Staff Officer; Legal Advisor

Overview

ACT contributes to preserving the peace, security and territorial integrity of Alliance member states by leading, at Strategic Command level, Warfare Development required to enhance NATO’s posture, military structures, forces, capabilities and doctrines.

The Command Group provides general support, coordination, management, administrative service and specialist advice to SACT, DSACT and COS. Chief of Staff (COS) is responsible to SACT and DSACT for the staff activity necessary to execute ACT’s mission. It is the focal point for the implementation of the Commander’s direction and guidance as well as the initiation and co-ordination of all ACT staff efforts.

The Staff Advisory Group (SAG) is comprised of different competencies grouped into several offices (Political Advisor, Legal Advisor, Gender Advisor, Financial Controller, Command Auditor, Communication Branch and Pentagon Liaison). It works under the direction and guidance of COS and provides general staff support, coordination, management, administrative service, and specialists’ advice to SACT. As part of the Staff Advisory Group, the Legal Affairs Office at HQ SACT has two main functions:

• To organize, oversee, and provide for the delivery of legal services throughout Allied Command Transformation, including HQ SACT and subordinate activities at the Joint Warfare Centre (Norway), the Joint Force Training Centre (Poland), the Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (Portugal) as well as the ACT Staff Element (Mons, BE) and SACTREPEUR (Brussels).
• To provide advice, analyses and implementing documents to the Supreme Allied Commander and his headquarters staff and subordinate activities regarding the applicability of NATO policy and regulations and also international and national laws and regulations that affect the responsibilities, functions, and activities across ACT.

• As directed, provide legal advice in support of HQ SACT’s mission. Such support may include legal analysis and advice on data protection, data exploitation and literacy; cyber and space as operational domains; and building integrity initiatives.
• Serve as ACT’s point of contact for legal education, training and exercises. This includes providing legal guidance and support to NATO Education and Training Facilities to include NATO School Oberammergau.
• Serve as the primary legal point of contact for HQ SACT procurement and contracting.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for legal advice to the Commander, Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre and staff in Monsanto, Portugal.
• Coordinate with NCIA on legal matters pertaining to policy, doctrine, research and development to include serving as the primary ACT legal point of contact for the HQ SACT – NCIA Partnership Agreement and related Service Level Agreement(s).
• On behalf of ACT Legal Advisor and as directed, serve as ACT legal interface with the United Nations, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), and other International Organizations (IO) whose activities impact ACT’s mission.
• Provide legal guidance on environmental, administrative and personnel issues raised by the activation and deactivation of commands and other NATO entities.
• As directed, represent SACT in his capacity as Head of NATO Body before the NATO Administrative Tribunal.
• Draft legal memoranda and papers to summarize issues presented and recommending proposed action to the ACT Legal Advisor and draft original correspondence for review by ACT Legal Advisor or his/her designee.
• Conduct appropriate liaison with international, national and regional authorities to accomplish the responsibilities listed in this section.

• University Degree in law or related discipline and 4 years post related experience, or Higher Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training in that discipline leading to a professional qualification or professional accreditation with 5 years post related and 2 years function related experience.
• Four-six years of professional experience commensurate with the duties of the position, including government/international legal staff and supervisory experience. Legal experience must…