On 4 March 2017, the NCI Agency launched a high-profile recruitment campaign for a senior official to lead NATO's integrated air and missile defence command and control programmes. He or she will be responsible for a budget of several billion Euro, currently NATO's largest common-funded defence effort.
The selected individual will be responsible for delivering command and control tools for NATO's Integrated Air and Missile Defence.
To support the conduct of air and ballistic missile defence operations in both real-time and non-real-time environments, NATO is implementing a set of fully interoperable Command and Control functionalities. These systems provides the capability to plan, direct, task, coordinate, supervise, assess and report on the operation of all allocated air and missile defence assets. The system is used 24/7 to support NATO's air policing operations, and by Nations for their national air operations.
As proliferation of ballistic missiles poses an increasing threat to Allied populations, territory and deployed forces, the capability also supports NATO's territorial ballistic missile defence mission. In July 2016, NATO's ballistic missile defence shield reached initial operational capability (see video) and work continues towards full operational capability.
Significant responsibilities
"We are looking for a high-calibre individual with experience in managing large, advanced multinational C2 programmes, excellent communications with both industry/contractors, NATO stakeholders and Nations," stressed NCI General Manager Koen Gijsbers, "He or she will face a high level attention to the programme, including at the political level." More than 300 programme staff will report to the selected official.
The selected senior program director will have the duty to ensure that programme and project implementation plans for both ballistic missile defence and air command and control capabilities are aligned and synchronized; that the programmes and related projects meet their objectives and deliver the projected benefits as agreed with the external and internal stakeholders, both in NATO and in Nations who participate in the capability; to optimize risk management across programmes; to secure the necessary investment for the Programmes; and to monitor and control the progress of the Programmes at a strategic level. Understanding the operational challenges and requirements of NATO's Air Power Community is very important as well.
For more information, see the job description here and apply here, and read more about NATO's integrated air and missile defence.