Legal Advisor to the Government

Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO, UN, EU, and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services, specialised aerospace and defence sales, delivery, and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.

Who we are supporting 

The NATO Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) is a NATO establishment focused on improving the Alliance's operational capabilities through training and exercises. Located in Stavanger, Norway, the JWC plays a critical role in preparing NATO forces for future challenges by:

• Training and Exercises
  • Conducting large-scale, joint operational-level training events, simulations, and exercises to enhance interoperability among NATO member nations.
• Doctrine Development
  • Contributing to the development and refinement of NATO doctrines and concepts by providing feedback and insights from exercises and training activities.
• Operational Support
  • Offering expert support to NATO operations, missions, and exercises, ensuring that lessons learned are integrated into future training and planning.

 The JWC supports NATO's overall strategic objectives by ensuring that its forces are well-prepared and capable of responding to various global threats and challenges.

The program 

To deliver each full exercise cycle the JWC relies heavily on an Exercise Control (EXCON) structure. EXCON staff members are drawn from several backgrounds and units including JWC staff, NATO component commands, Training Audience (TA) Headquarters, Partner Nations and other augmenters’ positions. EXCON has both direction and control functions which allow it to establish the conditions needed by the TA to achieve the exercise aim and objectives. EXCON size and structure is flexible and is shaped to the requirement of each phase of exercise delivery. When it is not possible to fill a position from military sources, the JWC has the option to source a contractor to fill a position. Not all contracted positions are required for each phase of each exercise.

Role Background

The legal advisor (LEGAD) in JWC exercises play an essential role in all environments. Civilian from International Humanitarian Law, Memorandum of Understanding as well as military ROE, targeting etc. The LEGAD has the responsibility the TA as well as the role- players conduct the exercise realistic

Role Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide subject matter expertise in strategic legal issues to realistically represent the Affected Nation's (country with NATO Forces deploying/deployed) legal policy to the training audience in accordance with the exercise scenario.
• Ascertain that the TA is exposed to a realistic and coherent national legal framework.
• Act as the focal point for the training audience for all strategic legal matters pertaining to the affected nation during exercise preparation and execution.
• Coordinate affected nation legal matters with other affected nation political and military representatives and JWC Exercise Control team.
• Understand and provide recommendations for improvement of the representation of national legal issues within the scenario.
• Support issues around the protection of civilians (POC), IHL, Security Council Resolutions, law enforcement, etc..
• Reviewing/fixing MoUs / Technical Agreements on a range of issues (ranging from cybersecurity to detention).
• Advising and assisting, as needed, e.g. supporting advisers on specific legal issues (police, gender, cultural, heritage etc.).

Essential Skills and Experience

• Demonstrate 3 years’ experience in the last 10 in influencing national policy making at strategic level in the field of International Law.
• Demonstrate 3 years’ experience in the last 10 in briefing senior leaders/decision makers at the governance level in a National or Multinational environment.
• Demonstrate 3 years’ experience in the last 10 in support of Exercise Planning and Execution on NATO Operational level (or at equivalent level in other organizations)

Education

• A Master’s Degree in International Law

Language

• Business English

Working Location

• Stavanger, Norway
• Remote work may be requested on an ADHOC per requirement basis

Working Policy

• Each exercise support requirement is anticipated to be 5 to 15 working days per event
• On-Site, unless otherwise specified with up to 12-hour days
• If out of normal hours work is required, this will be requested on a per requirement basis

Travel

• Any associated travel costs to and from your home location to participate in the activity will be covered by Spektrum

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance