VMware Cloud Architect

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 -2026-0097

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.

NCI Agency seeks an experienced Solution Architect to provide expert guidance and hands-on coordination across the design, validation, and implementation of a largescale enterprise private cloud. The engagement spans two closely related tracks:

• Architecture & governance - validate and steer the enterprise solution architecture for a private, air-gapped cloud environment serving 20,000-50,000 users across 20+ locations, built on VMware Cloud Foundation (vCF) 9, NSX-T, Cisco ACI, Palo Alto, HP, and Rubrik systems.
• Automation & Infrastructure as a Code (IaaC) adoption - validate, specify, and coordinate the implementation of cloud infrastructure through automation and Infrastructure as Code, and enable the IT organisation to adopt these as its standard operating model.

The solution architect will join the team ensuring design and implementation coherency across the different design and engineering teams (involving IaaS, WAN, Cyber Security Services, PAM, PKI, Enterprise SMC/BMC etc.)

Role Duties and Responsibilities

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.

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.

Cross-team Coordination

• Coordinate design and implementation efforts between the cyber security team and the infrastructure team, specifically covering:
  • Privileged Access Management (PAM) implementation via CyberArk.
  • PKI design and certificate lifecycle management.
  • Cyber Security Monitoring capability integration with the private cloud.
  • Chair or co-chair joint design sessions and resolve cross-team technical dependencies.

Automation & IaaC Enablement

• Validate and guide implementation of infrastructure automation using Ansible / AAP, Terraform, Jenkins, and vCF Automation.
• Define the automation and IaaC 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.

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 center context.
• Experience with Backup and Recovery solution and implementation.

Security

• Experience with ensuring Security by design in private cloud or data center environments.
• Direct experience with a PAM implementation and integration.
• Understanding of PKI design and certificate management in enterprise environments.

Automation & IaaC

• Solid understanding of two or more of: Ansible / AAP, Terraform, Jenkins, vCF Automation.
• Experience leading or supporting the adoption of IaaC 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.

Working Location

• The Hague, Netherlands

Working Policy

• Hybrid (2 days per week On-site)

Travel

• Travel to the other main NCI Agency locations Mons (BEL), Brussels (BEL), Braine L’Alleud - BLA (BEL) will be required to complete these tasks.
• This travel will be consisting of up to 2 visits to Mons, Brussels or BLA annually for a maximum of 3 working days each visit

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance