Project Coordinator

NATO; Geilenkirchen; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

NATO's NCIA Directorate of CIS Support Units in Geilenkirchen seeks a Project Coordinator to organize local projects, exercises and improvement activity supporting CSE Geilenkirchen. You will translate requirements into structured proposals, plans and delivery actions, and maintain schedules, risks and reporting.

Reporting to the Service Level Manager, you will coordinate suppliers and stakeholders, contribute to crisis management and service improvement, and ensure delivery to agreed scope,

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in a related discipline with 2 years of post-related experience, or at least 6 years of extensive and progressive expertise where the degree requirement is exceptionally compensated.
• Experience analysing new or unprecedented operational requirements and translating them into standardised, effective technical solutions.
• Extensive knowledge of NATO exercise planning, or comparable planning activity, and exercise ICT-delivery planning.
• Recent experience in C4ISR acquisition or development projects for a large organisation.
• Experience using project-management tools and managing cost and labour.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft SharePoint and working knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Experience supervising and managing teams.
• A recognised project-management qualification such as PRINCE2, PMBOK, PMP or equivalent, or demonstrable equivalent expertise.
• A thorough knowledge of one NATO language, both written and spoken; some knowledge of the other is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Define, document and coordinate exercises, events, small projects and delegated sub-projects.
• Translate customer requirements into project or exercise proposals, plans and deliverable activity.
• Manage scope, schedules, costs, resources, quality, risks and communications for assigned work.
• Support project boards, assurance activity, quality reviews and project-control processes.
• Establish and manage requirements baselines or backlogs and coordinate authorised changes.
• Lead planning and coordination meetings and maintain accurate status reporting.
• Coordinate suppliers, project teams and external stakeholders across organisational boundaries.
• Contribute to crisis management, business continuity, disaster recovery and continual service improvement planning.

Skills

Customer focus

Ownership

Problem solving

Collaboration

Autonomy

Adaptability

Results orientation

Education

Bachelor's degree in related discipline

PRINCE2/PMBOK/PMP or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft Office

Job description

NCIA exists for one reason: to ensure the Alliance can communicate securely and reliably, whether in critical political consultations or during complex military operations. We are a key enabler of NATO's core mission to keep one billion people safe.

Our technology and cyber experts power NATO's digital capabilities, from data-driven decision-making and secure networks to resilient operations and mission execution across land, air, sea, cyber and space domains.

Our people make this mission possible. Join a team of around 3,500 civilian and military staff across 30 locations throughout Europe and North America.

To meet growing operational demand, the Directorate of CIS Support Units (DCSU) is expanding its presence across a number of locations. DCSU manages, delivers and maintains communications and information systems products and services for NATO customers.

Through its CIS Support Units and local CIS Support Elements, DCSU provides the vital connection between customers and NCIA's wider service-delivery organisation.

At the heart of DCSU are the people working closest to NATO's operational customers. As part of a CIS Support Unit, you will be on the frontline of CIS support and a direct point of contact for operational partners. Working with users, you will understand requirements, resolve issues, coordinate the right expertise and deliver reliable outcomes where and when needed.

These roles are hands-on, customer-focused and mission-driven. If you want to work close to the mission, solve real-world problems and see the direct impact of your contribution, join us and help keep NATO connected, secure and ready to operate.

About the Role

As Project Coordinator, you will organise and coordinate local projects, exercises and improvement activity supporting CSE Geilenkirchen. Reporting to the Service Level Manager, you will turn customer and operational requirements into structured proposals, plans and delivery activity. You will support project boards, assurance and quality reviews; maintain schedules, risks, resources and status reporting; coordinate suppliers and stakeholders; and manage requirements and changes. The role also contributes to crisis management, business continuity, disaster recovery, service improvement and exercise planning, including Military Training and Exercise Programme and local customer-driven events. You will help ensure that activities are delivered to agreed scope, cost, schedule, quality and customer expectations.

What You Will Do

• Define, document and coordinate exercises, events, small projects and delegated sub-projects.
• Translate customer requirements into project or exercise proposals, plans and deliverable activity.
• Manage scope, schedules, costs, resources, quality, risks and communications for assigned work.
• Support project boards, assurance activity, quality reviews and project-control processes.
• Establish and manage requirements baselines or backlogs and coordinate authorised changes.
• Lead planning and coordination meetings and maintain accurate status reporting.
• Coordinate suppliers, project teams and external stakeholders across organisational boundaries.
• Contribute to crisis management, business continuity, disaster recovery and continual service improvement planning.

How You Will Contribute

Everything starts with the customer and the user. In this role, you will be expected to understand customer needs, maintain direct engagement and take ownership for delivering reliable outcomes.

You will work collaboratively across organisational, professional and national boundaries, connecting customers with the right expertise and contributing to shared success across NCIA and the wider NATO Enterprise.

You will also be expected to act with appropriate pace and sound judgement. This means assessing available information, making informed decisions, addressing obstacles and improving delivery through insight gained from customers, users and operations.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for candidates who meet the technical and professional requirements of the post and who can demonstrate:

• A strong focus on customer and user needs
• Ownership, initiative and accountability
• Sound judgement and practical problem-solving
• Effective collaboration across organisational and professional boundaries
• The ability to work productively with autonomy
• Adaptability in a developing operational environment
• A commitment to delivering results and improving services

Essential Education and Experience

A bachelor's degree in a related discipline with 2 years of post-related experience, or at least 6 years of extensive and progressive expertise where the degree requirement is exceptionally compensated.

• A bachelor's degree in a related discipline with 2 years of post-related experience, or at least 6 years of extensive and progressive expertise where the degree requirement is exceptionally compensated.
• Experience analysing new or unprecedented operational requirements and translating them into standardised, effective technical solutions.
• Extensive knowledge of NATO exercise planning, or comparable planning activity, and exercise ICT-delivery planning.
• Recent experience in C4ISR acquisition or development projects for a large organisation.
• Experience using project-management tools and managing cost and labour.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft SharePoint and working knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Experience supervising and managing teams.
• A recognised project-management qualification such as PRINCE2, PMBOK, PMP or equivalent, or demonstrable equivalent expertise.
• A thorough knowledge of one NATO language, both written and spoken; some knowledge of the other is desirable.

Desirable Education and Experience

• Experience with business-continuity planning or disaster-recovery planning.
• Experience with IT service-management tools and the ITIL framework.
• Experience with quality assurance or quality management.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Visio.
• Experience in an international military and civilian environment and knowledge of NATO responsibilities and organisation.
• Agile or ITIL certification.

Additional Requirements

• Business travel to NATO and national facilities may be required, including travel to operational theatres.
• The work is normally performed in office and secure areas and may include shift work.
• The post may provide professional guidance to staff.

Important Information Before Applying

• This post forms part of NCIA's expansion into a new or developing duty location.
• In established NCIA duty locations, CPO normally provides practical onboarding guidance on host-nation administration, such as local registration, residence requirements, vehicle registration and related settlement matters. For new or developing duty locations, such guidance may not yet be available at recruitment, selection or onboarding.
• Candidates should be prepared to operate in a developing location environment where some practical arrangements may need clarification after appointment or arrival. Staff appointed to these posts may be expected to work with NCIA, CPO and local stakeholders to help build practical knowledge for future staff.
• Some local operational, administrative and support arrangements may continue to evolve during recruitment and onboarding. The role may therefore require a high degree of autonomy and different support arrangements from those available at an established NCIA campus.
• Candidates should not make assumptions about benefits, allowances, relocation support or other location-specific entitlements. Information will be provided only when formally confirmed.
• Any selection or appointment will remain subject to required organisational approvals, establishment and funding arrangements, host-nation or administrative conditions, security requirements and other applicable appointment procedures.
• Progression through the recruitment process does not constitute a firm offer of appointment.
• NCIA will provide updated information as the recruitment process and duty-location arrangements progress.