Challenge Manager

Challenge Manager (London) - 241809

Primary Location: United Kingdom-London

Other Locations: CA-Halifax

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

Schedule: Full-time

Application Deadline: 19-Jan-2025, 10:59:00 PM

Salary (Pay Basis): £8,495.61 Pound Sterling (GBP) Monthly

Grade: NATO Grade G2

1. OVERVIEW OF DIANA

The Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) is NATO’s newest body. From across the Alliance, DIANA will bring together innovators and operational end users to foster a transatlantic ecosystem supporting dual-use ground-breaking innovation in deep technologies. DIANA is an independent NATO body comprised of an Allied Board of Directors and an executive management team - the DIANA Executive (DX). Operating out of regional offices in Europe and North America, the DX will conduct DIANA’s mission: accelerating deep tech, dual-use solutions to critical transatlantic challenges in defence and security. The DX will use Challenge Programmes in line with a published Strategic Direction, as the primary vehicle to accomplish this mission. DIANA is a dynamic, agile and hybrid workplace, which strives for innovation, diversity, and excellence. In order to achieve these aims, DIANA is committed to providing our people with an environment that is positive, inclusive, and collaborative.

2. OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE

DIANA’s Challenge Programmes will combine the vision and inspiration of the Challenge Manager with external insights and engagement from across the Alliance’s innovation ecosystems and the NATO Enterprise. DIANA will maintain a close working relationship with various Allied and NATO bodies, especially the Science and Technology Organisation, Allied Command Transformation, the Conference of National Armaments Directors, and others. Moreover, it will seek to establish industrial, academic, and international partnerships for the development and commercialization of emerging and disruptive technology areas. The Challenge Manager should join as an experienced professional from academic labs, government R&D, or the corporate sector and be ready to immediately leverage their deep technical knowledge and professional networks to drive the creation of new programs. Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer in London, they will work with R&D communities and stakeholders to establish the rigorous and ambitious program goals (including detailed technical milestones and other program activities) needed to manage a portfolio of sophisticated R&D projects.

Responsibilities include:

1. Conduct and implement DIANA‘s Challenge Programs in collaboration with DIANA affiliated Acceleration Sites and Test Centers.
2. Coordinate with stakeholders across the NATO enterprise and member nations to develop the biannual Strategic Direction document that is used to inform the design of DIANA’s Challenge Programs.
3. Engage technically with DIANA-affiliated start-up companies and provide technical guidance and feedback during the Phase 1 of the Accelerator Program.
4. Develop, refine, and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for DIANA’s Challenge Program(s), based on lessons learned from the pilot year (2023) and each ensuing year.
5. Lead the selection and coordination of Evaluation Panels for each year's Challenge program solicitations.
6. Provide cross-functional support to the other strands of work of DIANA including, among other things, expert and technical advice on the legal framework and agreements with DIANA-affiliated Accelerator sites and Test Centres, the development of the rules and procedures of the Rapid Adoption Service, as well as DIANA’s other policies and procedures, and speak at public and private sector events as part of program-specific and DIANA-general outreach.
7. Represent DIANA in different fora, including seminars, conferences, speaking engagements or official visits. Adapt and tailor the presentations to the needs and expectations of the audience.
8. Contribute to public information efforts, including making technical presentations to relevant stakeholders, providing briefings to the media, and representing the Alliance at conferences and symposia as needed.
9. Perform any other related duties as assigned.

3. ROLE REQUIREMENTS, QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL

The incumbent must:

1. Possess an advanced university degree from an institute of recognized standing or equivalent qualification, in a science or engineering field;
2. Have at least 8 years’ experience in technology development, innovation and other STEM related fields;
3. Have at least 4 years' experience engaging with private sector entrepreneurs, and/or commercial and academic innovators in EDT areas;
4. Be familiar with government, industry, and/or academic laboratories, research and development (R&D), technology transfer, and tech-to-market;
5. Have technical experience working and negotiating with experts from other fields, including across other functions and with military operational experts;
6. Be experienced in a leadership position;
7. Be experienced in project management;
8. Possess the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): V (“Advanced”) in one; and I (“Beginner”) in the other.

DESIRABLE

The following would be considered an advantage:

1. PhD degree in STEM relative fields;
2. Expertise in one or more of the following areas: Next Generation Communications, Energy & Propulsion, Infrastructure Resilience, Human Health & Biotechnology, Web 3.0;
3. Experience in designing and executing a challenge or technology competition programme involving criteria for selection, etc.;
4. Experience with or in accelerators/incubators with a deep tech focus;
5. Experience working in a multilateral environment or an environment with a variety of stakeholders from multicultural backgrounds;
6. Experience in providing guidance and mentorship to junior staff, interns, and students;
7. Project Management Certification;
8. Be conversant with the Alliance’s political and decision-making processes;
9. Knowledge of and experience working with technical NATO bodies such as STO, NCIA, ACT, etc.

Language Proficiency: A thorough knowledge of one of the two NATO languages, both written and spoken, is essential and some knowledge of the other is desirable. NOTE: Most of DIANA’s internal work is conducted in the English language.

4. 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. NATO pension scheme.
6. Generous annual leave of 30 days plus official holidays.
7. Flexible working conditions and a smoke-free office in London/Halifax.
8. Opportunities for learning and development.

The incumbent is required to be a resident in the host nation for the duration of their contract. DIANA has a flexible teleworking policy to permit working in office, at home, and across NATO Allied Nations subject to managerial approval.

In accordance with the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations, the successful candidate will receive a definite duration contract of three years, which may be further extended by 1 year. 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 1 year subject to the agreement of the national authority concerned. The maximum period of service in the post as a seconded staff member is four 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.

For more information on DIANA, please visit our website: https://www.diana.nato.int