ECAB Support Analyst

Arenatechnologies; Norfolk (VA); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) is seeking an Exercise Coordination and Alignment Branch (ECAB) Support Analyst to provide on-site support in Norfolk, VA.

The role focuses on coordinating Warfare Development and exercise planning with NATO partners, tracking contributions, and delivering regular progress updates. Ideal candidates have 5+ years in military exercise planning, an active NATO clearance, and the ability to work on-site.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Defense/Strategic Studies, Political Science, Emergency Management, or related field; OR equivalent professional experience.
• 5+ years of experience in military exercise planning, collective training, or defense transformation initiatives.
• Familiarity with NATO exercise planning processes and documents (e.g., NATO Warfighting Capstone Concept, Warfare Development Agenda, Bi-SC Collective Training & Exercises Directive, SACEUR’s Guidance on ETEE).
• Proven ability to draft professional-level planning documents, reports, and campaign plans; proficiency with MS Office Suite and collaborative platforms.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Experience coordinating with multinational or interagency partners.
• Active NATO or National SECRET clearance.
• Valid NATO Nation passport with no travel restrictions to NATO nations.
• Able to work fully on-site based on clients needs.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with NATO organizations (SHAPE, JWC, JFTC, JATEC, JALLC) and partners; track and report branch contributions to NATO-level guidance.
• Maintain schedules, records, and document repositories; provide regular progress updates to the Project Lead and COTR.
• Represent ECAB at meetings and conferences within and outside NATO; travel up to 30 days per year.
• Support governance, synchronization, and strategic alignment through a coordinated, multi-year programme of work.
• Assist with development, refinement, and documentation of exercise-related campaign plans, concepts, and supporting products.
• Support Warfare Development Exploitation by leveraging exercises to identify capability gaps and refine concepts.
• Contribute to future force development through Warfare Development in Exercises (WDiE) and Warfare Development Exploitation Teams (WDETs).
• Assist with integration of Audacious Training Lines of Effort, emerging technologies, AI-enabled capabilities, experimentation, and JATEC participation.
• Support After-Action Reviews (AARs) and lessons-learned activities; develop formal reports and actionable recommendations.

Skills

Drafting documents

Project management

MS Office Suite

Communication skills

Multinational coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

MS Office

Collaborative platforms

Job description

Overview

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) delivers high-impact, technical solutions to complex national security issues. With over 50 years of business expertise and consistent growth,we are known for continuous innovation for our government customers, in both the US and abroad. Our exceptionally talented team is highly collaborative in spirit and practice, producingResults that Matter. Come work with the best! We offer opportunity, unique challenges, and clear-sighted commitment to the mission. SPA: Objective. Responsive. Trusted.

The Joint, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Interagency Division provides expert support services to a range of customers spanning across the Department of Defense, Federal Civilian, and international markets. JOID provides a diverse portfolio of analytical and programmatic capabilities to help our customers make informed decisions on their most challenging issues.

SPAs NATO Allied Command Transformation Group within JOID provides capability development, portfolio management, program management, quality management, cost estimation analysis, standardization, reporting, software solutions and information management, and capability management support. We also provide an improved capability requirements capture process, includingthe generation, documentation and tracing of user requirements, with appropriate technical scrutiny, over the entire lifecycle of the requirements from capability definition through capability realization and capability usage.

We have a near-term need for an Exercise Coordination and Alignment Branch (ECAB) Support Analyst to provide onsite support out of Norfolk, VA.

Responsibilities

Operations (MDO) objectives, and future warfighting requirements across NATO’s exercise enterprise. The position will assist with governance, synchronization, and strategic alignment through a coordinated, multi-year programme of work and will participate in planning conferences, workshops, and coordination events to ensure Warfare Development themes and priorities are effectively incorporated into NATO exercises. Responsibilities will also include supporting the development, refinement, and documentation of exercise-related campaign plans, concepts, and other supporting products.

The candidate will support Warfare Development Exploitation by leveraging exercises to identify capability gaps, refine concepts, assess emerging capabilities, and contribute to future force development through Warfare Development in Exercises (WDiE) and Warfare Development Exploitation Teams (WDETs). The role will support the identification and development of exercise themes and candidate activities while assisting with the integration of Audacious Training (AT) Lines of Effort, emerging technologies, AI-enabled capabilities, experimentation, innovation initiatives, and Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC) participation. The candidate will also support After-Action Reviews (AARs) and lessons-learned activities, develop formal reports and actionable recommendations, and contribute to rolling programmes of work that advance Warfare Development and transformation objectives.

The successful candidate will coordinate with NATO organizations, including SHAPE, JWC, JFTC, JATEC, and JALLC, as well as NATO partners and external stakeholders. Responsibilities include tracking and reporting branch contributions to NATO-level guidance, maintaining schedules, records, and document repositories, and providing regular progress updates to the Project Lead and Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR). The position will directly support the Branch Head, represent ECAB at meetings and conferences within and outside NATO boundaries, and may require travel of up to 30 days per year.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Defense/Strategic Studies, Political Science, Emergency Management, or related field; OR equivalent professional experience.
• 5+ years of experience in military exercise planning, collective training, or defense transformation initiatives.
• Familiarity with NATO exercise planning processes and documents (e.g., NATO Warfighting Capstone Concept, Warfare Development Agenda, Bi-SC Collective Training & Exercises Directive, SACEUR’s Guidance on ETEE).
• Proven ability to draft professional-level planning documents, reports, and campaign plans; proficiency with MS Office Suite and collaborative platforms.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Experience coordinating with multinational or interagency partners.
• Active NATO or National SECRET clearance.
• Valid NATO Nation passport with no travel restrictions to NATO nations.
• Able to work fully on-site based on clients needs.

Desired

• Master’s degree in International Relations, Defense/Strategic Studies, Political Science, Emergency Management, or related field.

Pay Range Information

At SPA, we strive to deliver a robust total compensation package that will attract and retain top talent. Elements of the compensation package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities. SPA provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work. The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, etc. Please note that the salary information shown below is a general guideline only. Salaries are commensurate with experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations. Virginia, Pay Transparency Salary range: USD $115,000.00/Yr. - USD $145,000.00/Yr.