Staff Officer (Wargame Designer/Support Officer) – Project Linked

Job Posting Organization:
The Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC) is an integral part of NATO, established to support Warfare Development and enhance NATO's operational effectiveness. The JFTC focuses on concept development, maintenance of joint doctrine, and standards while coordinating experimentation and capability development across NATO member nations. The organization is committed to improving interoperability among allied forces and enhancing their capabilities through rigorous training and exercises. JFTC operates in a multi-national environment, engaging with various NATO entities and national military organizations to ensure comprehensive training and operational readiness.

Job Overview:
The Staff Officer (Wargame Designer/Support Officer) position at JFTC is designed for experienced professionals who will contribute to NATO's strategic objectives, particularly in the context of NATO 2030 and future military operations. The role involves providing expert military wargaming support, which includes designing, developing, facilitating, analyzing, and reporting on professional wargames. These wargames are crucial for testing operational plans, exploring strategic options, and improving decision-making processes within joint, combined, and multinational headquarters. The incumbent will be responsible for translating complex operational and tactical challenges into effective wargaming scenarios, ensuring that all relevant multi-domain considerations are integrated into the design and execution of wargames. This position requires a high level of expertise in military operations and wargaming methodologies, as well as the ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams across various military and civilian sectors.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Staff Officer Wargame Designer will undertake a variety of responsibilities, including but not limited to: designing professional military wargames that support operational and tactical-level training; translating operational and tactical problems into clear wargame objectives and scenarios; developing comprehensive wargame concepts, mechanics, and supporting documentation; integrating operational context and multi-domain factors into wargame design; leading multidisciplinary teams and applying both qualitative and quantitative analysis methods; producing detailed reports, briefings, and decision-support products; and ensuring that lessons learned are incorporated into all activities. The incumbent will also be authorized to adjust work priorities to meet project requirements and may be required to perform additional duties as needed to support the organization’s objectives.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a minimum of three years of experience in designing, developing, facilitating, or evaluating military wargames, preferably within a joint or multinational context. They should have a proven track record of translating complex operational problems into actionable wargame objectives and scenarios. Experience in joint operational planning at various levels, as well as conducting military decision-support activities, is essential. Strong facilitation, briefing, and stakeholder engagement skills are required, along with the ability to present complex information to senior military and civilian leaders. Candidates should also demonstrate experience working in a multinational environment and possess excellent report-writing capabilities.

Educational Background:
A university degree in military science, defence studies, strategic planning, systems analysis, operations research, statistics, or a related discipline is required. Alternatively, candidates with higher secondary education and advanced vocational training leading to a professional qualification may be considered if they have four years of relevant experience. Continuous professional development through training courses and seminars is expected to maintain functional qualifications in the field.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of three years of relevant professional experience in military wargaming or related fields. Candidates should have experience in joint operational planning and decision-support methodologies, particularly in a NATO or multinational context. Familiarity with conducting seminars, tabletop exercises, and analytical wargames is highly desirable, as is experience with modelling and simulation tools.

Languages:
Proficiency in English is mandatory, with a required SLP (Standardized Language Profile) score of 3333 in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This is essential as the work environment primarily operates in English. Knowledge of additional languages may be considered an asset but is not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The position is project-linked and has a limited duration of three years. The successful candidate will be required to apply for and obtain a NATO SECRET security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security-clearance" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security Clearance prior to employment. The start date for this position is not earlier than January 1, 202

• The role may involve temporary duty assignments and travel within and outside NATO boundaries for up to 65 days per year. The work environment is a standard NATO office setting, and the incumbent is expected to adhere to the NATO Code of Conduct, demonstrating integrity, impartiality, and professionalism. Candidates should be aware that the recruitment process may take longer than usual due to high volumes of applications, and they must ensure that their application is complete and submitted correctly.