International Relations jobs in United Kingdom

Political Advisor, NATO Allied Maritime Command, UK

The world is inextricably connected by its oceans and seas, which are essential to ensure global commerce and our way of life. Maritime security is vital to peace and prosperity. The global security environment is contested and unpredictable, with threats and other challenges. Maritime crises and incidents illustrate the importance of the maritime domain to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as a political and military transatlantic Alliance of 32 countries. NATO is united and steadfast in its resolve to protect its one billion citizens. Its key purpose and greatest responsibility are to ensure our collective defence against all threats, from all directions, both now and to protect the future. Are you up for the challenge?

Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) is the central command of all NATO maritime forces, based in the UK. We are seeking a high calibre individual to be the next Political Advisor (POLAD) to the MARCOM Commander who, in turn, is the primary maritime advisor to the NATO Alliance. The POLAD is a key non-executive member of the Command Group, and is the principal advisor to the MARCOM Commander on politico-military and diplomatic issues affecting planning and conduct of maritime operations and day-to-day management of the HQ. As an operational HQ, the pace at MARCOM is fast.

In this role, you will provide political estimates and advice to the Commander, the Command Group, and at all command-level briefings and Boards. You will provide insight into the politico-military effects of operational decision-making by sharing your specific country knowledge, analyses of trouble spots, crisis situations, and political perspectives. You will contribute to mission objectives by proactively identifying trends and providing advice on dealing with emerging threats.

You will demonstrate analytical thought, critical thinking, and independent judgement when developing policy and strategies. Diplomacy, tact, listening and persuasiveness are crucial skills for participating effectively in policy and planning initiatives, for advising the Command Group, and for coordinating internally and externally with other agencies and government staff.

To succeed in this role, you will be a proven advisor already, not just an analyst. You will have 15+ years’ professional experience in government, military and/or academia in the fields of politics, international relations, international security, law, and public policy. This should include working in policy development with NATO or national diplomatic offices and policy offices.A Master’s degree or equivalent in political science, public administration, or international relations is essential, as is being fluent in English.

To apply, please use our recruitment portal and search for ‘Political Advisor’ and/or job number ‘260405’: https://nato.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en

Deadline: 01 April 2026 (23:59 GMT / UK time)