Job Specifications
Primary Location
Belgium-Brussels
NATO Body
NATO International Staff (NATO IS)
Schedule
Full-time
Application Deadline
23-Nov-2025, 2:59:00 PM
Grade
Unclassified
SUMMARY The Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy leads the Political Affairs and Security Policy Division. Within the NATO International Staff, the Assistant Secretary General (ASG) is responsible for advising on the political aspects of NATO's core tasks and for the policy development of NATO’s partnerships. The Assistant Secretary General (ASG) reports to the Secretary General through the Chief of Staff, and advises them on Political Affairs and Security Policy issues.
PASP’s broad portfolio is covering the following principal matters:
General political affairs within NATO;
Building relationships with:
partners in Eastern and South Eastern Europe, including Ukraine;
international organisations and institutions, in particular with the European Union, the United Nations, and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe;
other Partnership for Peace countries;
Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative partners from the Middle East and North Africa;
Partners across the globe – which includes Australia, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Mongolia, and Colombia;
NATO’s Enlargement Policy;
NATO’s policy with regard to Russia;
Arms Control, disarmament, and non-proliferation policy
NATO's work on both Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Human Security (HS)
The ASG manages a Division of approximately 100 staff members, including staff members deployed in NATO’s Liaison Offices abroad and is supported by two Deputy Assistant Secretaries General and the Secretary General’s Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security and Human Security.
There are six ASGs, all of whom report to the NATO Secretary General, through the Chief of Staff, and are also accountable to the North Atlantic Council. As a member of the Organization’s senior management, each ASG is also expected to collaborate across the International Staff and beyond, and to contribute to overall policy development and delivery, including in areas beyond their direct set of responsibilities.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Essential
The candidate must:
have a university degree or equivalent level of qualification in a field relevant for this position;
have a strong background developed through at least 15 years of experience in political affairs, international relations and security policy;
have significant people management experience (10 years+) and the capacity to lead, motivate and engage a diverse multidisciplinary team;
have experience working in a multilateral environment or an environment with a variety of stakeholders from multi-cultural backgrounds, including the military, industry, science or technology communities;
have a proven track record of recent experience in progressively senior-level leadership positions;
have experience facilitating high-level dialogue and consensus;
have a proven track record of successfully developing key relationships with NATO partner countries, in both bilateral and multinational settings;
have a proven track record of creating a high-level vision and directing organisations to develop and implement the necessary policies;
be an innovative, strategic, conceptual thinker and be able to design and use complex influencing strategies to fulfil the required objectives;
possess the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): VI (“Proficiency”) in one; I (“Beginner”) in the other.
DESIRABLE
The following would be considered an advantage:
a higher level of proficiency in NATO’s other official language (English/French).
ACCOUNTABILITIES
The ASG/PASP is responsible for managing and directing Political Affairs and Security Policy activities at NATO under the direction of the Secretary General and, on his behalf, the Office of the Secretary General.
The Assistant Secretary General chairs and co-chairs high-level committees composed of NATO Nations and partners. These committees include the Deputy Permanent Representatives Committee, the Partnerships and Cooperative Security Committee, and Arms Control, Disarmament, and Non-Proliferation related Committees. ASG PASP will be called upon to represent the Secretary General at high-level meetings and will speak in public fora on behalf of the Secretary General.
In their role as manager of the Division, the incumbent will lead and oversee a team of international staff and management. More specifically, they will aim to achieve the following objectives:
Vision and Direction: Develop, communicate and implement a vision to face the future challenges of the Alliance. Support the team around common objectives, ensuring that vision guides its mid and long-term programme of work. Act as a role model of inclusive leadership and promote resilience, flexibility and innovation.
People Management: Lead and oversee a lar
About the Company
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