Spokesperson

Position description

The NATO Public Diplomacy (PDD) – Press and Media Section is the principal point of contact for all media-related issues at NATO Headquarters. Both the Press and Media Section and Head of Press and Media/Deputy Spokesperson work closely with the NATO Spokesperson to engage deliberately, effectively and in a timely fashion with international media to convey the Alliance’s messages and to counter information threats.

The incumbent is responsible for the overall direction of the Press and Media Section, and of NATO’s press activities in general. The NATO Spokesperson is the principal spokesperson for the Alliance, under the direction of the Secretary General, on all NATO-related issues. The Spokesperson plans, coordinates, and executes public communications for the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General, including press conferences, speeches, interviews, articles, publications and any other relevant media products. They are expected to accompany the Secretary General on official national and international visits and to provide advice to the Secretary General and, when appropriate, to the North Atlantic Council on media relations. The Spokesperson oversees speechwriting for the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General and is responsible for providing guidance to and supporting the development of other strategic communications products. The Spokesperson is also responsible for the social media accounts of the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General.

Due to the challenging and more dangerous security environment caused by Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine, NATO is subject to intense public and media interest. The Alliance and its members are also subject to information threats.

The challenges facing the successful candidate over the next 3 years include

• Being proactive in identifying opportunities for the Alliance to successfully convey its public messages in individual countries, regionally, and globally while remaining responsive to the varying demands of local, regional, and international media and a contested information environment;
• Drawing from data-driven insights to inform messaging, while balancing with a mix of political, security and operational considerations;
• Manage, coach and keep motivated a diverse team across various disciplines and work closely with civilian and military authorities across the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as well as in Allied and partner nations.

In addition to completing the application form and the pre-screening questions, candidates will be asked to address these key challenges in an essay of no more than 500 words, which will be evaluated as part of the long listing assessment.

Please see full instructions on how to apply at the end of the vacancy notice.

Qualifications

ESSENTIAL

The incumbent must:

• hold a university degree in communications, public relations, international relations, political science or other related fields from an institute of recognised standing;
• have 15 years of relevant professional experience in progressively responsible positions in the fields of journalism, government, public or international relations, out of which 5 years in leading and developing a diverse team of professionals;
• have proven public speaking skills and a record of engagement with international media;
• have proven political judgement and the ability to brief and advise senior leaders in a timely and effective manner;
• have experience working under considerable pressure and to tight deadlines, and the ability to stay calm in a crisis;
• have experience working in a multilateral environment or an environment with a variety of stakeholders from multi-cultural backgrounds;
• possess the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): V (Advanced) in both;
• have the willingness and flexibility to travel extensively and outside the normal working hours.

DESIRABLE

The following would be considered an advantage:

• a background in journalism;
• knowledge of additional languages;
• proven awareness of the international media environment in which NATO operates.

MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES

Representation of the Organization

Serve as Spokesperson for NATO, coordinate timely responses to media enquiries and brief media on the record and on background. Build and maintain an effective network of journalists and media executives. Brief international media.

Planning and Execution

Develop press strategies and plans for Secretary General’s visits and other major engagements, including NATO Summit and Ministerial meetings. Travel with the Secretary General, the Deputy Secretary General and on other visits as necessary. Contribute to the development of media-related capabilities, as well as the development and implementation of the NATO Communications strategy.

Knowledge Management

Maintain full knowledge of all NATO-related issues of potential interest to the international press, including political issues, operations, capability developments, and international events. Supervise the production and distribution of news summaries, press articles and supplementary press clippings. Provide guidance and support the coordination of strategic communications products.

Policy Development

Participate in NATO HQ senior staff groups and boards, as required. Advise the Secretary General and delegations on the media implications of policy initiatives and ongoing operations. Ensure that NATO’s press activities support the decisions taken by the North Atlantic Council. Develop media policies in coordination with the Head of Press and Media/Deputy Spokesperson, the Secretary General’s Private Office and other relevant stakeholders. Develop and promote NATO policies through key media engagements and speeches.

Stakeholder Management

Develop and maintain permanent contact with international media. Work with Delegations as appropriate to encourage coherent and effective media handling. Plan and coordinate media engagements for the Secretary General and other NATO officials. Liaise with spokespeople from NATO Allies and partners, and other international organisations, as appropriate. Coordinate with a wide range of NATO political and military stakeholders.

People Management

Provide in-depth mentoring, coaching and training opportunities and be available to offer guidance at critical moments. Promote transparency in decision-making, equal access to opportunities for all staff and an inclusive management culture. Ensure that all staff under their responsibility are clear on Organizational and Divisional objectives. Manage, direct and evaluate the work of the Deputy Spokesperson and the team of the Speechwriters. Ensure they remain effective and motivated, including in a crisis. Ensure all taskings are executed within set deadlines and to high standards. Work towards a true team spirit, and a positive, productive and inspiring work environment. Provide regular and fair feedback on performance, informally as appropriate and via the HQ Performance Review and Development (PRD) system. Make recommendations for contract renewal or conversion decisions with the best interests of the Organization in mind.

Vision and Direction

Develop, communicate and implement a vision for the future development of the team, to face the challenges of the future in an ever-changing working environment. Act as a role model of inclusive leadership and promote resilience and flexibility.

Project Management

Assume overall responsibility for the work of the Section. In cooperation with ASG/PDD, direct the development and management of media-related capabilities, including audio-visual capacities. Develop and direct media strategies and campaigns.

Expertise Development

Advise the Secretary General and, where appropriate, the NAC on press and media relations. Advise all NATO offices, as well as military commands and operations, on their press and media relations. Draft media messages, press statements, Q&As, op-eds, and other public material for use by the Secretary General and other senior NATO officials.

Perform any other related duty as assigned.

INTERRELATIONSHIPS

The incumbent reports to the Secretary General for all press and media matters related to the NAC, the Secretary General and any NATO body. The incumbent reports to the ASG PDD for Section programming and personnel issues. They are required to maintain a close working relationship with the Deputy Spokesperson; all senior members of the International Staff, other NATO bodies and national representatives; as well as with representatives from local, national and international media outlets.

Direct reports: 5
Indirect reports: 16

COMPETENCIES

The incumbent must demonstrate:

• Achievement: Sets and works to meet challenging goals;
• Change Leadership: Champions Change;
• Conceptual Thinking: Creates new concepts;
• Developing others: Provides in-depth mentoring, coaching and training;
• Impact and Influence: Uses complex influence strategies;
• Initiative: Plans and acts for the long term;
• Leadership: Communicates a compelling vision;
• Organisational Awareness: Understands underlying issues;
• Self-control: Stays composed and positive even under extreme pressure.

Application instructions

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