Officer, Communications

The Officer, Communications supports the Chief Scientist by developing and executing comprehensive communication plans and shaping messages that align with the STO's goals and NATO’s values. The role involves preparing strategic communication messages, supporting senior level engagements, and enhancing the STO's brand image through various communication activities.

Responsibilities

• Prepare strategic communication messages at STO corporate level for the NATO Chief Scientist and national STB members to inform decision-making.
• Prepare key messages for senior level engagements of the Chief Scientist with Allied and Partner Nations and international bodies.
• Analyse reports and documents of the STO and NATO S&T stakeholders to identify current or recently completed research work for promotion in STO corporate communications.
• Develop strategic communications activities to enhance STO and OCS’s brand image and voice by highlighting the value and relevance of S&T for NATO and the Nations.
• Provide corporate communication support to strategic STB priorities such as NATO S&T Strategy, S&T Trends reports, and STEM Forward network.
• Draft and develop STO corporate policy and guidance on Strategic Communication and promote their implementation.
• Serve as the STO interface with the Public Diplomacy Division of the International Staff to ensure timely and targeted contributions to NATO’s strategic communication and public diplomacy campaigns.
• Serve as the OCS media interface in close coordination with the Public Diplomacy Division.
• Support the Chief Scientist in overseeing activities related to external communications, including development and maintenance of STO websites and organization of STO overarching events.
• Perform other related functions as directed by the Chief Scientist.
• Work irregular hours and travel frequently abroad, including on weekends.

Requirements

• Minimum 3 years of experience in internal and external communication techniques, particularly strategic communication.
• Proficiency in digital communication tools.
• In-depth use of visual creation and project management tools, broad expertise in digital communication and social media management.
• Broad knowledge of institutional, event and corporate communications.
• 3 years experience working in an international environment, demonstrating capability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment with scientific and military personnel at all levels, particularly NATO or comparable organizations.
• Proven skills in authorship of clear and concise documents, press releases, press kits and other editorial content; effective presentation skills.
• Sufficient managerial experience in the same or related career field at various levels of responsibility.
• Working knowledge of office word processing, spreadsheet, graphics presentations and database software.
• Advanced university degree, or national military equivalent, in communication, marketing or public relations discipline, or in a scientific, technical, engineering or mathematical discipline of interest.
• Very good knowledge of one of the two official NATO languages, English or French (SLP 4444), good knowledge of the other (SLP 3333).
• Experience in a Ministry or Department of Defence dealing with the development of defence capabilities and military technology is desirable.
• Broad knowledge of NATO member states’ S&T communities is desirable.
• Broad operational knowledge of military technology is desirable.
• Practical management experience in planning, programming and budgeting is desirable.
• Proven skills in negotiating, chairing meetings, and training of subordinates is desirable.
• Experience in supervising staff is desirable.
• A state or university post-graduate degree in communication, marketing or public relations discipline, or a scientific, technical, engineering or mathematical discipline of interest to defence and/or security is desirable.
• Knowledge of other languages is an asset.

Skills

• Strategic Communications
• Digital Communication Tools
• Visual Creation Tools
• Project Management Tools
• Social Media Management
• Institutional Communication
• Event Communications
• Corporate Communications
• Multinational Experience
• Scientific Communication
• Military Communication
• Document Authorship
• Press Release Writing
• Editorial Content Development
• Presentation Skills
• Senior Managerial Experience
• Word Processing
• Spreadsheet Software Knowledge
• Graphics Presentation Software
• Database Software

Languages

English, French