Assistant Director, Forward Defense

Atlantic Council; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

403(b) plan

FSA options

Paid time off

Wellness benefits

Pet insurance

PSLF eligibility

Job summary

Atlantic Council’s Forward Defense Program seeks an Assistant Director to lead the space security workstream and support strategic forces projects. The role involves coordinating senior staff, engaging partners, and contributing to publications and events.

The candidate will manage projects, build a strong network of donors and partners, and mentor interns and junior staff while supporting broader program management tasks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher; graduate degree preferred.
• Minimum 2 years full-time experience in project/ program management.
• Experience in managing interns or staff is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Support the Associate Director and Director in managing the Forward Defense portfolio.
• Lead the space security workstream, including business development, donor reporting, budgeting, and thought leadership.
• Oversee projects, coordinate junior colleagues, and ensure timely delivery to upper management.
• Shape content and structure of FD’s publications and convenings, with a focus on space security pieces.
• Conduct research and writing on strategic forces topics such as space deterrence and missile defense.
• Edit written work and coordinate with fellows and staff for various outputs.
• Liaise with centers, development, engagement, and executive office to publicize events and publications.
• Develop and maintain relationships with defense, space, government, industry, and academic partners.
• Provide day-to-day mentorship to FD’s interns and junior staff.

Skills

Project management

Event management

Stakeholder management

Organizational skills

Writing and editing

Verbal communication

Interpersonal skills

Networking

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Graduate degree preferred

Job description

The Atlantic Council’s Forward Defense Program is thrilled to hire an Assistant Director. The Assistant Director will support the Associate Director leading the portfolio in executing FD’s strategic forces work, including work related to space security, nuclear deterrence, missile defense, and long-range precision strike. The Assistant Director will take a more independent, leading role building the program’s space security workstream, while supporting the other pillars of work; help coordinate junior colleagues working on projects in these areas; and support the Associate Director and Director with tasks related to the broader management of the strategic forces portfolio. The candidate will oversee significant projects within Forward Defense; maintain, develop, and cultivate a wide network of crucial partner and donor relationships; and contribute to the research and editorial work of our numerous publications on issues related to current and future defense and security challenges.

Job Responsibilities

• Support the organization and execution of major Forward Defense projects and work pertaining to our strategic forces portfolio under the supervision of the Associate Director and Director.
• Lead building the space program of work, in coordination with the Associate Director and Director, including the development of the program’s space security workstream through business development, grant and partnership proposal writing, donor reporting, budgeting, and thought leadership.
• Support the Associate Director in setting the operational tempo and timelines for projects, tracking multiple deliverables, and delegating tasks to and overseeing junior colleagues to execute logistical and administrative operations in support of events and publications, ensuring products delivered to upper management meet high expectations.
• Help shape the content, format, and structure of FD’s strategic forces publications, taking primary responsibility for FD’s space security publications and convenings, and support the Associate Director’s and Director’s assignment and coordination of the team’s projects.
• Contribute to the Center’s intellectual work through research and writing on strategic forces, with particular focus on space security, including space deterrence, space-based command and control, counterspace threats, dual-use space technology, and missile defense. Generate ideas for programming on these topics.
• Edit written work and coordinate closely with fellows and staff to produce articles, issue briefs, blog posts, and other written and audio-visual work.
• Liaise with other Council centers, our development team, engagement team, and executive office to ensure the successful execution and publicity of events and publications.
• Help maintain and develop a wide network of crucial partner and donor relationships, including in the defense industry, commercial space sector, US and foreign government partners, technology sector, and academic partners.
• Provide day-to-day support and mentorship to FD’s interns and junior staff.

General Qualifications

• Experience in project management, event management, and stakeholder management.
• Exceptional organizational, writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Strong track record in engaging and knowledge of key stakeholders in US defense and security, including representatives of US and foreign governments, academia, and think tanks.
• Significant interest in, and demonstrated knowledge of, defense and security issues across Forward Defense’s work, specifically US space security.

Specific Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field. Graduate degree in a related field is strongly preferred.
• Previous relevant, substantive work experience and demonstrated expertise in subject matter.
• Minimum 2 years of full-time work experience, in a position with transferable operational and project management skills, and relevant substantive knowledge.
• While not required, experience in managing interns or leading staff in a collaborative team setting can be an advantage.
• While not required, experience in business development, stakeholder management, developing budgets, and tracking expenses can be an advantage.

Benefits

To produce quality work and to successfully achieve our mission, we recognize the need for our staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a work/life balance. Our comprehensive benefits package helps to keep costs low for our staff and their families. Benefits include, but are not limited to comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance, paid time off, 403(b) plan, FSA options, pet insurance, Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility, and wellness benefits.