Program Analyst (Senior Strategic Analyst)

Office of the Secretary of Defense; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The Office of the Secretary of Defense's Secretariat for Special Operations seeks a senior analyst at the GS-15 level to assist staffing and HR policy, helping align resources with mission objectives.

The role requires conducting strategic analysis, developing policy recommendations, and delivering decision-quality briefings while coordinating across senior stakeholders to resolve competing priorities.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience at the GS-14 level or equivalent in the federal service or private sector.
• Experience in conducting strategic analysis to inform senior leaders within national security or similar complex environments.
• Experience in developing and integrating strategic guidance, force design concepts, or policy recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Staffing and human resource policy support within the Secretariat for Special Operations.
• Develop and coordinate policy guidance to align with organizational priorities and long-term mission objectives.
• Produce decision-quality analytical products (briefings, issue papers, assessments) and coordinate across stakeholders.

Skills

Strategic analysis

Policy evaluation

Stakeholder coordination

Briefings

Analytical writing

Job description

The Secretariat for Special Operations is organized within the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (OASD(SO/LIC)). The incumbent of this position supports the entire Secretariat for Special Operations (SSO) towards meeting these Congressional objectives, including but not limited to staffing and human resource policies.

In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the requirements described below. You may qualify at the GS 15 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS 14 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability in: 1) Conducting strategic analysis and policy evaluation to inform senior leader decision-making within a national security, defense, or similarly complex organizational environment: 2) Developing and integrating strategic guidance, force design concepts, or policy recommendations, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and long-term mission objectives; AND 3) Producing decision-quality analytical products (e.g., briefings, issue papers, or assessments) and coordinating across stakeholders to resolve competing priorities and support enterprise-level outcomes. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume. Your resume may not exceed two (2) pages. For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the duration of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration.

Read more about what should I include in my federal resume at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include

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