Senior Operations Strategy Lead - CLEARED

The Squires Group; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The Squires Group client is seeking a Senior Operations Strategy Lead to work a hybrid schedule at the Pentagon. You will develop and implement enterprise-wide Civil Engineer Operations policies, strategies, and modernization initiatives while analyzing infrastructure and readiness challenges and coordinating with key stakeholders. This role requires a U.S.

Citizens with an ACTIVE SECRET CLEARANCE. Responsibilities span governance, program analysis, asset management, and strategy execution to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field.
• 15+ years of senior program/mission support experience in large government or DoD environments.
• Experience developing strategy, policy, governance, and enterprise‑level process improvements.
• Strong collaboration across Headquarters, MAJCOMs, and installation stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex inputs into actionable recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement enterprise-wide Civil Engineer Operations policies and strategies.
• Coordinate governance and programmatic documentation including criteria, standards and procedures.
• Analyze infrastructure, maintenance, asset management, and readiness challenges to inform policy.
• Lead cross‑functional coordination with DoD stakeholders to drive modernization initiatives.
• Prepare executive briefing materials and action plans for senior leadership.
• Support planning, oversight, and execution of CBM, ESMS, and enterprise asset systems.

Skills

Strategic planning

Policy development

Stakeholder coordination

Change management

Analytics

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

ESMS

TRIRIGA

NexGen IT

BUILDER

Job description

Our client is an award winning global integrator supporting a major branch of our Armed Forces. They have an immediate need for a Senior Operations Strategy Lead to work a hybrid schedule at the Pentagon. In this role, you will develop and implement enterprise-wide Civil Engineer Operations policies, strategies, and modernization initiatives while analyzing infrastructure and readiness challenges, coordinating with key stakeholders, and driving business transformation to improve installation sustainment, resilience, and operational effectiveness. Per our Federal Government Contract, candidates must be U.S. Citizens with an ACTIVE SECRET CLEARANCE.

Responsibilities

• Develop, coordinate, and implement enterprise-wide Civil Engineer Operations policies, guidance, governance, and strategic initiatives supporting installation sustainment, readiness, resilience, and operational effectiveness.
• Coordinate, consolidate, develop, and maintain Civil Engineer Operations governance and programmatic documentation, including DAFIs, DAFMANs, Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC), engineering standards, design criteria, policies, procedures, implementation guidance, waiver processes, action plans, executive taskers, inquiry responses, and issue-resolution plans.
• Support Civil Engineer Operations program areas including electrical and power production; HVAC/R; facility maintenance and repair; pavements and grounds; heavy equipment; water, fuels, and wastewater; work order planning and prioritization; asset management; supply and material control; service contract acquisition and management; Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM); infrastructure condition assessment; Enterprise Asset Management; equipment and vehicle modernization; infrastructure modernization and protection; and enterprise engineering systems.
• Analyze operational challenges affecting installation infrastructure, maintenance, utilities, asset management, and readiness programs and develop policy, process, and strategic recommendations to address enterprise-level issues.
• Coordinate and collaborate with Headquarters Air Force, MAJCOMs, FIELDCOMs, AFCEC, AFIMSC, installation-level organizations, and other DoD stakeholders to develop and implement Civil Engineer Operations strategies, policies, governance, engineering standards, modernization initiatives, and programmatic criteria.
• Facilitate governance forums, technical reviews, working groups, and stakeholder meetings; develop and deliver briefing materials, executive summaries, after-action reports, meeting minutes, decision documents, and other leadership products.
• Perform program analysis and develop trend analyses, compliance assessments, performance measures, requirements analyses, executive correspondence, reports, and decision-ready recommendations for senior leadership.
• Support the planning, development, oversight, and execution of Civil Engineer Operations programs and modernization initiatives, including appropriated and non‑appropriated fund programs, energy‑related initiatives, overseas contingency operations policy, CBM, infrastructure condition assessments, Enterprise Sustainment Management System (ESMS), NexGen IT, TRIRIGA, and other enterprise asset management systems.
• Integrate and synthesize complex operational, logistical, technical, and strategic inputs from multiple organizations and translate them into actionable recommendations and decision‑ready products.
• Coordinate engineering standards implementation, governance activities, modernization efforts, and process improvements to ensure alignment with enterprise Civil Engineer priorities and mission requirements.
• Develop and maintain Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms) supporting strategic implementation objectives for Civil Engineer Operations.
• Translate strategic goals into executable tasks, milestones, performance measures, and resource requirements; track progress, identify risks and barriers, and develop mitigation strategies to support successful execution.
• Monitor compliance with Civil Engineer Operations policies and directives, evaluate the impact of policy changes on mission readiness and resource requirements, and recommend improvements to strengthen enterprise operations.
• Support business transformation and strategy implementation initiatives by connecting future‑state enterprise strategies with current operational requirements and identifying opportunities for process improvement and modernization.
• Lead cross‑functional coordination efforts to resolve enterprise issues, integrate stakeholder requirements, build consensus, and advance strategic initiatives.
• Support disaster response and recovery planning, coordination, and orchestration activities as required.
• Identify opportunities to improve installation sustainment, infrastructure resilience, operational effectiveness, and resource utilization through policy, process, technology, and organizational improvements.
• Provide status updates, risk assessments, recommendations, and other decision‑support materials to senior leadership to ensure timely execution of enterprise Civil Engineer priorities.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience supporting large‑scale government programs, preferably within Air Force Civil Engineer or DoD environments.
• Retired or separated Air Force experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience supporting Civil Engineer Operations, installation infrastructure management, facility sustainment, maintenance, utilities, asset management, or related mission areas.
• Experience developing and implementing strategy, policy, governance, and enterprise‑level process improvements.
• Experience coordinating complex programs and initiatives across multiple organizational levels, including Headquarters, MAJCOMs, FIELDCOMs, AFCEC, AFIMSC, and installation stakeholders.

Required Knowledge & Skills

• Strong knowledge of Civil Engineer Operations programs, infrastructure management, installation sustainment, and readiness principles.
• Knowledge of Air Force Civil Engineer installation‑level organizational structures, including roles, responsibilities, relationships, and interactions with external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret legislative direction, DoD policies, engineering standards, and organizational processes and translate them into practical solutions and improvements.
• Experience defining project requirements and supporting programming, planning, and execution activities within complex government environments.
• Proven ability to lead cross‑functional teams, facilitate stakeholder coordination, build consensus, and serve as a trusted advisor to senior clients and organizational partners.
• Strong strategy and policy development experience, including the ability to connect strategic objectives with executable operational initiatives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to develop concise, decision‑ready products for senior leadership and GO/SES‑level audiences.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, organizational, and time‑management skills.
• Ability to independently research, learn, and apply new technical and non‑technical concepts.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Enterprise Sustainment Management System (ESMS), NexGen IT, TRIRIGA, BUILDER, or similar enterprise asset management and infrastructure management systems.
• Knowledge of Civil Engineer equipment and vehicle validation, modernization, and advocacy processes.
• Experience supporting Joint Staff, Combatant Commands, interagency organizations, or other enterprise‑level partners.
• Experience collaborating with Headquarters Air Force Civil Engineer organizations, AFCEC, AFIMSC, MAJCOMs, FIELDCOMs, and installation stakeholders to analyze organizational challenges and implement strategic solutions.
• Experience with process modeling, simulation, business process reengineering, Lean/process improvement methodologies, or organizational transformation.
• Experience developing and executing enterprise‑level implementation plans, POA&Ms, performance measures, and governance frameworks.
• Experience supporting disaster response, recovery, and operational resilience programs.