NATO Programme Officer - Alumni

Job Posting Organization:
NATO DIANA, the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, is a NATO body established to find and accelerate innovation that provides decisive defence and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security effects for the Alliance. It aims to foster deep-tech innovation and is comprised of a Board of Directors representing all 32 NATO nations, along with an operational team known as the DIANA Executive (DX). The organization operates from three offices located in Europe and North America, leveraging a network of military end users, leading accelerator sites, test centres, professional mentors, and experts to accelerate innovative technologies across the NATO Alliance. DIANA promotes a dynamic and agile workplace that values innovative thinking, diversity, and performance excellence, striving to create a positive, inclusive, and collaborative environment for its employees.

Job Overview:
The NATO Programme Officer for Alumni will be a key member of DIANA’s Adoption Team, responsible for leading the development and delivery of a premier alumni programme that supports DIANA’s portfolio of dual-use innovators after they complete the accelerator programme. This role combines both strategic and operational responsibilities, focusing on fostering alumni engagement, building connections with investors and partners, and promoting community growth to aid innovators in successfully commercializing their technologies. The officer will report directly to the Chief Adoption Officer and will be tasked with designing and executing an alumni strategy, managing the alumni experience, establishing a programming calendar, collaborating with cross-functional teams to track alumni progress, implementing scalable systems for community growth, and developing a utilization plan for DIANA’s network of accelerator sites.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the NATO Programme Officer - Alumni include:

• Designing and executing a comprehensive alumni strategy and programme for NATO DIANA’s 260 innovators.
• Owning the end-to-end alumni experience through effective programming, partnerships, operational improvements, and community initiatives.
• Establishing a year-round programming calendar that includes both in-person and virtual events, ensuring high participation from innovators.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to monitor alumni progress and success stories, translating insights into strategies that enhance NATO DIANA’s organizational impact.
• Implementing scalable systems, processes, and metrics to support long-term growth of the alumni community.
• Developing and executing a utilization plan for DIANA’s network of accelerator sites and affiliated elements to assist alumni innovators.
• Performing any other duties as required by the Chief Adoption Officer.

Required Qualifications:
The essential qualifications for this position include:

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from a nationally recognized or certified university in business administration, innovation management, entrepreneurship, international relations, communications, or a related field, along with at least 2 years of relevant work experience. Alternatively, candidates without a university degree may qualify with at least 6 years of extensive and progressive experience in duties related to the role.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience in building and managing programmes or large professional communities involving start-ups, founders, or technology companies.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the challenges associated with the commercialization and market entry of emerging technologies.
• Proven experience in planning, curating, and executing large-scale events.
• Strong communication skills, with proficiency in NATO’s official languages (English/French) at level V (Advanced) in one language and level I (Beginner) in the other.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution in fields such as business administration, innovation management, entrepreneurship, international relations, communications, or a related area. This educational background is essential to ensure that the candidate has the foundational knowledge necessary for the role.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in roles that involve building and managing programmes or large professional communities, particularly those that engage with start-ups, founders, or technology companies. Candidates should also have experience in the commercialization of emerging technologies and event planning.

Languages:
The mandatory languages for this position are English and French, with a requirement for candidates to have an advanced proficiency (level V) in one language and a beginner level (level I) in the other. Most internal communications at DIANA are conducted in English, making proficiency in this language particularly important.

Additional Notes:
The successful candidate will receive a definite duration contract of three years, which may be extended. If the candidate is seconded from the national administration of a NATO member state, a similar contract will be offered, with a maximum service period of six years for seconded staff. The position offers a tax-free salary, allowances for expatriate staff, excellent private health insurance, a NATO pension scheme, and generous annual leave of 30 days plus official holidays. The work environment is flexible, with options for teleworking, and the incumbent is expected to reside in the host nation for the duration of their contract. NATO is committed to diversity and inclusion, ensuring equal access to employment and advancement opportunities.