Information Exchange Consultant (NISC)

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 Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATO's member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

The NCIA provides a wide range of services, including:

• Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATO's communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
• Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATO's military commanders to plan and execute operations.
• Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
• Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATO's mission to detect, deny, and defeat threats to its communication networks.
• Information Management: The NCIA manages NATO's information technology infrastructure, including its databases, applications, and servers.

Overall, the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATO's communication and information technology capabilities.

The program

Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO’s principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides, maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV, and, when required, stand together in the face of attack under Article V.

To provide these critical services, in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorise's: NATO International Civilians (NIC)'s, Military (Mil), and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)'s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.

Role Background

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is providing technical support to the Digital Standardization and Interoperability (DSI) Branch of the NATO Digital Staff (NDS) to develop and maintain data & information exchange solutions underpinning the consultation and command & control functions of the Alliance.

The NATO Infrastructure Services Centre (NISC) has a requirement for an individual subject matter expert (SME) to work as directed by the DSI Branch on behalf of the NCI Agency in support of the NDS/DSI Programme of Work (POW) for 2024. The specific expertise of the SME is to be in the area of Information Exchange Requirements (IER) as defined in APP-15.

MTFs are character oriented messages used in NATO operations and exercises to exchange structured textual information between allied forces. Many NATO messages are also used to exchange information nationally. The messages are built on the underlying technical standard ADatP-03 which specifies the syntax that govern the construction of the messages.

This work is focused on providing the IER that will lead to this ADatP-03 message.

 Role Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direction of the project manager or assigned task leader, the selected individual consultant is required to conduct the following activities:

• Contribute and provide deliverables to support the development of the requirement to meet the APP-15 Step 1 IER for the proposed MTF supporting the new Maritime C2 Information Exchange Profile..
• Contribute and provide deliverables to support the further development of the requirement to meet the APP 15 Step 2 IER for the proposed MTF supporting the new Maritime C2 Information Exchange Profile.;
• Contribute and provide deliverables to support the further development of the requirement to meet the APP-15 Step 3 IER for the proposed MTF supporting the new Maritime C2 Information Exchange Profile.

 Coordination and reporting

• The incumbent shall participate in a kick-off meeting within four working weeks of the support commencing.
  • This will be a virtual meeting executed via electronic means using Conference Call capabilities.
  • During the kick off meeting, the incumbent will provide and discuss a plan for executing the tasks under this statement of work. Spektrum and Incumbent will discuss the plan and amend where appropriate.
  • The incumbent will provide email minutes containing, at least decisions and actions decided during the meeting.
• The incumbent shall participate in regular status meetings, either in-person (where possible) or via electronic means using Conference Call capabilities.
  • The rhythm for these meetings will be decided at the kick-off meeting but are likely to remain flexible to meet the business needs of both parties.
  • The incumbent will initiate these meetings and provide email minutes containing at least decisions and actions decided during the meeting.

  Essential Skills and Experience

We require a candidate who is a senior data modeler expert with experience specifically in both IER creation and MTF Message definition along with maintenance processes and MTF Message creation techniques. The following experience/expertise is essential for this requirement:

• Expert knowledge of ADatP-03 specifications and relevant NATO STANAGs.
• Demonstrated experience in creating or updating NATO IERs as defined in APP-15.
• Demonstrated, recent (last 5 years) experience in creating Maritime specific IER’(s) related to ite Picture and Recognized Maritime Picture (RMP).
• Demonstrated, recent (last 5 years) experience of working in NATO technical and operational committees and working groups, including direct experience with the HQ MARCOM and the SMIERP.

Working Location

• Remote

Working Policy

• Remote

Travel

• It is foreseen that travel will be necessary for:
  • 1 x Maritime specific community of interest IER building meeting (Northwood, North London, England, 2 days late September, 2024) and
  • 1 x Senior Maritime IER Panel (SMIERP) meeting, (Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA, 21st to 25th October 2024).

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance