Lead Homeland Security Exercise Planner

Cadmus; Topeka (KS); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Cadmus seeks candidates to support homeland security exercises, policy analysis, and strategic planning for public and private sector clients. You will lead design, execution, and evaluation of HSEEP-compliant exercises covering terrorism, cybersecurity, and natural disasters, with travel as needed.

Join Cadmus to collaborate with experts, support policy research, professional writing, and stakeholder engagement while delivering high-quality results in a dynamic, proposal-focused environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in emergency management or related field.
• 8+ years of professional experience in exercise planning/emergency management/cybersecurity.
• Experience leading the design and delivery of HSEEP exercises.
• Experience producing HSEEP documentation and after-action products.
• Leading teams, assigning work, and mentoring staff.
• Strong client-engagement, facilitation, research, analytical, writing, briefing, and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams, deadlines, stakeholders, and deliverables.
• Willingness to travel domestically.
• U.S. Citizenship with ability to obtain clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, design, conduct, and evaluation of HSEEP-compliant exercises for CISA.
• Develop exercise objectives, scenarios, planning schedules, stakeholder engagement approaches, evaluation methods, and exercise documentation.
• Lead planning meetings and coordinate inputs from clients, subject-matter experts, participating organizations, and project staff.
• Lead the development and quality review of exercise documentation, including Situation Manuals, Exercise Plans, Master Scenario Events Lists, facilitator guides, evaluator materials, multimedia injects, After-Action Reports, and Improvement Plans.
• Support tabletop exercises, workshops, seminars, and other discussion-based exercise activities involving government and private-sector stakeholders.
• Direct assigned exercise teams, delegate tasks, monitor progress, and mentor junior and mid-level staff.
• Conduct research and analysis involving cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, emergency management, homeland security policy, and emerging threats.
• Analyze exercise observations and participant feedback to develop well-supported findings, recommendations, corrective actions, and improvement priorities.
• Brief clients and senior stakeholders on exercise design decisions, project status, exercise outcomes, and recommended next steps.
• Identify project risks and maintain exercise quality, schedule, and alignment with client requirements.
• Ensure deliverables are accurate, well-written, and compliant with templates and style standards.

Skills

Client engagement

Faciliation

Research

Analytical

Writing

Briefing

Presentation

Team leadership

Mentoring staff

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in emergency management, homeland security, national security, public policy, political science, cybersecurity, or a related field

Tools

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Outlook

Teams

Job description

Cadmus seeks candidates to support homeland security exercises, policy analysis, and strategic planning for public and private sector clients. You will lead design, execution, and evaluation of HSEEP-compliant exercises covering terrorism, cybersecurity, and natural disasters, with travel as needed.

Join Cadmus to collaborate with experts, support policy research, professional writing, and stakeholder engagement while delivering high-quality results in a dynamic, proposal-focused environment.