Chief Technology Officer

NATO UNCLASSIFIED

Primary Location: London, United Kingdom

NATO Body: Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA)

Schedule: Full-time

Application Deadline: 20-Oct-#####

Salary (Pay Basis): 9,641.39 Pound Sterling (GBP) Monthly

Grade: NATO Grade G22

Clearance Level: NS

The Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) is NATO’s newest independent body, created to identify and accelerate dual-use, deep-tech technology innovations with the potential to solve global security, resilience, and defence challenges. Over time, DIANA intends to create a more vibrant, sustainable, and dynamic dual-use innovation ecosystem that will augment the likelihood of success of innovators across the full footprint of the Alliance.

DIANA is governed by its main executive team (DX), led by its Managing Director, and a Board of Directors, comprising representatives from NATO’s 32 member countries. The DX is responsible for undertaking all operational aspects of DIANA, including the identification of dual-use priorities, horizon scanning of the global STEM-B environment, the formulation of its multi-year technical Strategic Direction, and the authoring of Challenges within its annual Challenge Programme (along with its connected funding call for startups). DIANA is a dynamic, agile, and hybrid workplace which strives for a culture that innovates to drive continuous improvement, seeks diversity to be inclusive of talent, and views collaboration as opportunity rather than risk. DIANA is committed to providing our people with an environment that is challenging, positive, and rewarding.

We are looking for DIANA’s first Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to be part of the most senior C-suite level of the organisation. The CTO will lead the development and execution of DIANA’s Challenge Programme, taking responsibility for the drafting of the technical Strategic Direction with the Managing Director and other members of the C-suite, a process that takes place every two years in consultation with the Allied nations. The CTO will manage and oversee a team of technical Challenge Managers who will form the centre of mass for DIANA’s technology expertise together with Project Managers and Challenge Programme Assistants. This team will be responsible for tracking the emergence of technology innovations with potential for DIANA’s support, authoring DIANA’s challenges, running DIANA’s selection and innovator assessment processes, and supporting startup cohorts during their time in the programme, working collaboratively with other DIANA teams.

The CTO will work closely with the DIANA Managing Director to act as the head of the technical profession within DIANA, spanning its three main sites in London, Halifax, and Tallinn. The CTO will act as a mentor to people across the organisation on STEM-B topics pertinent to DIANA’s work, drawing on a strong hands-on background in technology transition. The CTO will help the organisation to attract a network of the best STEM-B talent and advice from the ecosystem and will work with a range of technical advisors and experts that the C-suite collectively deems important to developing and consolidating DIANA’s knowledge, skills, and capabilities. A key responsibility of the CTO will involve developing the processes and systems for brokering connections between DIANA’s startup cohorts with the large array of test centres that might assist in the iterative evolution of innovators’ technology development efforts.

As well as having a strong technology background, DIANA’s CTO is expected to be an intellectual and cultural leader, setting the example of DIANA’s core values, which include working with empathy, learning through humility, and striving for excellence. We are looking for a CTO who can take up the challenge of working with great agility in a dynamic environment that is at the meeting point of technology, geopolitics, and entrepreneurship. The CTO will help the C-suite in undertaking the wide range of stakeholder management functions that are necessary in an organisation that represents a 32-nation Alliance, and will be dedicated to promoting DIANA’s dual use, risk-mitigation mission amongst diverse audiences.

As a member of the DIANA C-Suite, the CTO’s key working relationships will involve close collaboration with DIANA’s General Counsel (CLO), Financial Controller (CFO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), and senior science and technology advisors to the organisation. The CTO will report directly to the DIANA Managing Director.

Key duties of this role will include:

1. Leading the development and drafting of the bi-annual DIANA Strategic Direction by engaging with acknowledge technical SMEs, key Allied stakeholders, Allied Capital Community members as well as the NATO Enterprise and setting out the technical priority focus areas for DIANA.
2. Continuously building, shaping, and evolving the Challenge Team to innovate and execute DIANA’s Challenge Programme.
3. Leading the technical development of 10 Challenge Statements derived from the Strategic Direction for the annual Challenge Programme, resulting in the publication of a call for proposals inviting dual-use innovators from across the Alliance to apply.
4. Designing and implementing a robust, adaptable, transparent, and streamlined selection process, including military and commercial expertise from across the Alliance.
5. Overseeing the provision of tailored technical expertise to all startups that are part of the DIANA Challenge Programme, leveraging a diverse network of experts.
6. Operationalising the network of DIANA affiliated test centres, providing DIANA Innovators with access to TEVV facilities across the Alliance in support of the DIANA Challenge Programme.
7. Chairing the TEVV Grant Award Committee, providing TEVV grants to DIANA Innovators to perform testing activities in DIANA affiliated test centres.
8. Advising the DIANA Managing Director on the development and implementation of Opportune Activities that fall outside the scope of the DIANA Strategic Direction.
9. Leading the DX’s engagement with academia and scientific networks able and willing to support the DIANA mandate.
10. If required, representing the DX in relevant public engagements or in discussions with Allied representatives.
11. Performing any other senior management related duties as may be required.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS, QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL

The incumbent must have:

1. A PhD degree in a STEM-B field with 10 years technical post-related experience OR
2. A Master’s degree in a STEM-B field and 10 years post-related experience, including technical experience as a Chief Engineer or Chief Scientist.
3. At least 3 years of relevant technical experience in a research & development environment as a Chief Engineer, Chief Scientist, or Chief Technology Officer.
4. Relevant experience in incubation, acceleration, or startup-focused innovation programmes.
5. Experience in dual-use, deep-tech, or defence ecosystems and a demonstrated understanding of the challenges and opportunities related to innovation in these ecosystems.
6. Cooperative mindset and experience in internal stakeholder management.
7. At least 5 years’ experience in a senior leadership role, overseeing financial, administrative, project, and human resource aspects of a department or unit.
8. Have at least 5 years’ experience in innovation ecosystems, including engagement with private sector entrepreneurs, commercial and academic emerging and disruptive technology (EDT) innovators.

DESIRABLE

The following would be considered an advantage:

1. Working experience with/in a (military/civilian) technology organisation, testing facility and/or experience working with/for Allied militaries, providing a clear understanding of military needs and engagement mechanisms.
2. Substantial working knowledge of NATO’s innovation agenda and a good knowledge of NATO’s technology and innovation ecosystems.
3. Experience founding an organisation from scratch or working within a dynamic technology startup environment in either a commercial or non-commercial setting.
4. Experience and/or understanding of implementing agile management, matrix management and goals setting processes, systems, and best practice within an organisation.
5. Project management certification.

WHAT WE OFFER

1. Genuinely meaningful work as part of the newest unit within the most successful alliance in history.
2. Tax-free salary.
3. Household and children’s allowances and privileges for expatriate staff including expatriation and educational allowances (where applicable) and additional home leave.
4. Excellent private health insurance scheme.
5. Generous annual leave of 30 days plus official holidays.
6. Flexible working conditions and a smoke-free office in London.
7. Opportunities for learning and development.

In accordance with the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations, the successful candidate will receive a definite duration contract of three years, which may be followed by a three-year extension. The maximum period of service in this post is six years.

If the successful applicant is seconded from the national administration of one of NATO’s member States, a 3-year definite duration contract will be offered, which may be renewed for a further period of up to 3 years subject to the agreement of the national authority concerned. The maximum period of service in the post as a seconded staff member is six years.

Appointment will be subject to receipt of a security clearance (provided by the national Authorities of the selected candidate) and approval of the candidate’s medical file by the NATO Medical Adviser.

Applicants who are not successful in this competition may be offered an appointment to another post of a similar nature, albeit at the same or a lower grade, provided they meet the necessary requirements.

NOTE: DIANA will not accept any phase of the recruitment and selection prepared, in whole or in part, by means of generative artificial-intelligence (AI) tools, including and without limitation to chatbots, such as Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (Chat GPT), or other language generating tools. DIANA reserves the right to screen applications to identify the use of such tools. All applications prepared, in whole or in part, by means of such generative or creative AI applications may be rejected without further consideration at DIANA’s sole discretion, and DIANA reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.

For more information on DIANA, please visit our website.

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