Project Manager, Accelerator Programme

NATO; Halifax; Hybrid; EUR 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative organization seeks a dynamic Project Manager to lead the DIANA Accelerator Programme, fostering deep tech and dual-use innovation. This role involves collaborating with stakeholders, managing project delivery, and ensuring high-quality outcomes. The successful candidate will have a strong background in project management, excellent communication skills, and the ability to navigate complex ecosystems. Join a forward-thinking team dedicated to making a meaningful impact in defense and security through cutting-edge technology. Embrace the opportunity to work in a flexible, inclusive environment that values diversity and excellence.

Benefits

Tax-free Salary

Excellent Private Health Insurance

NATO Pension Scheme

Generous Annual Leave

Flexible Working Conditions

Learning and Development Opportunities

Qualifications

• 3+ years experience in acceleration or incubation programs.
• Strong project management skills with a focus on quality and budget.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the delivery of DIANA Accelerator Programmes within scope and budget.
• Create project management deliverables and maintain innovation communities.

Skills

Project Management

Stakeholder Management

Data Analysis

Written Communication

Digital Project Management

Risk Management

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Relevant Discipline

Advanced University Degree

Tools

Digital Project Management Platforms

Job description

OVERVIEW OF DIANA

The Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) is NATO’s newest body. From across the Alliance, DIANA will bring together innovators and operational end users to foster a transatlantic ecosystem supporting dual-use ground-breaking innovation in deep technologies.

DIANA is an independent NATO body comprised of an Allied Board of Directors and an executive management team - the DIANA Executive (DX). Operating out of regional offices in Europe and in North America, the DX will conduct DIANA’s mission: accelerating deep tech, dual-use solutions to critical transatlantic challenges in defense and security. The DX will use Challenge Programmes in line with a published Strategic Direction, as the primary vehicle to accomplish this mission. DIANA is a dynamic, agile and hybrid workplace, which strives for innovation, diversity, and excellence. In order to achieve these aims, DIANA is committed to providing our people with an environment that is positive, inclusive, and collaborative.

2. OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE

The DIANA Accelerator Programme is designed to equip businesses with the skills and knowledge to navigate the world of deep tech and dual-use innovation. It provides an immersive curriculum and ‘boot-camp’ involving the NATO innovation network and strategic business partners from the commercial and defense markets.

The Programme includes two phases which the Accelerator Team builds and oversees delivery to ensure participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the dual-use landscape and learn how to successfully navigate both commercial and defense markets.

The Accelerator Team Project Manager is an experienced professional with a proven track record in acceleration or incubation programs who is ready to immediately leverage their knowledge and professional networks. The primary objective of the Project Manager is to prepare the delivery of DIANA Accelerator Programmes and ensure their delivery within mandated scope, time, and budget while working closely with the affiliated Accelerator sites to ensure their smooth delivery.

Report to the Regional Director – Estonia Hub, the Project Manager is expected to work closely with a variety of stakeholders within the innovation ecosystem and ensure that DIANA is continually evolving the curriculum and fostering relationships with companies to help them meet future operational challenges.

Duties of this role include:

• Create, uplift and implement the DIANA Acceleration Programme in close collaboration with the affiliated accelerator sites.
• Create and maintain standard project management deliverables such as project plans, risk registers, highlight reports, etc.
• Create overviews and presentations on the Acceleration Programme delivery.
• Create and maintain innovation communities by ensuring effective collaboration across a wide array of stakeholders, including innovators, accelerators, test centers, and other individuals and organizations.
• Aggregate and analyse Programme performance data and lessons learned. Interpreting and reporting all relevant data, risks, milestones to the DX through appropriate reporting structures. Recommending and influencing strategic mitigations.
• Establish the required tools, processes, and best practices to ensure that DIANA can run projects while meeting the key performance indicators of being on time, on budget, within the desired scope, and at a high level of quality.
• Prepare contingency plans for the effective management of issues that may arise both internally at DIANA and across DIANA’s ecosystem of stakeholders.
• Advise and influence DIANA Senior Management Team on critical go/no-go decisions throughout a project lifetime.
• Develop, refine, and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for DIANA.
• Share project management expertise and best practices across the DIANA team, including the use of tools, processes, training, and project management techniques. The aim of this being to improve the ability of all staff members to achieve DIANA objectives in a timely and predictable manner using a programmatic approach.
• Perform any other related duties as may be required.

3. ROLE REQUIREMENTS, QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL

The incumbent must have:

• Bachelor's degree in relevant discipline with at least 3 years of post-related experience.
• Experience in incubation, acceleration, or startup-focused innovation programmes.
• Experience in dual-use, deep-tech, or defense ecosystems.
• Cooperative mindset and experience in internal stakeholder management.
• Experience in project/programme management including, project planning, cost estimation and quality management, and drafting associated documentation.
• Experience with digital project management platforms.
• Exceptional written communication skills
• Ability to analyse complex datasets, interpret results and disseminate significant amounts of information with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to convey complex concepts in a clear and concise manner to senior stakeholders, through creative media.
• Possess the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): V (“Advanced”) in one; and I (“Beginner”) in the other.

NOTE: Most of DIANA’s work is conducted in the English language.

DESIRABLE

The following would be considered an advantage:

• Advanced university degree in a relevant discipline.
• Knowledge of NATO institutional framework, policies and procedures.
• Project management qualification e.g. PMP, APMQ, PRINCE II or similar certification/equivalent experience as a project manager.
• Experience in risk management and analysis and costing risk.
• Experience with data analytics, and data visualisation.
• Experience in providing guidance and mentorship to junior staff, interns, and students.

4. WHAT WE OFFER

• Genuinely meaningful work as a part of the newest unit within the most successful alliance in history.
• Tax-free salary.
• Household and children’s allowances and privileges for expatriate staff including expatriation and educational allowances (where applicable) and additional home leave.
• Excellent private health insurance scheme.
• NATO pension scheme.
• Generous annual leave of 30 days plus official holidays.
• Flexible working conditions and a smoke-free office in Halifax.
• Opportunities for learning and development.

The incumbent is required to be a resident in the host nation for the duration of their contract. DIANA has a flexible teleworking policy to permit working in office, at home, and across NATO Allied Nations subject to managerial approval. In accordance with the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations, the successful candidate will receive a definite duration contract of three years, which may be followed by an extension.

If the successful applicant is seconded from the national administration of one of NATO’s member States, a 3-year definite duration contract will be offered, which may be renewed for a further period of up to 3 years subject to the agreement of the national authority concerned. The maximum period of service in the post as a seconded staff member is six years.

NOTE: Irrespective of previous qualifications and experience, candidates for twin-graded posts will be appointed at the lower grade. Advancement to the higher grade is not automatic and will not normally take place during the first three years of service in the post.

Appointment will be subject to receipt of a security clearance (provided by the national Authorities of the selected candidate) and approval of the candidate’s medical file by the NATO Medical Adviser.

Applicants who are not successful in this competition may be offered an appointment to another post of a similar nature, albeit at the same or a lower grade, provided they meet the necessary requirements.

NOTE: DIANA 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. DIANA 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 DIANA’s sole discretion, and DIANA reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.

For more information on DIANA, please visit our: https://www.diana.nato.int