ATO Planner Subject Matter Expert (SME)

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 

The NATO Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) is a NATO establishment focused on improving the Alliance's operational capabilities through training and exercises. Located in Stavanger, Norway, the JWC plays a critical role in preparing NATO forces for future challenges by:

• Training and Exercises
  • Conducting large-scale, joint operational-level training events, simulations, and exercises to enhance interoperability among NATO member nations.
• Doctrine Development
  • Contributing to the development and refinement of NATO doctrines and concepts by providing feedback and insights from exercises and training activities.
• Operational Support
  • Offering expert support to NATO operations, missions, and exercises, ensuring that lessons learned are integrated into future training and planning.

 The JWC supports NATO's overall strategic objectives by ensuring that its forces are well-prepared and capable of responding to various global threats and challenges.

The program 

To deliver each full exercise cycle the JWC relies heavily on an Exercise Control (EXCON) structure. EXCON staff members are drawn from several backgrounds and units including JWC staff, NATO component commands, Training Audience (TA) Headquarters, Partner Nations and other augmenters’ positions. EXCON has both direction and control functions which allow it to establish the conditions needed by the TA to achieve the exercise aim and objectives. EXCON size and structure is flexible and is shaped to the requirement of each phase of exercise delivery. When it is not possible to fill a position from military sources, the JWC has the option to source a contractor to fill a position. Not all contracted positions are required for each phase of each exercise.

Role Background

Opposition Force (OPFOR) SMEs simulate, coordinate and arrange all opposing actors during exercise execution. OPFOR SMEs ensure that OPFOR force composition, Joint Plan and Scheme of Manoeuvre are realistic and additionally mimic anticipated actions of an opposing force. OPFOR SMEs directly coordinate OPFOR concepts of operations to challenge allied-partner nation actions (BLUFOR) and associated major maritime, air and land formations, campaigns and decision making. OPFOR cells sit side-by-side with other functional areas in the scripting of content, to include JEMM and as required during execution, coordinate with EXCON RCs, to edit and adjust content to help guarantee maximum training value and pathway to achieve exercise-training objectives (TOs). OPFOR needs to ensure they understand BLUFOR plans and act accordingly and be prepared to dynamically scrip.

Role Duties and Responsibilities

Incident Development Workshop:

• Support Incident Development to ensure storylines are developed with appropriate level of OPFOR AIR effects.
• Oversee OPFOR AIR incident development in the Joint Exercise Management Module (JEMM) and ensure OPFOR AIR effects are designed in accordance with the overall OPFOR Joint Plan and Scheme of Manoeuvre (SoM).
• Script OPFOR AIR content, including in JEMM, as required and edit submitted OPFOR AIR content to ensure that it is delivered in accordance with the overall OPFOR Joint Plan (OJP) and SoM.
• Provide guidance to OPFOR AIR scripters as required.
• May be appointed Chief OPFOR AIR cell by Chief OPFOR dependent upon specific exercise requirements and circumstances.
• Actively support assigned workshop syndicate(s) by contributing OPFOR AIR expertise.
• Specifically ensure wider understanding of OPFOR AIR implications within events, incidents, storylines and themes and identify opportunities for OPFOR AIR effects to further develop during later Scripting workshop.
• Perform other OPFOR AIR tasks as directed by OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35.
• Attend Incident Development boards, working groups and other meetings as directed by OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35.
• Be prepared to attend OPFOR Crisis Action Team (CAT) activation at short notice or no notice in order support resolution of a critical exercise related issue.
• Coordinate and deconflict with other OPFOR cells and other EXCON cells as required.
• Contribute to the OPFOR Operational Design from an AIR domain perspective.
• Coordinate CAX (Computer Assisted Exercise) and Joint Theatre Level Simulation (JTLS) requirements for OPFOR AIR forces and manoeuvres.
• Advise OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35 in AIR warfare.

Scripting Workshop:

• Support MEL/MIL Scripting, including JEMM, translating guidance from OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35 into a deliverable AIR plan and contributing to OPFOR AIR operations across all Events, Incidents and Injects.
• Conduct OPFOR AIR scripting development, including JEMM and ensure OPFOR AIR effects are designed in accordance with the overall OPFOR OJP and SoM in accordance with OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35 Direction and Guidance (D&G).
• Coordinate with the OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35 in order to identify and create required OPFOR AIR content, including in JEMM, to support storylines across all functional areas.
• Advise scripting syndicates on OPFOR AIR implications related to incidents and injects and develop opportunities for OPFOR AIR effects.
• Develop associated OPFOR AIR inject placeholders in JEMM to supplement storyboards, incidents and injects as required.
• Ensure that all OPFOR AIR incidents and injects in JEMM are focussed on operational level effects (not tactical).
• Synchronize OPFOR AIR injects in JEMM across the overall exercise battle rhythm.
• Perform other OPFOR AIR tasks as directed by OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35.
• Attend Scripting Workshop boards, working groups and other meetings as directed by OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35.
• Be prepared to attend OPFOR Crisis Action Team (CAT) activation at short notice or no notice in order support resolution of a critical exercise related issue.
• Specifically coordinate with EXCON AIR Response Cell (RC) as required.
• Coordinate, as required, with other EXCON RCs.
• Contribute to the OPFOR Joint Plan from an AIR domain perspective.
• Coordinate CAX (Computer Assisted Exercise) and Joint Theatre Level Simulation (JTLS) requirements for OPFOR AIR forces and manoeuvres.
• Advise OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35 in AIR warfare.
• May be appointed Chief OPFOR AIR cell by Chief OPFOR dependent upon specific exercise requirements and circumstances.

Execution (Block E):

• Development of the OPFOR Resource Allocation Plan, the Airspace Coordination Order (ACO) and the Master Air Operations Plan (MAOP), which precedes the Air Task Order (ATO).
• Conduct of all OPFOR ATO planning.
• Supports the execution of OPFOR current air operations.
• In close cooperation with the OPFOR Air Battle Captain and Database Manager processes levels of attrition, attack success and results of adjudication.
• Deputizing for OPFOR Air Battle Captain during his absence.
• Undertake other OPFOR Air related tasks as directed by the OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35.
• Prior to STARTEX, review JEMM database to ensure that OPFOR AIR effects and influence for each storyline is complete and aligned with the OPFOR Joint Plan and OPFOR SoM.
• Receive regular direction and guidance (D&G) from OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35 on dynamic changes and translate this D&G into timely OPFOR AIR effects.
• May be appointed Chief OPFOR AIR cell by Chief OPFOR dependent upon specific exercise requirements and circumstances. If so: Provide D&G to OPFOR AIR cell Battle Captains (BCs) and other staff within the cell.
• If In role as Chief OPFOR AIR cell, Be Prepared To (BPT) roster OPFOR AIR BCs (mil pers only) and other cell staff (mil pers only) into a 2-shift (until midnight) or 3 shift (24/7 ops) system in order to achieve OPFOR AIR operations and effects aligned with the OPFOR Joint Plan and SoM.
• Coordinate as required with other EXCON staff from OPFOR, CAX, Intel, LOCON RCs, TGTS, SOF and others as necessary to ensure that the OPFOR AIR operations and effects are accurate and aligned with the OPFOR Joint Plan and SoM.
• Collaborate daily with OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35 to ensure timely alignment with the latest OPFOR developments as directed by the OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35.
• Provide daily OPFOR AIR feedback and updates to the OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35 as required.
• Be prepared to dynamically script, in JEMM, OPFOR AIR content as required by the MEL/MIL, TA activity, OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35 D&G.
• Perform other OPFOR AIR tasks as directed by the OPFOR command cell OPFOR J35.
• Attend Block E EXCON boards, working groups, VTCs, TELECONS and other meetings as directed by the OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35.
• Be prepared to attend OPFOR Crisis Action Team (CAT) activation at short notice or no notice in order support resolution of a critical exercise related issue.
• Specifically coordinate with EXCON AIR Response Cell (RC) as required.
• Coordinate, as required, with other EXCON RCs.
• BPT brief specific OPFOR AIR issues at the daily OPFOR Huddle.
• Provide support to EXCON Targeting (TGTs) cell for Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) reporting.
• Assist with the preparation of OPFOR FRAGOs.
• Advise OPFOR command cell and OPFOR J35 in AIR warfare.
• Plan and produce OPFOR Air Task Orders (ATOs).

Essential Skills and Experience

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in the last 6 working as an ATO planner. Experience of being able to plan a complete ATO for all required assets
• Previous Squadron Command at OF3 level or higher.
• Previous Staff Officer qualified and worked at a 2* or higher in one or more of the following:
  • AIR, JOINT or NATO
  • National Command Structure
  • NATO Force Structure
  • Air Component HQ in one of the following domains: J2, J3,J5,A2, A3 or A5
• Previous national or NATO deployment to an international operation AIR mission in the operational AIR domain within one of the following sub domains: J2, J3, J5, A2, A3, A5.
• 2-3 years’ experience in assessing and reading the Recognized Air Picture (RAP) including blue air, red air, and civilian air (CIVAIR).
• Advanced competency in the NATO Integrated Command and Control (ICC) system for Air Task Order (ATO) planning and production.
• Competent in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Education

• Higher-level Civilian, Military or Staff College Education/Degree

Language

• Business English

Working Location

• Stavanger, Norway

Working Policy

• On-Site

Travel

• Some travel to other NATO sites may be required

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance