1. UNDERSTANDING AND PREPARING FOR EMPLOYMENT AT NATO
11/04/2017
UNDERSTANDING AND PREPARING FOR EMPLOYMENT AT NATO

2. PART 1
INTRODUCTION

3. FORMS OF EMPLOYMENT PERMANENT Freelance Seconded
VNC (Voluntary National Contribution)
TEMPORARY STAFF
INTERNS
NATO-funded
Grant-funded

4. CONTRACTS Contract Policy: Posts required for a limited period:
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Contract Policy:
Posts required for a limited period:
Project (Definite – Length of project)
Other (Definite – limited to the ST requirement)
Posts in which turnover is desirable for political or technical reasons:
Technical (Definite – 6 years max)
ST assignment (Definite – 2 years max)
Secondees (Definite – 6 years max)
Senior posts (Definite – 6 years max)
All other A grade posts (6 years + possible indef.)
All other posts (L/B/C grade) (3 years + possible other contract)

5. GRADES

6. GRADES A7 A6 A5 (A4/5) A4 (A3/4) A3 (A2/3) A2 (A1/2) A1 A - Grades
LI5/LT5
LI4/LT4
LI3/LT3
LI2/LT2
B6 (B5/6)
B5 (B4/5)
B4 (B3/4)
B3 (B2/3) B2
B - Grades C6 C5 C4
C3 (C2/3) C2
C - Grades
L - Grades

7. PACKAGE
Salaries
A ,441.28
A ,538.77
A ,071.11
A ,969.13
Allowances

8. PROFILES

9. EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP Grades A5 to Unclassified
Min. 10 years of relevant professional experience
Significant management experience
Some subject-matter expertise
Good writing/drafting skills
Advanced level in one of the official NATO languages (EN/FR) and a beginner’s level of the other – possibility to hire below requirements

10. JOB FAMILIES Core Support Management
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Core
Roles in this family relate to the three central functions of the NATO International Staff: facilitation of dialogue, policy development, and policy and programme implementation.
Support
Roles in this family provide services and support to ensure the effective operation of the Organization, Division or Independent Office.
Management
Roles in this family achieve results through the management of allocated resources (staff, budgets and time). It is expected that these roles will spend more than 50% of their time and/or effort on strategic planning, allocating, monitoring and measuring the work of others.
The system classifies posts according to three Job families and eight Sub-families, based on the nature of the work performed. It is perfectly possible to find posts belonging to all families in all Divisions and Offices. The importance of posts is not in any way associated with the families to which posts are attached. Most posts combine elements from different families, but we expect managers to be able to isolate the most relevant one for each post.

11. Facilitation of Dialogue Policy and Programme Implementation
CORE Sub-families
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Facilitation of Dialogue
Roles in this sub-family enable NATO’s conference activities through the application of professional expertise. Aspects include the support, management and planning of consultation processes to meet attendees’ requirements and facilitate the outcome.
Policy Development
Roles in this sub-family support policy development and decision-making through the application of professional expertise.
Policy and Programme Implementation
Roles in this sub-family support policy implementation, programme administration and decision-making through the application of professional expertise.

12. SUPPORT Sub-families Functional management Administrative Support
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Functional management
Roles in this sub-family provide generic expertise, guidance and procedures for the effective operation of the Organization, Division or Independent Office.
Administrative Support
Roles in this sub- family contribute to the effective operation of the Organization, Division or Independent Office by providing organizational and administrative support, with a special focus on information flow.
HQ Operations and Maintenance
Roles in this sub-family enable the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the HQ facilities and equipment.
The system classifies posts according to three Job families and eight Sub-families, based on the nature of the work performed. It is perfectly possible to find posts belonging to all families in all Divisions and Offices. The importance of posts is not in any way associated with the families to which posts are attached. Most posts combine elements from different families, but we expect managers to be able to isolate the most relevant one for each post.

13. MANAGEMENT Sub-families
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Executive Leadership
Roles in this sub-family achieve results through the management of allocated resources, devoting more than 50% of their time and/or effort to planning, allocating, monitoring and measuring the work of others. Resources are managed directly and indirectly (managing managers or project structures).
Line Management and Resource Coordination
Roles in this sub-family devote more than 50% of their time and/or effort to coordinating, allocating and monitoring the work of others. Resources are managed directly.

14. COMPETENCIES

15. EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

16. PART 2
11/04/2017

17. RECRUITMENT CANDIDATES FROM 28 NATO MEMBER STATES NO QUOTA SYSTEM
MERIT BASED SELECTION
DESIRED DIVERSITY

18. MISSION STATEMENT
Attract, select and hire the best qualified candidates to ensure proper staffing of the NATO International Staff permanent posts

19. Average Indicators 100 Posts 11000 Applications 700 Tests
500 Interviews
700 Tests
11000 Applications

20. WORKFLOW A three-phase process: Advertisement Describe post reality
Advertise post on relevant recruitment channels
Selection
Shortlist candidates
Select candidates (test/interview/AC/group exercise)
On boarding
Nomination process
Completion of security and medical file
Offer process

21. UNDERSTANDING VACANCY NOTICES
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UNDERSTANDING VACANCY NOTICES

22. ADVERTISEMENT Structure of a vacancy notice: Post information
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Structure of a vacancy notice:
Post information
Summary of post
Qualifications and Experience
Main Accountabilities
Interrelationships
Competencies
Contract clause
Details on how to apply

23. VACANCY NOTICE Example
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24. VACANCY NOTICE Example
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25. SELECTION TOOLS Standard process Written test (online/onsite)
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Standard process
Written test (online/onsite)
Language test (up to and including A.7)
Interview panel
Targeted tools:
Presentation/briefing
Assessment Centre (A.5 and above)
Essay on key challenges (A.6 and above)

26. WRITTEN TEST EXAMPLES - 1
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What role does arms control play in achieving NATO’s strategic objectives?
Develop a checklist for a speech by the ASG on how the Alliance contributes to international efforts to eradicate illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons?
Attached is an article from the Financial Times entitled “Europe better prepared to weather gas supply storm”. Please prepare a summary of this article.

27. WRITTEN TEST EXAMPLES - 2
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You are asked to give a speech to a public audience explaining how NATO is resources and how those resources are employed. Please provide an outline of your remarks, of not more than 2 pages.
Imagine that the NATO Secretary General will visit Kabul next week. Provide a “scene setter” explaining to the Secretary General for his information and background the key issues and challenges facing NATO in Afghanistan.

28. PRESENTATION/ BRIEFING
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For posts requiring the ability to frequently speak in public and represent NATO in front of public audiences
Candidates get 15 minutes to prepare and have to brief the panel before the interview starts
Example: Brief a group of European and US journalists on NATO’s enlargement policy, including the Membership Action Plan.

29. INTERVIEWS PANEL COMPOSITION VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
PANEL EXPECTATIONS
QUESTIONS
INTRODUCTORY
COMPETENCY BASED
TECHNICAL/ JOB - RELATED

30. ASSESSMENT CENTRES One-day session with all candidates for a post
Focused primarily on behaviour and management competencies
Variety of exercises (cognitive testing, group exercise, briefing, case study, etc.)
Conducted by an external provider (HUDSON)
No specific preparation

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ROLE OF THE DELEGATION

32. 1 - ADVERTISEMENT Role of the delegation:
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Role of the delegation:
Advertise widely to the public and to individuals or offices
Help potential candidates assess themselves against the post requirements
Screen candidates before recommending them

33. 2 - SELECTION Role of the delegation:
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Role of the delegation:
Support candidates in their preparation
Make it clear if a candidate has national support

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PREPARING YOURSELF

35. THE RIGHT MINDSET Put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes
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Put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes
Prepare, prepare, prepare
Sell yourself but be yourself!

36. APPLICATION FORM Positive elements Complete Relevant history
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Positive elements
Complete
Relevant history
Meets all requirements
Key questions
Relevant motivation letter

37. APPLICATION FORM Negative elements Wrong or multiple vacancy numbers
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Negative elements
Wrong or multiple vacancy numbers
Incomplete fields
Not answering questions
“Please see CV” Unknown acronyms
Too much (unrelated) content
References
Unprofessional writing: e.g. ;-)

38. TIPS FOR INTERVIEWS Be rested Prepare/rehearse your introduction
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Be rested
Prepare/rehearse your introduction
Prepare examples
Connect your profile with to the post requirements
Clarify your motivation
Close well

39. COMMON INTERVIEW MISTAKES
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Poor preparation
Poor time management
Candidate does not “read” the panel
Candidate assumes we know
Candidate is not concrete enough
Poor closure

40. PREPARATIONS NATO WEBSITE USE YOUR DELEGATION USE YOUR NETWORK
STUDY THE VACANCY NOTICE
KNOW YOURSELF

41. EXERCISE ON COMPETENCIES
PICK 2 COMPETENCIES AND ELABORATE ON 1-2 EXAMPLES FROM YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT DEMONSTRATE YOU POSSESS THE COMPETENCY
USE THE STAR METHOD (Situation-Task-Action-Result)

42. TRAINING TOPICS LANGUAGES: FRENCH/ENGLISH COMPETENCY-BASED INTERVIEWS
WRITING/DRAFTING SKILLS
PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS
MANAGEMENT TRAINING