Joint SOF Operations & Plans SME

JCTM; Eglin Air Force Base (FL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

JCTM is seeking an expert Joint SOF Operations & Plans SME to advise senior leaders and battle staffs in planning, execution, and assessment of full-spectrum SOF training and readiness activities. The role focuses on Joint SOF HQ C2, crisis action planning, operational design, and integration across multi-domain environments.

The ideal candidate brings 15+ years of Special Operations experience, active TS/SCI eligibility, and a track record in J3/J5/J35 planning, DRRS, and SOF-CF

Qualifications

• Active TOP SECRET Security Clearance with SCI eligibility.
• 15+ years of Special Operations experience.
• 2+ years on a Joint, Combatant Command, Service HQ, or USSOCOM HQ staff.
• 2+ years Joint SOF crisis response operations experience aligned to national-level crisis response policy.
• Experience in roles such as J3/J35/J37/J5 planner or action officer; Joint SOF or CCMD SOF division staff; TSOC staff; SOCOM directorate staff; JTF HQ staff; or Service Component HQ operations or plans staff.
• Experience applying JOPP, JELC, JTS, JTT, DRRS, Joint doctrine, operational design, and SOF HQ C2 concepts.
• Ability to advise senior leaders on readiness posture, operational risk, functional performance shortfalls, planning quality, and integration coherence.
• Ability to clearly articulate complex operational ideas for senior leader and executive-level consumption.

Responsibilities

• Joint SOF Advisory Support: Advise commanders, planners, and battle staff on SOF operational planning, crisis response operations, readiness posture, and Joint SOF HQ C2 functions.
• Operational Planning: Support planning, wargaming, targeting, rehearsal, operational design, and readiness event development while preserving Government decision authority.
• Training and Readiness Integration: Assist in developing realistic training scenarios, phased injects, timing, triggers, adversary behaviors, and readiness objectives.
• Crisis Response Readiness: Apply Joint SOF crisis response experience aligned to national-level policy and battle staff planning requirements.
• Exercise Design and Assessment: Support JELC activities, MSEL development, exercise scripting, scenario design, readiness observations, AAR development, and improvement recommendations.
• Readiness Governance: Advise on readiness metrics, SOPs, reporting mechanisms, risk logic, staff proficiency, and alignment of planning behaviors to readiness objectives.
• Senior Leader Support: Provide decision-quality products, operational insights, risk triggers, COAs, integration recommendations, and readiness sufficiency assessments to O-6 and command-level leaders.
• SOF-CF Integration: Strengthen interoperability, interdependence, and integration between SOF, conventional forces, interagency partners, multinational partners, TSOCs, CCMDs, and USSOCOM stakeholders.
• Non-Augmenting Advisory Role: Coach, mentor, observe, and recommend without replacing Government staff execution responsibilities or assuming inherently governmental functions.

Skills

Top Secret clearance

SCI eligibility

Joint SOF planning

Crisis action planning

Operational design

JOPP/JELC/JTS/JTT

Job description

USSOCOM requires expert advisory support to strengthen Joint SOF planning, crisis response readiness, operational integration, and battle staff proficiency across the SOF enterprise. What if you could use your senior SOF operations and plans experience to help commanders and staffs improve decision quality, operational synchronization, and readiness for complex joint mission requirements?

Build Your Career:

At JCTM we value knowledge experience integrity and commitment. Joining our team means becoming part of an organization that empowers individuals prioritizes ethical practices and fosters a culture of collaboration and growth.

As a Joint SOF Operations & Plans SME with JCTM you will serve in a critical advisory role supporting senior leaders and joint battle staffs in the planning, execution, and assessment of full-spectrum SOF training and readiness activities. This position requires extensive expertise in Joint SOF HQ command and control, crisis action planning, operational design, JOPP, JELC, JTS, JTT, DRRS, and SOF-CF integration across multi-domain environments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Joint SOF Advisory Support: Advise commanders, planners, and battle staff on SOF operational planning, crisis response operations, readiness posture, and Joint SOF HQ C2 functions.
• Operational Planning: Support planning, wargaming, targeting, rehearsal, operational design, and readiness event development while preserving Government decision authority.
• Training and Readiness Integration: Assist in developing realistic training scenarios, phased injects, timing, triggers, adversary behaviors, and readiness objectives.
• Crisis Response Readiness: Apply Joint SOF crisis response experience aligned to national-level policy and battle staff planning requirements.
• Exercise Design and Assessment: Support JELC activities, MSEL development, exercise scripting, scenario design, readiness observations, AAR development, and improvement recommendations.
• Readiness Governance: Advise on readiness metrics, SOPs, reporting mechanisms, risk logic, staff proficiency, and alignment of planning behaviors to readiness objectives.
• Senior Leader Support: Provide decision-quality products, operational insights, risk triggers, COAs, integration recommendations, and readiness sufficiency assessments to O-6 and command-level leaders.
• SOF-CF Integration: Strengthen interoperability, interdependence, and integration between SOF, conventional forces, interagency partners, multinational partners, TSOCs, CCMDs, and USSOCOM stakeholders.
• Non-Augmenting Advisory Role: Coach, mentor, observe, and recommend without replacing Government staff execution responsibilities or assuming inherently governmental functions.

State-of-the-Art Technology:

Expand your expertise by working with advanced joint readiness systems, Live Virtual Constructive tools, operational planning frameworks, readiness reporting systems, and secure collaboration capabilities supporting strategic-level SOF readiness.

New Skills:

Collaborate with a diverse team of technical and functional experts gaining practical experience with advanced tools technologies and strategic-level implementations.

Room to Grow:

You will have opportunities to grow your career and contribute to the company's strategic goals supported by mentorship and a collaborative work environment.

You Have:

• Active TOP SECRET Security Clearance with SCI eligibility
• 15+ years of Special Operations experience.
• Former O-5+, CW3+, or E-9+ experience.
• 2+ years of experience on a Joint, Combatant Command, Service HQ, or USSOCOM HQ staff.
• 2+ years of Joint SOF crisis response operations experience aligned to national-level crisis response policy.
• Direct and enduring support to battle staff planning, training, or execution such as ELLIPSE, crisis action planning, readiness events, or comparable activities.
• Experience in roles such as J3, J35, J37, J5 planner or action officer; Joint SOF or CCMD SOF division staff; TSOC staff; SOCOM directorate staff; JTF HQ staff; or Service Component HQ operations or plans staff.
• Experience applying JOPP, JELC, JTS, JTT, DRRS, Joint doctrine, operational design, and SOF HQ C2 concepts.
• Ability to advise senior leaders on readiness posture, operational risk, functional performance shortfalls, planning quality, and integration coherence.
• Ability to clearly articulate complex operational ideas for senior leader and executive-level consumption.

Nice to Haves:

• Experience as a Future Operations Planner, Current Operations Chief, Battle Captain, Crisis Action Team member, Joint Exercise Planner, Joint Training Planner, Readiness Lead, Assessments Lead, AAR Lead, SOF Operations Planner, or Strategist.
• Experience in SMU, National Mission Force, SF Group, Ranger Regiment, MARSOC, NSW, AFSOC, TSOC operational planning cells, deployable JTF, or JSOTF HQ environments.
• Experience developing COAs, risk triggers, functional injects, operational scenarios, and senior leader decision support products.
• Experience coaching staff through command post exercises, readiness events, rehearsals, wargames, and operational planning sessions.

Clearance:

Applicants selected will be subject to a security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information; TS/SCI clearance is required.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

JCTM is an Equal Opportunity Employer that empowers our people to fearlessly drive internal and external change while supporting the safety and security of our great nation.