Staff Officer (Russia Strategic Analyst)

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.

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. It uses advanced research to enhance rigour 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.  The Branch is comprised of two sections: Analytics and Strategy.

The post holder provides SACT with 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.

Principal Duties:

• 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, optimize 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

Essential Qualifications / Experience:

• 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 analyzing and researching Russia, its strategic culture, military doctrine and capabilities.
• At least 2 years of demonstrable experience in developing policy or strategy on Russia for a national government, or international organization.
• Previous experience of working within NATO enterprise or other defence related International Organization or national government on foreign/security/defence affairs.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with good briefing skills.

Language:

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

Desirable Qualifications / Experience:

• Experience of working in the academia or think tank.
• Publications on security, defence and military issues, preferably related to Russia.
• Masters and/or PhD studies focused on Russia.
• Specialized courses on Russian strategy.
• English - SL.P 3334 - (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).
• Russian listening and reading skills.

Attributes/Competencies:

Personal Attributes:

Ability to closely interact on a daily basis with OF-4 and OF-5 officers and civilian equivalents. Develops influential relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Professional Contacts:

Ability to closely interact with other NATO Allies’ and other NATO entities on Russia policy and strategy matters.

Contribution To Objectives:

The work of the incumbent impacts both directly and indirectly to the work and objectives of ACT, in particular support the LTMSS work strand on Russia. The work will directly impact the strategic objectives of the organization.

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

This position is linked to a specific NATO project and is for a limited duration of 3 (three) years only.

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 20 July 2026 @ 17:59hrs (EDT)/11:59hrs (CEST).