Strategic Planning Manager
Why Join Our Team?
With a mission that spans the globe, the USO provides a rewarding and fulfilling work environment. Our team is exceptional, and we offer generous paid time off, including volunteer days and military leave. We have a remarkable 401k match, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for training and education reimbursement. Our team members are passionate about putting the mission first, and we have a lot of fun while doing it. Working for the USO isn't just a job – it's a calling, and we believe in doing what you love and loving what you do.
Job Specifications
5+ years of directly related experience.
Bachelor’s degree required (nonprofit management, business administration, strategic management, program management, or related field preferred).
Advanced degree in related field or relevant professional certification preferred.
Strong structured problem-solving and analytical thinking.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong organizational and project management capabilities.
High attention to detail and quality of output.
Highly self-directed and proactive.
Strong judgment and prioritization skills.
Comfortable preparing materials and information for review by senior leaders.
Effective collaborator across functions and teams.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Support the development of the USO’s enterprise strategic plan, including research, analysis, and synthesis of inputs.
Help organize cross-functional inputs into clear summaries, themes, and draft recommendations for review by leadership.
Prepare draft materials, including executive briefings, board and committee materials, strategy documents, and presentations, for review and refinement by the VP of SIPMO.
Identify key themes, trade-offs, and decision points within strategy work.
Conduct research and analysis to support strategic priorities, program design decisions, and enterprise tradeoff discussions.
Clarify ambiguous problems by organizing information, identifying options, and outlining actionable next steps for review.
Assist with research, analysis, and drafting to support business cases for major initiatives.
Track progress, identify risks, and escalate issues as needed.
Ensure alignment between strategy, execution, and operational realities.
Contribute to development of initiative charters, workplans, and deliverables.
Partner with leaders across Mission Delivery, Development, Finance, IT, and other functions.
Facilitate alignment across stakeholders and ensure inputs are incorporated into strategy work.
Support structured engagement processes (e.g., leadership sessions, working groups, interviews).
Develop high-quality, executive-ready materials to support Senior leadership meetings, Board and committee briefings, Strategic updates and communications.
Ensure materials are clear, concise, and decision-oriented.
Support the VP of SIPMO in establishing and maintaining the operating cadence for strategy and execution, including Weekly workstream tracking, Progress reporting, Key meetings and decision forums.
Help ensure follow-through on action items and commitments across workstreams.
Support high-priority, time-sensitive strategic initiatives led by executive leadership.
Conduct rapid analysis and develop recommendations under tight timelines.
Contribute to CEO-level materials and decision support as needed.
Location
This is an in-person position located in Arlington, VA.
Compensation
The anticipated base salary range for this role is $84,000-$110,000. Compensation is determined based on several factors including geographic location, relevant experience, specialized skills, certifications, and overall alignment with the position requirements. Our compensation practices are designed to ensure market competitiveness and internal equity across roles and levels.