Director, Strategic Analysis and Analytic Innovation Division

Summary

The Director, Strategic Analysis and Analytic Innovation Division serves as the senior expert for analytic methodology, responsible for developing and providing the advanced analytic methods, decision-support frameworks, and tooling that enable rigorous, data-driven analysis across the entire analytic enterprise. The incumbent leads the development and application of innovative methods to transform complex strategic and resource allocation challenges into tractable analytical problems.

Duties

The Director, Strategic Analysis and Analytic Innovation Division sets the research and development agenda for the Department's analytic tradecraft. As the Director of the methodology and tradecraft center of excellence for all of CAPE, the incumbent is responsible for identifying, developing, validating, and promulgating the methodological substrate for the enterprise. Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Directs the creation and validation of analytic frameworks and oversees their application to the Department's most pressing defense challenges. The incumbent leads a staff of senior methodologists to translate complex policy and programming questions into analytically sound and defensible studies, ensuring that the methods used are appropriate, rigorous, and meet the highest standards of quality. Provides broad methodological guidance and leads DoW-wide analysis initiatives. As the principal representative for CAPE in the Analysis Working Group, the Deputy Director, Analysis and Innovation (A&I) will leverage the work of the incumbent to raise the analytical standards, including the methodologies, tradecraft, tools, and data sets that inform analysis Department-wide. Oversees the development and integration of analytic tools and models. The Director is responsible for a "consume-first" strategy, leveraging existing modeling and wargaming environments from external partners where capable tools exist. Where gaps are identified, the incumbent directs the development or evolution of complementary tools, decision-support connectors, and parametric models to meet the needs of the analytic community. Drives innovation in analytic tradecraft across the Department. This includes horizon-scanning for frontier methods from academia and industry, leading the adoption of new techniques for decision-making under deep uncertainty and scenario analysis, and responsibly integrating AI and automation to enhance the speed and scale of analysis. Represents the Deputy Director, A&I, and acts as the Deputy's principal point of contact for senior-level DoW, international, and National Security Council activities related to analytic methods and innovation. In this regard, the incumbent serves as a member of steering groups composed of high-level officials from DoW, foreign governments, the NSC staff, and other government agencies and special commissions.

Requirements

You must be a U.S. citizen to qualify for this position. All newly appointed Career SES leaders must sign the Reassignment Rights Obligations Agreement as a condition of appointment into the SES. You must submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test before you can be appointed into this position. Designated and/or Random Drug Testing required. In order to qualify for this position, you must be able to obtain a Top Secret security clearance and access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI). Submit resume and all other required documents online by 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on 08/07/2026 The individual selected will be required to file an 'Executive Branch Personnel Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278) in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. You will serve a one-year probationary period unless you have previously completed the probationary period in the SES. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration).

Qualifications and evaluation

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (MTQ) listed above. ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have his/her executive qualifications certified by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment to this position. The selected individual's application will be forwarded to the OPM for review and certification by the QRB through a Structured Interview process, unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES, OPM QRB certified SESCDP graduate, or SES reinstatement eligible). Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES, go to https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/.

Education

**TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE PROVIDED** Operations Research Series 1515 Individual Occupational Requirements Basic Requirements: Degree: in operations research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1500/operations-research-series-1515/

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete this application and submit any required documents specified in the Required Documents section and submit by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select and upload your résumé and/or other required documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume and other required documents) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed, and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages.

Required documents

A complete application includes items described below. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible). Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants. 1. RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages showing all relevant experience. Your resume must address your technical and executive core qualifications for the position, and it may not exceed two (2) pages. Your 2-page (or less) resume must be in PDF format, with no smaller than a 1" margin and no smaller than a 10-point font. If you submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit and/or does not meet the margin or font limitations stated herein, you will immediately be deemed ineligible for this position and will receive no further consideration. 2. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: CURRENT OR FORMER SES MEMBERS: Must provide your SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility. SES CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SESCDP) GRADUATES: Verification of successful completion of an OPM-approved SESCDP and OPM SES QRB certification. CURRENT FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE: Must provide a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting you are a current Federal Civil Service employee. 3. COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS: Must provide a copy of transcripts in your application package. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the transcripts from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency. If selected, an official/sealed transcript may be required prior to appointment. DO NOT SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Extraneous materials such as award certificates will not be considered.

Additional information

DoW Joint Enterprise-Wide Experience Statement: In addition, DoW requires an Enterprise Perspective. This individual must have the ability to apply a broad point of view and an awareness and understanding of individual or organizational responsibilities in relation to DoW or government-wide strategic priorities is required. Executives must demonstrate ability to work with internal and external partners to support national security objectives. This perspective is typically gained through a variety of diverse work experiences. This information should be embedded within the resume. Veterans preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service. Applications MUST be submitted through USAJobs. Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions members may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement. Tiering: The Office of the Secretary of War structures its SES positions into tiers to determine the pay range for each position. The categories are based on the position scope, breadth, functions, and placement within the structure of organizational levels across the Department. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Submit resume and all other required documents online by 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on 08/07/2026