Senior Military Operations Planner

The Garrett Group; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Garrett Group is seeking a Senior Military Operations Planner to support strategic and operational planning across DoD and Combatant Commands, translating national guidance into executable plans.

The role requires expert joint planning, wargaming, and briefing senior leaders; you will coordinate with Joint Staff, CCMDs, and interagency partners to ensure doctrine-compliant plans.

Qualifications

• 15 years of DoD military operations experience.
• 5+ years as an operations planner in joint/combined environments.
• Master's degree, JPME Phase II, and SSS graduate.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support development of strategic and operational plans (OPLANs/CONPLANs).
• Apply JPP to analyze requirements and produce COAs and planning products.
• Translate senior guidance into actionable plans and directives.
• Coordinate across joint, interagency, and multinational stakeholders.
• Develop and staff operational orders and planning documentation.
• Conduct mission analysis, risk assessments, and feasibility evaluations.
• Contribute to exercises, wargaming, and after-action reviews.
• Provide SME in global force management and deterrence operations.
• Deliver senior leader briefings and planning products.
• Ensure compliance with DoD policies and planning standards.

Skills

15 years DoD ops

5 years planning experience

Joint Planning Process (JPP)

Operational planning

Senior leadership briefing

Education

Master's degree or higher

JPME Phase II

Senior Service School (SSS)

Job description

Below is a list of the current openings with our company. Click on the job title to learn more about the opening.

Description

Position: Senior Military Operations Planner

Clearance: Active TS/SCI required

Position Overview

The GARRETT GROUP is seeking a Senior Military Operations Planner to support high-level strategic and operational planning efforts across Department of Defense and Combatant Command mission areas. The selected candidate will provide expert-level planning support to translate national-level guidance into executable operational plans, orders, and campaign frameworks supporting global operations.

This role requires extensive experience in joint and combined operations, with demonstrated expertise in the Joint Planning Process (JPP), contingency planning, and campaign design. The Senior Military Operations Planner will collaborate with senior leaders, Joint Staff elements, Combatant Commands, and interagency partners to ensure alignment of operational plans with national defense strategy and strategic deterrence objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support the development of strategic and operational plans, including OPLANs, CONPLANs, and campaign plans in accordance with national and DoD guidance.
• Apply the Joint Planning Process (JPP) to analyze mission requirements, develop courses of action (COAs), and produce decision-quality planning products.
• Translate guidance from senior leadership, including the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, and Combatant Commands, into actionable operational plans and directives.
• Integrate planning efforts across joint, interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational stakeholders to ensure unity of effort.
• Support development of operational orders, planning directives, and supporting documentation aligned with strategic objectives.
• Conduct mission analysis, risk assessments, and feasibility evaluations to inform operational decision-making.
• Contribute to exercise planning and execution, including scenario development, wargaming, and after-action analysis.
• Provide subject matter expertise in global force management, campaign synchronization, and strategic deterrence operations.
• Develop and deliver senior leader briefings, white papers, and planning products supporting decision-making at the highest levels.
• Ensure compliance with applicable policies, directives, and planning standards across DoD and Joint Staff frameworks.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of experience in Department of Defense military operations.
• At least 5 years of experience as an operations planner, with demonstrated expertise in joint or combined planning environments.
• Minimum 3 years of experience supporting one or more of the following organizations:
  • Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD)
  • Joint Staff
  • Combatant Command (CCMD)
  • Military Service Headquarters or Major Command (MAJCOM)
  • Equivalent senior-level operational organization
• Demonstrated expertise in the Joint Planning Process (JPP) and operational plan development.
• Proven experience developing and staffing operational plans, orders, and campaign-level planning products.
• Strong knowledge of national defense strategy, global campaign planning, and Combatant Command mission areas.
• Experience coordinating with senior leaders and interagency stakeholders.
• Ability to synthesize complex strategic guidance into clear, actionable plans and recommendations.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience briefing senior leadership.

Education Requirements

• Master's degree or higher from an accredited institution.
• Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) Phase II required.
• Senior Service School (SSS) graduate required.

Desired Qualifications

• Prior experience supporting United States Strategic Command or other Combatant Commands.
• Experience with Global Campaign Plans (GCPs) and theater campaign planning.
• Familiarity with Global Force Management (GFM) processes and allocation planning.
• Experience in joint exercises and wargaming, including JELC integration.
• Background in strategic deterrence, nuclear operations, or multi-domain operations.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The GARRETT GROUP is an Equal Opportunity employer.