About this Technical Lead Architect role at Spektrum
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.
Technical Lead Architect
Role Background
The ITM Recovery Increment 1 (ITM RC1) project will replace the legacy
Automated
Information Systems (AIS) NS classification network with a modernized ITM
Operational Network (ON) at NS in a private cloud across the NATO Command
Structure (NCS). The project structure includes 14 Work Packages, organized
in 4
pillar teams with about 30 people interacting daily with each other and
externally too.
This task falls under WP07 System Integration scope.
Role Duties and Responsibilities
1 Architecture Validation & Guidance
• Review and validate the design documents for the private air-gapped cloud
(vCF 9,
NSX-T, Cisco ACI), identifying gaps, risks, and non-conformances against best
practices, dependencies and overarching NATO architecture and directives
documents.
• Provide design guidance to infrastructure and platform teams throughout
the implementation lifecycle.
• Define and maintain architecture decision records (ADRs) and ensure
traceability from requirements to design.
3.2 Interface Control & Integration
Define and specify Interface Control Documents (ICDs) between the private
cloud
infrastructure and all producer/consumer services.
• Ensure interfaces are designed with security, observability, and automation
in mind.
• Maintain an interface register and track ICD sign-off across workstream
owners.
3.3 Cross-team Coordination
• Coordinate design and implementation efforts between the cyber security
team and the infrastructure team, specifically covering:
o Privileged Access Management (PAM) implementation via CyberArk.
o PKI design and certificate lifecycle management.
o Cyber Security Monitoring capability integration with the private cloud.
• Chair or co-chair joint design sessions and resolve cross-team technical
dependencies.
3.4 Automation & IaC Enablement
• Validate and guide implementation of infrastructure automation using
Ansible / AAP, Terraform, Jenkins, and vCF Automation.
• Define the automation and IaC target operating model for the cloud
platform team.
• Advise on and document the transition from traditional infrastructure
support to an automation-first operating model.
• Support upskilling of cloud operating teams in automation principles and
tooling.
The Contractor will be part of a team and will provide services using Agency
tools and reporting. There will be monthly planning and review meetings,
weekly scrum meetings to track progress and more asynchronous meetings
based on deliverables for the areas identified above
Essential Skills, Experience and Certifications
Platform & Infrastructure
• Hands-on experience with VMware vCF 5; working knowledge of vCF 9 (direct vCF
9 experience strongly preferred).
• Experience designing or validating NSX-T software-defined networking at enterprise
scale.
• Familiarity with Cisco ACI in a multi-site or data centre context. Security
• Demonstrable experience applying Security by design principals (e.g Zero Trust
Approaches) to private cloud or data centre environments.
• Direct experience with CyberArk PAM implementation and integration.
• Understanding of PKI design and certificate management in enterprise
environments.
Automation & IaC
• Hands-on experience with two or more of: Ansible / AAP, Terraform, Jenkins, vCF
Automation.
• Experience leading or supporting the adoption of IaC practices within an
infrastructure or cloud operating team.
Architecture Practice
• Ability to produce and maintain ADRs, ICDs, and architecture review reports to a
professional standard.
• Experience coordinating across security, infrastructure, and application teams in a
complex enterprise programme.
Supplier Response Requirements
Suppliers should address the following in their submission (maximum 4 pages).
• Experience — evidence of comparable assignments involving enterprise private
cloud architecture, vCF / NSX-T / Cisco ACI, , CyberArk PAM, and IaC adoption at
scale.
• Track Record — at least two references from similar engagements in the last 3
years, with measurable outcomes and client contacts.
• Approach to Objectives — how the proposed candidate will cover both the
architecture/governance and automation/IaC tracks concurrently, manage cross-
team coordination, and ensure deliverables in §4 are met on schedule
Working Location
On site NCI Agency The Hague/ off-site
The Contractor will be required to work at least 50% on site NCI Agency The Hague.
• NCIA Recognised Business hours
o NCIA The Hague Operations:
▪ Monday to Thursday 0830 – 1700 and Friday 0830 – 1500 (CET)
• Contractor Furnished Services:
o The Contractor will be provided with a Reach Laptop and access to
information required to perform the contract
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.
