Legal Executive Officer

North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Henegouwen; Sur place; EUR 90 000 - 120 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation seeks a Legal Executive Officer at SHAPE to manage the Office of Legal Affairs and lead a legal team in delivering high‑level legal support to the ACO Legal Advisor and SHAPE staff.

You will draft and review documents, coordinate with command groups, supervise OLA personnel, and ensure compliance with NATO directives while handling sensitive legal matters across international borders.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a coordination office/front office of an executive or general/flag officer official.
• Previous managerial experience in a military headquarters or international organization.
• University Degree in law or related discipline with 4 years post related experience.
• English language proficiency (SLP 3333).
• French language proficiency (SLP 2222).

Responsabilités

• Manages day-to-day operations of the OLA and coordinates the work programme.
• Provides support to the ACO Legal Advisor; prepares briefing materials and drafts documents.
• Leads and supervises OLA staff and oversees security and records management tasks.
• Ensures compliance with directives, policies, and archiving standards; maintains coordination with SHAPE and NATO HQs.
• Represent the ACO Legal Advisor in meetings and committees and manage project implementation.

Connaissances

Executive office experience

Managerial experience

Coordination

Legal background

Formation

University degree in law

Advanced degree in law

Description du poste

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

Job Description - Legal Executive Officer (260402)

Legal Executive Officer - 260402

Schedule

Full-time

Application Deadline

07-Oct-2026, 9:59:00 PM

Salary (Pay Basis)

Grade NATO Grade G15

Description

POST CONTEXT/POST SUMMARY

Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) is a strategic military headquarters. Its role is to prepare, plan, conduct and execute NATO military operations, missions and tasks in order to achieve the strategic objectives of the Alliance. As such, it contributes to the deterrence of aggression and the preservation of peace, security, and the territorial integrity of Alliance. SHAPE supports the Supreme Allied Commander Europe in fulfilling his terms of reference, as directed by the North Atlantic- Council.

Within SHAPE, the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) is responsible for providing legal advice and guidance to SACEUR, SHAPE staff, and the Legal Advisors of subordinated HQs in all relevant matters.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES

• Executes the everyday management of the legal division and coordinates the work programme of the Division on behalf of the ACO Legal Advisor, issuing directions in this respect.
• Takes action, as required, on tasking and other assignments, coordinating with the OLA branch heads and other elements of OLA as appropriate.
• Manages the day-to-day operations and optimizes administrative processes of OLA. Ensures all deliverables are accurate and submitted consistently with deadlines, contributing to informed decision-making and strategic planning.
• Provides comprehensive support to the ACO Legal Advisor. Prepares briefing materials, conducts research, and drafts documents needed for meetings.
• Facilitates effective communication and coordination between the legal office and the Command Group and with other departments and commands within NATO. Facilitates the flow of direction and guidance from the ACO Legal Advisor to the OLA team and other legal offices. Attends and contributes to meetings, ensuring that legal office considerations are appropriately represented and addressed. Represents the ACO Legal Advisor in Boards, Meetings, or Committees.
• Assists the ACO Legal Advisor in executing Command Group orders, directives, and security regulations, guiding the team and ensuring enforcement and compliance across OLA members as necessary.
• Reviews all outgoing correspondence for quality and compliance with applicable directives and policies.
• Serves as or supervises the Divisional Security Officer and Fund Manager. Manages the computer and information systems and records management contractors to ensure effective performance, compliance, and alignment with organizational objectives.
• Ensures the proper archiving, classification, secure storage, and retrieval of all records in compliance with organizational policies, regulatory requirements, and document retention standards. Enables the use of the ACO Central Repository for International Agreements and other legal reference materials by SHAPE staff and ACO HQs.
• As tasked by the Director OLA, assists in handling legal matters within the office, supporting the Director OLA and the branch heads by investigating and examining relevant facts and legal questions, and providing recommendations for resolution.
• Drafts legal correspondence, directives, standard operating procedures, terms of reference, briefings, and other matters.
• Leads and optimizes ongoing projects, aligning stakeholder priorities, managing budgets, and driving innovation through effective implementation.
• Supervisory Duties: Supervises the OLA civilian and military personnel responsible for supporting the above functions.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND ADDITIONAL DUTIES

The employee may be required to perform a similar range of duties elsewhere within the organization at the same grade without there being any change to the contract.

The Legal Executive Officer may be required to perform other related duties as directed (in particular, to serve as a member of Working Groups, Project Teams, etc. for defined periods of time). Additionally, she/he may be reassigned as directed by the Chief of Staff for up to 180 days (and when necessary, in excess of 180 days with her/his agreement).

Annual temporary duty (TDY) requirement: The incumbent may have to undertake TDY within and outside NATO’s boundaries and deployments may be required in support of military operations and exercises, and/or TDY assignments, for up to 30 days.

The incumbent may be required to work outside normal office hours.

The work is normally performed in a normal NATO office working environment.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

a. Professional Experience

• 1) Previous experience in a coordination office/front office of an executive or general/flag officer official.
• 2) Previous managerial experience in a military headquarters or international organization.

b. Education/Training

University Degree in law or related discipline (e.g. business administration) 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.

c. Language

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

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

a. Professional Experience

• 1) Additional years of experience in the areas described under essential qualifications above.
• 2) Sound knowledge of the NATO and ACO structure, organisation, and mission.
• 3) Previous experience in an executive officer function, to include managerial and supervising experience in a coordination office/front office of an executive or general/flag officer official.

b. Education/Training

• 1) Advanced degree in law.
• 2) Professional license to practice law or eligibility for the same.
• 3) Project manager training.

c. Language

French SLP 2222

ATTRIBUTES/COMPETENCIES

a. Personal attributes:

The incumbent must work collegially with and coordinate effectively with colleagues, including legal professionals and others, in an international environment. This requires the incumbent to show courtesy, empathy, negotiating skills, and service mindedness.

The incumbent must be capable of managing complex projects and prioritizing and assigning work effectively. This requires mental alertness, attention to details, and working well under pressure.

The incumbent must be capable of representing an executive-level official in interactions within the headquarters and with external organisations. This requires good interpersonal and communication skills, diplomacy, poise, and tact.

The incumbent must provide excellent customer service. This requires diligence, tact, and discretion (i.e., adherence to confidentiality).

The incumbent is expected to be capable of working with minimum supervision on routine matters.

Incumbent is expected to be capable of understanding and applying governing policies and procedures correctly to the execution of assigned responsibilities.

b. Professional Contacts:

Routinely, directly interrelates with members of the SHAPE staff and Command Group. Contacts, apart from SHAPE staff, are principally with legal support personnel in other NATO bodies, National Military Representatives to SHAPE, and national administrations of NATO and non-NATO countries in order to exchange information, to solicit information, to provide or seek guidance on various issues.

c. Supervisory duties:

Directly supervises and provides professional guidance and instruction to OLA staff responsible for supporting the functions described above.

REMARKS:

Duration of contract: Serving staff members will be offered a contract according to the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations (NCPR). Newly recruited staff will be offered a definite duration contract of three years normally followed by an indefinite duration contract.

The salary will be the basic entry-level monthly salary defined by the NATO Grade of the post, which may be augmented by allowances based on the selected staff member’s eligibility, and which is subject to the withholding of approximately 20% for pension and medical insurance contributions.

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.

Building integrity is a key element of NATO’s core tasks. As an employer, NATO values commitment to the principles of integrity, transparency, and accountability in accordance with international norms and practices established for the defence and related security sector. Selected candidates are expected to be role models of integrity, and to promote good governance through ongoing efforts in their work.

Applicants who prove to be competent for the post but who are not successful in this competition may be offered an appointment in another post of a similar nature, which might become vacant in the near future, albeit at the same or lower grade, provided they meet the necessary requirements.