Spektrum have a wide range of exciting opportunities in several global locations.
We are always looking to add great new talent to our team and look forward to hearing from you.
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 Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATO's member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
The NCIA provides a wide range of services, including:
- Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATO's communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
- Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATO's military commanders to plan and execute operations.
- Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
- Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATO's mission to detect, deny, and defeat threats to its communication networks.
- Information Management: The NCIA manages NATO's information technology infrastructure, including its databases, applications, and servers.
Overall, the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATO's communication and information technology capabilities.
The program
Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)
The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO’s principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides, maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV, and, when required, stand together in the face of attack under Article V.
To provide these critical services, in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorise's: NATO International Civilians (NIC)'s, Military (Mil), and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)'s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.
Role ID – 2024-0278
Role Background
The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) is dedicated to acquiring, deploying, and defending communication systems for NATO’s political decision-makers and Commands. It operates on the frontlines against cyber-attacks, collaborating closely with governments and industry to prevent future debilitating attacks. The NCIA plays a crucial role in maintaining NATO’s technological edge and ensuring the collective defence and crisis management capabilities of the Alliance. In pursuit of our mission, we require specialized advisory services to enhance our interim workforce capacity.
NATO Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is looking for someone to support the work of Enable Branch: to ensure the availability, performance, and security of NATO’s data centre across multiple sites. Focus will be on setting up software or hardware to make it operational and providing technical expertise in compliance with NATO’s operational requirements and security standards.
Role Duties and Responsibilities
- Expert guidance on the design and layout of data centre infrastructure: ensuring optimal placement of equipment for scalability, airflow management, and ease of maintenance.
- Technical support and oversight for the installation of data centre equipment:, including servers, networking devices, and power distribution units, adhering to best practices and industry standards.
- Comprehensive cable management solutions: ensuring structured cabling systems are efficiently organized, labelled, and documented to support future growth and ease of troubleshooting.
- Seamless integration of new and existing infrastructure through the use of Patch Manager Software: maintaining accurate records of cable connections, patch panels, and network configurations to optimize network visibility and management.
- Recommendations for optimizing power and cooling systems within the data center, ensuring energy efficiency and adequate cooling to protect sensitive equipment from overheating and ensuring operational reliability.
- Ongoing training and support to data centre staff, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to maintain, troubleshoot, and upgrade equipment and cabling systems effectively.
- Support to the development of disaster recovery strategies by advising on the physical infrastructure needed to maintain continuity in the event of equipment failure: power outages, or environmental threats.
- Expert technical assessments and audits of the data centre infrastructure: identifying areas for improvement in cable management, equipment placement, and overall operational efficiency, with a focus on aligning with industry best practices and NATO’s security and operational requirements.
Deliverables
Data Center Infrastructure Assessment Report
- Description: They will provide an initial assessment report of the current data centre infrastructure, including equipment layout, power and cooling systems, and cable management practices. This report will identify key strengths, weaknesses, and areas that require improvement or optimization to meet the organization’s operational and future scalability requirements.
- Responsibility: They will be responsible for conducting a thorough evaluation of the existing infrastructure, identifying inefficiencies, and providing recommendations to improve overall performance, reduce downtime, and enhance future scalability.
Cable Management Optimization Plan
- Description: They will deliver a comprehensive plan to reorganize and optimize the data centre’s cabling infrastructure. This plan will include recommendations for implementing structured cabling, clear labelling of cables, and the integration of cable management software to ensure all network connections are properly documented and easy to manage.
- Responsibility: They will be responsible for assessing the current state of the cabling infrastructure and designing a detailed plan that ensures efficient cable routing, reduces clutter, and simplifies maintenance and future upgrades.
Equipment Installation Standards and Procedures
- Description: They will develop and deliver standardized procedures for the
- installation and configuration of new data centre equipment. These standards will ensure that new hardware is installed efficiently and correctly, minimizing the risk of errors and ensuring consistent configurations across all deployments.
- Responsibility: They will be responsible for establishing best practices and guidelines for hardware installations, including physical setup, power and cooling requirements, and network configurations, ensuring that all installations align with the organization’s operational goals.
Implementation of Patch Manager Software
- Description: They will implement Patch Manager Software to track and manage all network connections, ensuring that cable routing and equipment connections are well documented and easily accessible for troubleshooting and future expansion.
- Responsibility: They will oversee the installation, configuration, and ongoing use of Patch Manager Software, ensuring that it is effectively integrated into the organization’s workflow and used to maintain accurate records of all network and cable connections.
Equipment Installation and Cabling Implementation
- Description: They will oversee the physical implementation of new cabling and equipment installations in the data centre. This includes installing new hardware based on the standardized procedures, ensuring proper cable routing and management, and updating Patch Manager Software with the new installations.
- Responsibility: They will be responsible for coordinating and executing the installation of new equipment and cabling, ensuring all installations follow the established standards and procedures and are documented accurately in Patch Manager Software.
Training and Handover of Equipment and Cable Management Systems
- Description: They will develop training materials and deliver sessions to the data centre team, ensuring they are equipped to maintain, troubleshoot, and expand the newly implemented systems. Training will focus on cable management best practices, equipment installation procedures, and the use of Patch Manager Software.
- Responsibility: They will be responsible for preparing user-friendly documentation and delivering training sessions to ensure staff can confidently manage the data centre infrastructure, including cabling and equipment installations.
Final Data Centre Optimization Report
- At the conclusion of the project, they will provide a final optimization report summarizing the changes made to the data centre infrastructure, including equipment installation, cable management improvements, and software integration. The report will also include recommendations for ongoing maintenance and future expansions.
- Responsibility: They will be responsible for compiling a comprehensive report that highlights the project’s achievements, lessons learned, and suggestions for maintaining and optimizing the infrastructure moving forward.
Essential Skills, Experience and Certifications
- Minimum 4 years of experience in data centre environments with hands-on experience in installing, terminating, and testing fibre optic and copper cabling (e.g., Cat5e, Cat6a, Cat7), including structured cabling systems, patch panels, and racks.
- Minimum 2 years of experience in a military or NATO environment with a strong understanding of data centre operations and network architecture standards.
- Proficiency in rack and stack operations (installing network, server, and storage hardware) and cable management practices to ensure organized, scalable deployments.
- Experience with network testing tools such as Fluke Networks or equivalent, with the ability to perform cable certification and troubleshooting.
- Experience with patch management software, such as SolarWinds Patch Manager, ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus, or equivalent, to ensure proper documentation and organization of cable and equipment layouts.
- Expertise in network protocols including TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, and routing protocols (OSPF, BGP), ensuring seamless integration of network infrastructure in the data centre.
- A valid certification such as BICSI Technician, CNet Certified Network Cable Installer (CNCI), or similar.
- Knowledge of data centre power and cooling systems, including UPS, PDUs, and HVAC considerations for optimal performance.
- ITIL v4 Foundation Certification to ensure understanding of service management processes and procedures for structured and efficient operations within the data centre environment.
- Experience in project management and coordination, leading the installation and deployment of data centre projects, including managing timelines, coordinating with stakeholders, and ensuring adherence to quality standards and best practices.
Desirable Skills and Experience
- Experience with fibre optic splicing and fusion splicing tools.
- Knowledge of safety standards and compliance with data centre design such as TIA/EIA standards.
- Any valid certification or training in data centre operations, such as Uptime Institute’s Accredited Tier Designer (ATD) or DC Professional’s Data Centre Technician certification.
- Knowledge of environmental monitoring systems (e.g., temperature, humidity sensors, and surveillance) for data centres.
Working Location
- Mons, Belgium
Working Policy
- On-Site
Travel
- Some travel to other NATO sites may be required
Security Clearance
- Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance
We never know what new opportunities might be just over the horizon. If this opportunity isn't for you please feel free to send us your resume anyway and be the first to know if something suitable for your skills and experience comes up.