

  • University Degree  in audit, mathematics, statistics, business administration 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.
  • 4 years’ experience working in an Education and Individual Training environment.
  • 2 years’ Quality Management Systems in Education and Training, preferably within NATO, but at least a national, perspective with a focus on Quality Assurance.
  • Good knowledge of the current NATO Education and Training Policy and network of institutions supporting NATO Education and Training.
  • Demonstrated experience in planning, facilitating and executing events or working groups.
  • Demonstrated experience in preparing and delivering briefings in one-on-one and group settings.
  • Strong communication skills.

Language

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

Desirable Qualifications / Experience

  • Demonstrated experience working in multi-national teams.
  • Familiarity with NATO and the NATO Command Structure (NCS) and NATO Force Structure (NFS).
  • Demonstrated experience in the past three to five (3-5) years, in analysing data and drawing conclusions.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in the use of the Microsoft Office Tool suite and collaborative software.

Attributes/Competencies

Personal Attributes:

The incumbent must exhibit negotiating and diplomatic skills in dealing with colleagues and senior staff of Headquarters and with external agencies. A high level of tact will be required in the course of dealing with stakeholders to change traditional methods of training. The incumbent will have regular external contact with Department Heads and ETFs; they must be proficient with respect to QA and E&IT, be personally self-sufficient and able to work effectively without close SME support. The incumbent will have to exhibit both collegiate and team management skills, and be able to delegate and escalate within and outside of the HQ. Whilst dealing tactfully with ETFs and HQs, the incumbent must be able to both advise and direct them on NATO training policies. The incumbent must be able to use their knowledge and initiative to help ETFs and stakeholders to solve specific QA and E&IT related problems. The employee must be flexible and able to work in more than one context simultaneously.

Managerial Responsibilities:

The post does not directly control the work of others. However, the post has a high degree of influence in planning and coordinating the NATO QA Programme and providing QA direction and guidance to ETFs with respect to the certification of NATO courses and the conduct of training activity required to deliver NWCC-related E&IT in the context of the NATO 2030 agenda. Indirectly, it has significant influence on how training change will be enacted across the NATO training facilities.

Professional Contacts:

The incumbent will routinely interface with Stakeholders at all professional levels, providing advice, guidance and information on QA, certification, accreditation and training change issues, and event organization.  The incumbent will also seek and give QA and E&IT advice and will be required to use their initiative to overcome technical/process obstacles and facilitate change.

Contribution To Objectives:

The post holder by their actions will generate significant changes to work processes across headquarters and ETFs. The incumbent will contribute directly towards the HQ SACT implementation of NWCC-related Education and Individual Training.  The incumbent shall also contribute to the development of training policy and its adaptation towards WDA thematics. The incumbent will develop procedures, training policy and working practices in their area of professional competence. The work of the incumbent significantly impacts both directly and indirectly the outputs and objectives of HQ SACT.

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.

Contract

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 HQ SACT web site gives full details on the eligibility criteria and application processes to be adopted by all candidates.  However, candidates should particularly note:

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

The candidature of NATO redundant staff at grade G15 will be considered with priority.

NATO will not accept any phase of the recruitment and selection prepared, in whole or in part, by means of generative artificial-intelligence (AI) tools, including and without limitation to chatbots, such as Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (Chat GPT), or other language generating 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 generative or creative AI applications may be rejected without further consideration at NATO’s sole discretion, and NATO reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.

NATO is committed to diversity and inclusion, and strives to provide equal access to employment, advancement and retention, independent of gender, age, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, cultural background, sexual orientation, and disability. NATO welcomes applications of nationals from all member Nations, and strongly encourages women to apply.

This vacancy will close on 13 July 2026 @ 17:59hrs (EDT)/11:59hrs (CEST).