Principal Administrative Assistant

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 Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direction of the SSBA BA Chief, they will perform the following duties:

• Act as a first point of contact to the SSBA Chief, managing a wide range of challenging executive administration issues with the upmost integrity, diplomacy and tact.
• Provide executive level administrative support to the SSBA Chief, ensuring the efficient daily execution of diary management activity, prioritizing, coordinating and scheduling diary commitments and day-to-day business, delivering an efficient and effective administration service to the SSBA Chief, including the Agency Time Accounting System (TAS).
• Liaison on behalf of the BA Chief with Senior Agency Executives, and NATO professionals.
• Work closely with the SSBA IKM Officer, apply the Agency's portal policy with emphasis on collaboration and sharing of information.
• Administer all travel and planning arrangements including system requests and expenses.
• Responsible for coordinating expenses related to SSBA Chief Hospitality funds.
• Provide confidential administrative and organizational support to the BA Chief's office and in coordination and liaison with wider BA management office; ultimately acting as the BA Chief's front office for arranging of meetings, correspondence, travel, drafting memorandums, taking and distributing meeting minutes, maintaining incoming and outgoing mail log, and maintaining an effective follow-up reminder system for pending actions.
• Proactively develop skills in areas such as planning and organizing, new technology, languages and effective communication, providing constructive suggestions to improve and standardize office procedures.
• Draft and format documents, ensure proper repository maintenance of incoming and outgoing correspondences.
• Deputize for higher grade staff, if required.
• Perform other duties, as may be required.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Demonstrable experience of working in administrative functions at executive level.
• Excellent command of spoken and written English, with proven ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• In-depth working knowledge of SharePoint.
• Proficiency in using MS Office suite of software, including development of presentations.
• Experience performing administrative functions in fast-paced and fluid work environments, with limited supervision.
• Experience in providing relevant reports to staff and management.
• Experience of taking minutes at meetings and accurately transcribing them.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Knowledge of NATO/NCIA administrative regulations and procedures.
• Prior experience of working in an international environment comprising both military and civilian elements
• Knowledge of NATO responsibilities and organization, including Allied Command Operations (ACO) and Allied Command Transformation (ACT).

Competencies or Personal Attributes:

• Adhering to Principles and Values - Upholds ethics and values; demonstrates integrity; promotes and defends equal opportunities; encourages organizational and individual responsibility towards the community and the environment.
• Relating and Networking - Easily establishes good relationships with customers and staff; relates well to people at all levels; builds wide and effective networks of contacts; uses humor appropriately to bring warmth to relationships with others.
• Adapting and Responding to Change - Adapts to changing circumstances; tolerates ambiguity; accepts new ideas and change initiatives; adapts interpersonal style to suit different people or situations; shows an interest in new experiences.

Education

• Higher vocational training in a relevant discipline, leading to a professional qualification, with 3 years post-related experience (within the P3M domain is highly desirable). Or a secondary educational qualification with 5 years post-related experience.

Language Proficiency

• Business English

Working Location

• The Hague, Netherlands

Working Policy

• On-Site

Travel

• Business travel to NATO and national (NATO and non-NATO) facilities as well as frequent travel between the NCIA offices.
• May be required to undertake duty travel to operational theatres inside and outside NATO boundaries.

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance