Homeland Security Policy Associate

Noctua Strategies; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with company match

20 days paid time off

All federal holidays

Job summary

Noctua Strategies is seeking a Homeland Security Policy Associate to support a DHS client in a high-visibility headquarters environment. The role blends management consulting, policy support, and process improvement to help government leaders organize initiatives, improve workflows, and respond to congressional priorities.

The ideal candidate turns ambiguous requests into practical plans, develops tools to manage work, and delivers implementation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher.
• 3–8 years of relevant professional experience in management consulting, process improvement, program coordination, policy support, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to bring structure to ambiguous problems and develop practical tools or processes that help teams manage their work.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the initiative to identify needs, recommend solutions, and move assignments forward independently.
• Excellent writing, editing, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly to senior audiences.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, coordinate input across stakeholders, and meet tight deadlines.
• Sound judgment, attention to detail, and discretion when handling sensitive information.
• A collaborative approach, openness to feedback, and commitment to high-quality client service.
• US citizenship and the ability to obtain a US Public Trust clearance.

Responsibilities

• Translate evolving or loosely defined client needs into actionable work plans, clear requirements, and practical deliverables.
• Assess existing workflows, identify gaps and bottlenecks, and recommend and implement process improvements.
• Develop initiative trackers, reporting templates, and repeatable processes that clarify ownership, deadlines, and next steps.
• Create leadership status reports, including red-yellow-green assessments, that communicate progress, flag risks, and highlight decisions or actions needed.
• Support congressional correspondence, requests for information, and related taskings by coordinating input, tracking deadlines, and preparing clear, accurate responses.
• Conduct policy and operational research and synthesize findings into briefings, presentations, and recommendations for senior audiences.
• Build trusted relationships with government stakeholders and subject matter experts to gather requirements, resolve issues, and support adoption of new processes.
• Manage assignments from initial scoping through delivery, adapting the approach as priorities and requirements change.

Skills

Strong writing and communication

Analytical and problem-solving skills

Ability to manage competing priorities

Independent initiative

Discretion with sensitive information

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher

Tools

Reporting templates

Policy research methods

Job description

Noctua Strategies is seeking a Homeland Security Policy Associate to support a DHS client in a high-visibility headquarters environment. This role combines management consulting, process improvement, and policy support to help government leaders organize new initiatives, improve workflows, and respond to congressional and executive priorities.

The ideal candidate can turn an ambiguous request into a practical approach, develop the tools needed to manage the work, and follow through on implementation. This could mean designing a new reporting process, building a tracker for an emerging initiative, or creating a clear status report that helps leadership identify progress, risks, and decisions needed.

Strong writing and communication skills are essential, with an emphasis on organizing information and improving how work gets done. Congressional experience is particularly valuable when paired with experience delivering practical solutions in a consulting environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Translate evolving or loosely defined client needs into actionable work plans, clear requirements, and practical deliverables.
• Assess existing workflows, identify gaps and bottlenecks, and recommend and implement process improvements.
• Develop initiative trackers, reporting templates, and repeatable processes that clarify ownership, deadlines, and next steps.
• Create leadership status reports, including red-yellow-green assessments, that communicate progress, flag risks, and highlight decisions or actions needed.
• Support congressional correspondence, requests for information, and related taskings by coordinating input, tracking deadlines, and preparing clear, accurate responses.
• Conduct policy and operational research and synthesize findings into briefings, presentations, and recommendations for senior audiences.
• Build trusted relationships with government stakeholders and subject matter experts to gather requirements, resolve issues, and support adoption of new processes.
• Manage assignments from initial scoping through delivery, adapting the approach as priorities and requirements change.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Three to eight years of relevant professional experience in management consulting, process improvement, program coordination, policy support, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to bring structure to ambiguous problems and develop practical tools or processes that help teams manage their work.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the initiative to identify needs, recommend solutions, and move assignments forward independently.
• Excellent writing, editing, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly to senior audiences.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, coordinate input across stakeholders, and meet tight deadlines.
• Sound judgment, attention to detail, and discretion when handling sensitive information.
• A collaborative approach, openness to feedback, and commitment to high-quality client service.
• US citizenship and the ability to obtain a US Public Trust clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional experience at a management consulting firm, particularly supporting federal government clients.
• Congressional experience through internships or staff roles, especially when followed by consulting experience.
• Familiarity with congressional correspondence, oversight requests, legislative processes, or executive branch engagement with Congress.
• Knowledge of homeland security, national security, or federal law enforcement.
• Experience designing and implementing reporting processes, initiative trackers, or other tools that improve accountability and visibility for leadership.

Salary and Benefits

The salary range for this role is $70,000–$90,000, depending on relevant experience, qualifications, and scope of responsibility.

Noctua provides company health insurance, a 401(k) with company match, 20 days of paid time off each year, and all federal holidays.

About Noctua Strategies

Noctua Strategies is a boutique woman-owned management consulting firm that partners with government leaders to solve complex strategy, management, communications, and data challenges. Drawing on experience rooted in DHS, our team supports law enforcement, intelligence, and civilian agencies across the federal government.

We value intellectual curiosity, teamwork, transparency, and ethical behavior. Noctua Strategies is an equal opportunity employer.