Job Details

Staff Officer - Military Partnerships

Location: Norfolk, VA (On-site)
Organization: Ironclad Defense Works
Clearance Required: U.S. SECRET (or higher)
Citizenship: NATO member nation
Contract Type: Contingent upon award - IFIB-ACT-SACT-25-01 Part E

About Ironclad Defense Works
At Ironclad Defense Works (IDW), we deliver mission-critical expertise to NATO and allied defense organizations worldwide. Our proven success supporting transformation, capability development, and partnership initiatives positions us as a trusted partner for complex international programs. This role will be part of our proposed team supporting NATO's Capability Development Management Support (CDMS) requirements.

Position Overview
As a Staff Officer - Military Partnerships, you will contribute to NATO's mission by supporting the Partnerships Branch at HQ SACT. This role involves developing policies, fostering partner nation engagement, and integrating partner capability development with NATO priorities. You will work alongside senior military leaders, travel internationally for conferences and meetings, and directly shape NATO's strategic partnership initiatives.
We are seeking five highly qualified professionals to fill this role, each focusing on a different aspect of NATO's partnership mission, such as:

• Partner Capabilities
• Partner Education & Training Coordination
• Partnerships Concept Development & Analysis
• Defense Planning Integration
• Partnerships Strategy & Policy

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and delivery of briefings for senior leaders and decision makers.
• Support the creation and refinement of NATO partnership policies, directives, and processes.
• Engage with NATO HQ, partner nations, and other stakeholders to align capability development efforts.
• Provide subject matter expertise in areas such as defense planning, capability lifecycle integration, and interoperability standards.
• Represent HQ SACT at meetings and conferences (up to 30 days of travel annually).
• Support special projects and additional tasks assigned by the NATO Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR).

Required Qualifications

• Education: Master's degree (or higher) in international relations, international security, international development, military studies (including technology or operations research), foreign policy, public affairs, political science, or related field; OR completion of a NATO or national military staff college (OF-3 level or higher).
• Experience:
  • Proven work in foreign/international security, defense cooperation, or military affairs.
  • Experience within NATO (preferred), another international organization in a defense/security role, or a national mission/delegation/embassy to an IO in a defense/security position.
  • Working knowledge of NATO partnerships, security sector reform, defense planning, or military capability development.
• Security Clearance: Active NATO or National SECRET (or higher).
• Language: English proficiency to STANAG 6001 SLP 3333 (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing) or equivalent.
• Other: NATO nation passport with no travel restrictions; proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and collaborative software.

Why Join Ironclad Defense Works

• Contribute directly to NATO's long-term strategic transformation.
• Work alongside seasoned defense professionals with deep NATO expertise.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package.
• An organizational culture committed to excellence, innovation, and mission success.

Application Instructions:
Interested candidates should send a detailed CV highlighting relevant qualifications and experience to [email protected]Please include "Staff Officer - Military Partnerships" in the subject line.