Counter-UAS & Counter-IED Subject Matter Expert

Spektrum; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Spektrum supports Allied commands and NATO partners with aerospace, defence, and capability development services. The role focuses on coordinating requirements, programme management, and cross‑national collaboration to advance CT/FP projects and C-UXS/C-IED initiatives.

Based in Norfolk, VA, the position involves on-site work with complex stakeholder engagement and lifecycle management of capabilities from planning to execution. Strong background in engineering/ops research is required.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or similar national academic or Military College qualification in engineering, information systems, aeronautics, operations research, project management, business administration or related disciplines.
• Can be substituted with Bachelor Degree and 5 years of experience in relevant field.

Responsibilities

• Provide support to development of C-UXS/C-IED related capability products and DOTMLPFI alignment.
• Assist CT/FP Programme Director and CT/FP Project Coordinator in programme management efforts with stakeholders at all levels.
• Support C-UXS/C-IED projects as required by JE Capabilities Programme Director and the COTR.
• Capture, develop, analyse, evaluate and traceability of capability requirements across DOTMLPFI.

Skills

Briefing senior leaders

Multinational experience

Program/Project management

CT/FP/CT/IED knowledge

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent in engineering/IT/ops research

Bachelor degree + 5 years field experience

Job description

Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO, UN, EU and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services, specialised aerospace and defence sales, delivery, and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.

Who we are supporting

Allied Command Transformation (ACT) is NATO’s leading agent for change: driving, facilitating, and advocating the continuous improvement of Alliance capabilities to maintain and enhance the military relevance and effectiveness of the Alliance. The main objectives of ACT are: providing appropriate support to NATO missions and operations; leading NATO military transformation; and improving relationships, interaction and practical cooperation with partners, nations and international organisations. ACT therefore leads Alliance concept development, capability development, training and lessons-learned initiatives and provides unfettered military support to policy development within NATO.

The program

Capability Development & Management Support (CDMS)

DCOS Capability Development (CAPDEV) acts as the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation's Director for guidance, direction and coordination of the activities and resources of the Capability Development Directorate.

The Requirements Division will execute all tasks and activities needed to support requirements management for NATO capabilities

The Capability Requirements (CR) Branch will develop the Capability Requirements Brief and recommended courses of action to resolve issues through the life cycle management of requirements using matrixed, cross-functional project-specific Requirements Management teams.

The Requirements Forward Branch (Mons) is responsible for conducting requirements development and management representation and engagement-related functions in Europe.

The Capability Division coordinates the development of capabilities from capability planning through acceptance and then disposal with management entities, NATO Headquarters staff and the NATO Governance Structure

The Capability Forward Branch (Mons) coordinates with ACO, NCIA, NSPA, NATO HQ, territorial Host Nations, and NATO Centres of Excellence (COEs) to support the development of capabilities.

Strategic Plans and Policy (SPP) supports Allied Command Transformation in formalizing military advice to shape future military strategy, political guidance, and other policy documents supporting NATO’s strategic objectives.

Role ID:ACT-CDMS-27-01-A-LC17

Taskings:

• Provision of support to the development of Counter-Uncrewed Systems andCounterImprovisedExplosive Devices (C-UXS/C-IED) related capability products in accordance withthe NATO governance model for the delivery of common funded capabilities acrossDoctrine, Organization, Training, Material, Leadership, Personnel, Facilities andInteroperability (DOTMLPFI) lines of development in a through life cycle approach, based onthe guidance of the ACT Joint Effects (JE) Capabilities Programme Director/Section Head;the Counter-Threat and Force Protection (CT/FP, including C-UXS/C-IED) ProjectCoordinator and the JE Integrator/Architect;
• Support the ACT JE Capabilities Programme Director for CT/FP and the CT/FP Project Coordinator in their programme management efforts, including the interaction with C-UXS/CIED stakeholders at all levels, from strategic to tactical;
• Support C-UXS/C-IED- related projects (e.g. ACT Layered C-UAS Initiative-X /LCI-X BeaconProject) as required by JE Capabilities Programme Director and the COTR.
• Support the elicitation, capture, development, analysis,evaluationand traceability of capability requirements.
• Support the elicitation, capture, development, analysis,evaluationand traceability of higherand lower-level requirements (such as capability targets, operational requirements, systemspecifications, interoperability requirements, etc.) across all aspects of DOTMLPFI.
• Support the development,analysisand review of C-UXS/C-IED related doctrinal corpus (e.g.policies, doctrines, directives concepts of operation/employment, courses of action andalternatives).
• Coordinate DOTMLPFI development and implementation synchronization; support thedevelopment of recommended courses of action to resolve issues relating capability development, across thecapabilitieslifecycles.
• Organise andparticipateto workshops, seminars,conferencesand meetings in support ofthe activities above
• Collaborate with national and international military and civilian organizations, includingcentres of excellence and academia, in support of the activities above.
• Administration of C-UXS/C-IED capabilities development programmes status information inthe electronic environment supporting ACT warfare development information sharing andcoordination.
• Support the interaction with NATO Agencies in context of the C-UXS/C-IED capabilitiesdevelopment programmes and validation of capabilities.
• Identifylessons and Best Practices and contribute to their learning within the organization.
• Support the ACT JE Capabilities Programme Director for CT/FP and the CT/FP ProjectCoordinator travel to meetings and conferences both within and outside NATO’s boundariesfor up to 40 days per year.
• Performadditionaltasks as required by JE Capabilities Programme Director and the COTRrelated to programme management efforts.

Essential Qualifications

• Master’s degree or similar national academic or Military College qualification in engineering,information systems, aeronautics, operations research, project management, businessadministrationor related disciplines. Can be substituted withBachelor Degreeand 5 yearsof experience in relevant field.
• Demonstrate3 years’ experience in the last 10 in briefing seniorleaders/decision makers.
• Demonstrate5 years operational knowledge of C-UXS/C-IED functions at Tactical, Operational, or Strategic levels (e.g. C-UAS SO or Cell Lead;Counter-Threat/Force Protection SO, C-IED Team/Cell in Joint HQ) within the last 12 years either as a military officer or as a civilian.
• Demonstrable experience, minimum of 2 years within the last 10 years, Programme/ProjectManagement experience in the past ten years within a complex and dynamic environment,with a focus on military capability development.
• Demonstrable experience, minimum of 2 years within the last 10 years, working in amultinational organization (e.g. European Defence Agency) or NATO Command Structure(NCS) / NATO Force Structure (NFS) and familiarity with NATO agencies’ role in systemdevelopment.

Demonstratedproficiencyin English as defined in STANAG 6001 (Standardized LinguisticProfile (SLP) 3333 - Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing) or equivalent.

Working Location

• Norfolk,VA

Working Policy

• On-Site

Contract Duration

• January2027– December 2031

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATOSecretpersonal security clearance