Principal Assistant

Primary Location

Belgium-Brussels

NATO Body

NATO International Staff (NATO IS)

Schedule

Full-time

Application Deadline

17-Aug-2026, 11:59:00 PM

Salary (Pay Basis)

5,393.24

Grade

NATO Grade G12

• Open ONLY to candidates who already hold a valid NATO personnel security clearance or a valid personnel security clearance (PSC) at the appropriate level issued by the candidate’s parent National Security Authority (NSA) / Designated Security Authority (DSA) or any other competent security authority.
• This particular post requires a security clearance at COSMIC TOP SECRET level, issued by the candidate’s parent NSA/DSA or competent security authority. When the selected candidate requires a PSC at a level higher than they currently possess, the appropriate upgrade will be requested from the parent NSA/DSA or competent authority.

The Office of the Secretary General (OSG) supports and coordinates the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General’s activities in the performance of their duties, and orchestrates coordinating efforts between the Divisions, Independent Offices and other NATO entities.

The incumbent will carry out the duties of the Principal Assistant, comprising of a wide range of support duties. They will coordinate and supervise the work of three other OSG Assistants and be their back-up during leave/absences. The incumbent will be responsible for ensuring the efficient and smooth operation of the office by coordinating and distributing the work among the assistants of the Chief of Staff (COS) and Director of the OSG, Senior Deputy Director and Deputy directors.

Additionally, the incumbent will act as the Personal Assistant to the COS and Director of the OSG.

The ability to telework in this post is very limited and the incumbent may be called upon to work outside of normal business hours, including weekends and national holidays.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• have a good general education at least to higher secondary level;
• have at least five years' experience of senior administrative support duties with a focus on organisation, prioritisation and office/cabinet level administration;
• have extensive experience of NATO best practices and standards in the field of information and data management, and be familiar with the life-cycle management of documents;
• be self-confident and demonstrate strong ethics, integrity and confidentiality at all times; and
• possess the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): V ("Advanced") in one; III ("Intermediate") in the other.

The following would be considered an advantage:

• experience in protocol duties, especially when organizing events with senior stakeholders;
• have experience with Information and Technical systems and tools and their application to document processing, in particular experience working with NATO IKM Tools (HYDI, Divisional Team Sites and Committee Portals); and
• a level higher than III (Intermediate) in the other official language.

MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES

Planning and Execution:

Assist with the day-to-day administration of the COS’s schedule: arrange meetings, answer enquiries and incoming calls, travel arrangements and mission coordination, etc. Organise own workload to ensure the accurate and timely execution of duties. Monitor the work flow of the OSG, ensuring deadlines are met, for both the SG and the DSG whilst working in close co-ordination with other staff in the OSG. Coordinate and supervise th work of the other OSG Assistants. Ensure that proper financial procedures are followed for budget expenses. Track and prepare financial documents as necessary.

Information Management:

Draft and format various documents. In coordination with the OSG Support & Knowledge Management Unit, assist in the screening and distribution of incoming mail to the appropriate Deputy Director, and coordinate timely response and actions. Collect, categorise, and track relevant information required for various tasks and projects. Maintain well-structured paper and electronic filing systems.

Stakeholder Management:

Maintain all lists of internal and external contacts and liaise with them to ensure efficiency in daily management of workload and processes. Serve as first point of contact for requests of various nature directed to the COS. Be prepared to receive and assist visitors of all levels on behalf of the COS. As a representative of the office, you must be well-presentable and exercise discretion at all times.

Expertise Development:

Proactively develop skills in areas such as planning and organising, new technology, in particular, languages and effective communication. Liaise with oth