Project Technical Lead - Nuclear S&T Portfolio

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) delivers high-impact, technical solutions to complex national security issues. With over 50 years of business expertise and consistent growth, we are known for continuous innovation for our government customers, in both the US and abroad. Our exceptionally talented team is highly collaborative in spirit and practice, producing Results that Matter. Come work with the best! We offer opportunity, unique challenges, and clear-sighted commitment to the mission. SPA: Objective. Responsive. Trusted.

The Joint, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Interagency Division provides expert support services to a range of customers spanning across the Department of Defense, Federal Civilian, and international markets. JOID provides a diverse portfolio of analytical and programmatic capabilities to help our customers make informed decisions on their most challenging issues.

The Acquisition and Technology Analysis Group within JOID specializes in the application of multi-disciplinary analytic skills to support multiple clients within the Department of Defense (DoD). These clients include the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD(A&S)), DARPA, the Joint Staff, and USINDOPACOM. SPA provides critical decision support to enabling and executing a strategy of technological superiority and enabling the delivery and sustainment of secure, resilient, and preeminent capabilities to the warfighter quickly and cost effectively. Our team of experienced military, technical, and operations research analysts is skilled in evaluating military problems, identifying the driving factors, devising innovative approaches, collecting applicable data, developing necessary software tools, and performing thorough and timely assessments to inform technology and acquisition governance decisions to ensure U.S. military forces retain military superiority in the future.

We have an immediate need for a Project Technical Lead to provide onsite support out of the Pentagon.

The candidate will serve as a Project Technical Lead supporting OUSW(R&E) with primary responsibility for planning, coordination, execution management, and decision-support activities across the Nuclear Delivery Systems Technologies (NDST) and Nuclear Prototyping (NP) portfolios, with a predominant focus on Nuclear Weapons Council (NWC) taskings and associated senior leadership support activities. Will apply expertise in project management, strategic planning, executive action management, enterprise coordination, and portfolio oversight within a fast-paced Department of War (DoW) staff environment. Lead and coordinate NWC-related taskings, providing structured management support to senior leadership enabling effective decision-making, strategy development, initiative definition, meeting planning, and action tracking. Interface and communicate with government personnel from action officer to senior executive levels, both military and civilian to facilitate working groups, integrated project teams, and senior leader engagements. Maintain an updated NDS roadmap and assist in developing and maintaining an NP roadmap by leveraging the established NDST framework and associated portfolio planning constructs, which include supporting semiannual review cycles, development of integrated planning products, and creation of performance metrics. The role also includes limited financial tracking and portfolio resource management activities associated with Department-wide BA 6.3 expenditures. Develop action and task management tools; coordinate assignments and deadlines; track closure of tasks; develop statements of work, charters, schedules, and Gantt charts; prepare executive-level status and summary briefings; develop business case analyses; facilitate office process design and implement process improvements; track, analyze, and report on Department-wide expenditures; and create performance metrics and tracking mechanisms that support continuous improvement. Rapidly assess urgent assignments, determine optimal courses of action, and manage them through timely completion.

Required:

• Active TS/SCI clearance.
• Bachelor's degree in a management or technical discipline (e.g., Science, Mathematics, Engineering); at client discretion, 4+ years of specialized experience-including senior level military or industry Program Analyst experience-may be substituted for the degree requirement.
• 10+ years of experience supporting project and portfolio management (substituted specialized experience does not count toward this requirement).
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple projects and tasks in a DoD staff environment; developing strategies, plans, and senior level decision-support products; and communicating effectively across functional disciplines and senior government audiences.
• Mastery of management tools including MS Office applications; proficiency developing structured planning artifacts, action tracking tools, and executive level documentation.
• Proven ability to execute integrated project and initiative planning, facilitate crossfunctional teams, track and manage complex workflows, and deliver highquality outputs under tight timelines.
• Demonstrated effective oral and written communication skills with various levels of management and personnel.
• Able to work fully onsite based on client needs.

Desired:

• Master's degree in a management or technical discipline (e.g., Science, Mathematics, Engineering).
• Prior experience supporting Department-level S&T or acquisition portfolios, nuclear modernization activities, or BA 6.3 technology development programs.
• Experience supporting Nuclear Weapon Council activities and/or National Nuclear Security Agency-related acquisition efforts.
• Experience supporting senior leadership with structured analysis, business case development, risk assessments, or decision-support frameworks.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams in fast paced, senior-level environments.