Contractor Support for Military Partnerships- Partnerships Strategy, Concept Development, Policy and Analysis

DEFTEC Corporation; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

401K with match

Education reimbursement

Job summary

DEFTEC Corporation seeks a Contractor Support for Military Partnerships to advise on NATO partnerships, craft strategic concepts, and produce policy papers for senior leaders. The role coordinates with HQ SACT, ACO/SHAPE, NATO HQ, and Partner Nations, guiding long-term military partnership development and transformation priorities.

Travel up to 30 days yearly is required; a postgraduate degree and NATO security clearance are essential.

Qualifications

• Active NATO Secret Security Clearance.
• Postgraduate degree in international relations, security studies, or related field.
• Experience in foreign/international security or defense affairs.
• Experience within NATO Enterprise or other international organizations in defense/security roles.
• Ability to brief senior leaders/decision makers and draft policy/briefing material.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to NATO partnerships planning and coordination across HQ SACT and partner nations.
• Develop briefings, policy papers, and decision-support products for senior officers.
• Support policy development, concepts, and procedures for NATO partnerships.
• Lead or support strategic engagement concept development and partner engagement activities.
• Travel up to 30 days per year for meetings, exercises and engagements.

Skills

Geopolitical analysis

Brief senior leaders

Stakeholder coordination

Security clearance

Education

Postgraduate degree in international relations

Job description

Contractor Support for Military Partnerships- Partnerships Strategy, Concept Development, Policy and Analysis

DEFTEC delivers mission-critical solutions through skillfully delivered services and innovative products. We are inspired by our clients' critical missions and driven to provide the most effective solutions to execute their missions, operational challenges, and requirements. Our dedicated, experienced, and talented employees work closely with our clients to ensure the delivery of exceptional services and products.

Position Overview:

The Contractor Support for Military Partnerships – Partnerships Strategy, Concept Development, Policy and Analysis serves as a key contributor to the Partnerships Branch's activities in support of NATO's partnerships objectives, acting as a central point of contact for coordination across HQ SACT Directorates, ACO/SHAPE, NATO HQ, Partner Nations, and relevant International Organizations. This role advises internal stakeholders on the strategic value, scope, risks, and opportunities of NATO military partnerships, contributing to the drafting of policies, directives, concepts, reports, and military advice on the longer-term development of NATO partnerships and their interaction with NATO defense policies and transformation priorities, while leading or supporting concept development activities such as strategic engagement concepts and the "out-partnering" concept. The incumbent supports the integration of Partner perspectives into ACT long-term military transformation, strategic foresight, future force design, red teaming, and wargaming activities, identifies ACT Programs of Work and engagement opportunities suited to specific Partner Nations, and conducts geopolitical, regional, and strategic analysis on an allocated portfolio of Partner Nations to inform ACT planning and senior leader decision-making. Additionally, this individual contributes to briefings and decision-support products for senior officers, supports Key Leader Engagement preparation, maintains Partnerships Branch knowledge management by capturing best practices and lessons learned, and travels up to 30 days per year to meetings, exercises, and engagements; qualifying candidates hold a postgraduate degree in international relations, security studies, or a related field (or equivalent senior military staff college experience), bring demonstrated experience in international security or defense affairs within NATO or a related international or national defense organization, and have a track record of briefing senior decision-makers.

Job Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the activities, outputs, coordination requirements, and battle rhythm of the Partnerships Branch in support of NATO's partnerships objectives.
• Support the Partnerships Branch as the HQ SACT central point of contact for partnerships-related work strands, including coordination with HQ SACT Directorates, Branches, JJJJs, ACO/SHAPE, NATO HQ, Partner Nations, and relevant International Organizations, as required.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of briefings, point papers, speaking notes, reports, decision-support products, and other staff work for senior officers, decision makers, working groups, and external engagements related to partnerships.
• Contribute to the development, review, refinement, and implementation of policies, directives, concepts, processes, and procedures related to NATO military partnerships, including support to Bi-SC and ACT-level taskings.
• Support the identification, coordination, and tracking of ACT activities, Program of Work, exercises, experiments, training, education, and engagement opportunities open to Partners, ensuring coherence of messaging and alignment with NATO and ACT priorities.
• Support the maintenance of corporate memory, information and knowledge management, lessons identified, document traceability, and quality assurance mechanisms for Partnerships Branch activities.
• Ensure that partnership activities, documentation, and information-sharing considerations are coordinated in accordance with applicable NATO security, releasability, and information-management requirements.
• Support Key Leader Engagement preparation and execution, including background papers, engagement strategies, read-ahead material, talking points, engagement reports, and follow-up actions.
• Be prepared to travel to meetings, conferences, workshops, exercises, and other engagements both within and outside NATO's boundaries for up to 30 days per year.
• Perform additional tasks as required by the COTR related to the labor category and within the scope of Partnerships Branch responsibilities.
• Advise and support internal stakeholders on the strategic value, scope, risks, and opportunities of NATO military partnerships, including opportunities for Partner engagement across ACT work strands.
• Contribute to the drafting of policies, directives, concepts, reports, studies, and military advice related to the longer-term development of NATO military partnerships and their interaction with NATO defense policies, cooperative programs, and transformation priorities.
• Lead or support concept development activities related to partnerships, including strategic engagement concepts, the "out-partnering" concept, and ACT contributions to relevant concept development and experimentation events.
• Support the integration of Partner perspectives into ACT long-term military transformation, strategic foresight, future force design, red teaming, wargaming, and Long-Term Military Strategic Shaping activities, where appropriate.
• Identify ACT Programs of Work, experiments, exercises, studies, training events, and other activities that may provide opportunities for Partner engagement and identify Partner Nations that could contribute to or benefit from those activities.
• Support Partnerships Branch knowledge management by capturing best practices, lessons learned, engagement outcomes, decision points, recurring requirements, and continuity products to improve branch efficiency and corporate memory.
• Conduct geopolitical, regional, and strategic analysis on Partner Nations and partnership frameworks, within an allocated portfolio of countries, to inform ACT planning, engagement, and senior leader decision-making.

Required Qualifications:

• Active NATO Secret Security Clearance
• University postgraduate degree (master's or higher) in international relations, international security, international development, military studies (including military technology or operations research), foreign policy, public affairs, political science, or related discipline; or have attended a NATO or national military staff college (OF-3 level or higher)
• Experience working in the field of foreign/international security/international cooperation/defense/military affairs
• Experience working within NATO Enterprise (preferred); or other International Organization (in a Defense or Security-related position); or within a national mission, delegation, or embassy to a 10 (in a Defense or Security-related position)
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of: NATO Partnerships; or security sector reform / defense and security capacity building; or defense planning; or military capability development/ military applications of operations Research.
• Demonstrate experience in drafting for and/or briefing senior leaders/decision makers (FOGOs or civilian equivalent

DEFTEC offers a comprehensive whole-life benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, holiday, paid time off, 401K with a match, life insurance, short/long-term disability, and educational reimbursement. The DEFTEC team comprises professionals who make a difference daily in crucial national security missions. Our leadership knows that this happens by employing a diverse team that is well cared for. Our top priority is our employees, making DEFTEC an ideal workplace.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Please get in touch with [e-mail] if you require reasonable accommodations.

DEFTEC is a Drug-Free Workplace where post-offer applicants and employees are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria are met as outlined in our policies.

AAP/EEO Statement

DEFTEC Corp is an Equal Opportunity and affirmative action Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any typebased on actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeedingand medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding),gender, gender identity, and gender expression, religious creed,disability (mental and physical) including HIV and AIDS, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics ), genetic information, age, marital status, civil union status, sexual orientation, military and veteran status, denial of family and medical care leave, arrest record and/or any other characteristic(s) protected by federal, state or local law.

This policy applies to all terms of employment, includingrecruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment during employment.

Other Duties

Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of the activities, duties, and responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.