Operational Planning and Posture SME

Responsibilities

• Provide subject matter expertise supporting deliberate planning and posture planning integration activities across operational and campaign planning efforts.
• Develop and maintain planning-support standards, templates, quality control processes, staffing procedures, and version-control practices for operational planning activities.
• Advise government leadership on complex planning-support approaches, staffing coordination strategies, integration methods, and operational decision-support processes.
• Conduct senior-level technical reviews of briefing materials, information papers, operational plans, and senior leader products to ensure clarity, consistency, accuracy, and decision-readiness.
• Analyze and resolve complex planning integration challenges involving conflicting guidance, incomplete information, competing priorities, and operational risk considerations.
• Translate operational guidance, policy updates, and strategic direction into actionable planning recommendations and posture planning considerations.
• Mentor and guide planning personnel regarding staff writing, planning coordination, editorial standards, and product quality expectations.
• Support Operational Planning Teams (OPTs), working groups, and planning forums by strengthening analytical framing, operational narratives, and decision-support criteria.
• Assess planning workflows, staffing processes, and operational coordination procedures to identify opportunities for process improvement and reduced rework.
• Support operational synchronization efforts across headquarters staff elements, subordinate commands, joint stakeholders, and mission partners.
• Assist with development and refinement of planning methodologies, operational documentation standards, and planning-support best practices.
• Participate in planning conferences, operational assessments, exercises, and senior-level planning discussions in support of mission objectives.
• Provide expert review and feedback on operational planning documentation prior to leadership approval and release.
• Perform additional duties as assigned in support of mission requirements.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Military Studies, Strategic Studies, National Security, International Relations, Public Policy, Operations Research, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Active TS/SCI Clearance.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience supporting joint, service-level, or combatant command operational planning and senior leader decision-support activities.
• Demonstrated experience supporting Joint Planning and Execution Community (JPEC) planning forums and operational staffing processes.
• Extensive knowledge and practical application experience with the Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP) and Joint Planning Process (JPP).
• Demonstrated expertise developing, reviewing, editing, and coordinating operational planning products and senior leader briefing materials.
• Experience establishing or enforcing planning standards, staffing procedures, and operational documentation quality controls.
• Strong analytical, organizational, writing, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and provide expert-level guidance in complex operational planning environments.
• Completion of career-level and intermediate-level professional military education or equivalent service school programs.
• Ability to obtain and maintain required security access and eligibility requirements.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced operational planning education or joint operational planning coursework.
• Completion of senior-level professional military education programs or war college equivalents.
• Experience supporting USINDOPACOM, MARFORPAC, Headquarters Marine Corps, combatant commands, service component headquarters, or Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters.
• Doctoral degree in a relevant discipline.
• Experience supporting posture planning, campaign planning, or operational synchronization initiatives.
• Prior military experience in operational planning, strategy, plans, or operations specialties.
• Professional certifications related to operational planning, program management, or organizational leadership.

Skills And Competencies

• Deep understanding of deliberate planning support and posture planning integration processes.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving capabilities in complex operational environments.
• Expert-level writing, editing, and planning product quality assurance skills.
• Ability to provide senior-level advisory support and influence stakeholders across multiple organizations.
• Strong organizational awareness and operational integration skills.
• Ability to evaluate complex planning issues and recommend practical, mission-focused solutions.
• Experience improving planning workflows, staffing procedures, and operational coordination processes.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform repetitive motions with the hands, wrists, and fingers.
• Ability to engage in and follow audible communications in emergency situations.
• Ability to sit for prolonged periods at a desk and working on a computer.