Nuclear Budget Analyst

Location: Arlington, VA (onsite at the Pentagon). Occasional travel (10%).

About the role

SAIC is seeking an experienced Senior Analyst – Nuclear Budget and Policy to provide mission-critical expertise to the Headquarters Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration. This role supports financial planning, programmatic support, and policy analysis for the Nuclear Command, Control, and Communication (NC3) Division (AF/A10XN).

Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive financial exhibits and program status reports to support the effective management of NC3 portfolios, ensuring alignment with mission priorities and funding directives.
• Draft budget justifications and advocacy materials for use in internal programming, the Budget Program Objective Memorandum (POM) cycle, and congressional budget reviews to secure resources for NC3 programs.
• Conduct detailed program and budget analysis throughout all phases of the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process. Deliver recommendations to optimize funding allocation and strategic outcomes.
• Coordinate organizational input across Headquarters Air Force (HAF), Combatant Commands, Joint Staff, and other relevant stakeholders, facilitating clear communication and achieving unified results in budget and policy decisions.
• Lead the development and delivery of insightful financial briefings, high-quality point papers, programmatic overviews, and decision-support materials.
• Serve as a trusted technical advocate for Headquarters Air Force policies in budgeting, programming, and nuclear governance forums, including technical working groups and strategic leadership engagements.

Requirements

• Active Top-Secret Clearance (TS/SCI eligibility required).
• Proven expertise in the Department of the Air Force (DAF) organizational structure, policies, and strategic deterrence/nuclear integration operations.
• Extensive experience working with the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process, including expertise in interacting with the Department of the Air Force and Joint Staff.
• Strong understanding of Department of War (DoW) financial management systems, Program Objective Memorandum (POM) cycles, and federal appropriations and budgetary processes.
• Proficiency with collaboration platforms (e.g., Microsoft SharePoint) and task management tools (e.g., TMT, CATMS).
• Exceptional communication and technical writing skills, with the ability to convey complex budget and policy concepts in both technical and non-technical terms.
• Bachelor’s Degree and ten (10) years or more of relevant experience, or a Master’s Degree and eight (8) years in successfully executing programmatic responsibilities related to defense funding and policy analysis.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of current NC3 modernization efforts and associated governance structures.
• Proficiency in policy development, resource advocacy, and regulatory compliance monitoring within the Office of the Secretary of War (OSW) or other federal agencies.
• Effective leadership and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate with cross-organizational teams and foster stakeholder engagement.
• Advanced degree in a relevant field (e.g., Public Policy, National Security Studies, Defense Economics, or similar disciplines).

Pay

Target salary range: $120,001 – $160,000.