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Deputy Director Concepts Development and Management with Security Clearance

Department of DefenseFort Washington, MD🇺🇸United StatesPosted Sep 25, 2026

Why This Role Stands Out

This leadership role at the Department of Defense offers a unique opportunity to shape critical intelligence initiatives and drive innovation, with significant potential for career growth and impact. You'll thrive here if you possess strong strategic thinking, program management skills, and a desire to influence national security policy, all within a collaborative hybrid environment.

Quick Overview

Seniority
Leader
Employment type
Employee
Work mode
Hybrid
Location
Fort Washington, MD, United States
Posted
20 hours ago

Job Description

Duties As the Deputy Director, CDM, the incumbent provides essential guidance to the CDM Director on Department of War (DoW) and Department of the Air Force (DAF) intelligence plans, programs, and fiscal activities. This role involves maintaining an innovative and collaborative culture. It also involves conducting comprehensive program reviews, establishing strong program management, monitoring the implementation of approved programs, and delivering key policy recommendations to senior leadership. In addition, it requires the incumbent to identify, articulate and mitigate risks.

The Deputy Director is instrumental in making strategic recommendations on program tradeoffs, systems integration, architecture consolidation, and operational methodologies. A key function is to identify and recommend the elimination of redundant and costly duplications, ensuring that strategic and tactical systems operations are both responsive and efficient. The incumbent advises on and directs the exploration and application of emerging technologies and advanced analytic tools to support the broader Defense Intelligence Enterprise.

The Deputy Director, prepares and delivers critical justifications and presentations to a wide range of stakeholders, including the Director of Competitive Activities, the Secretary of the Air Force, the Under Secretary of War for Intelligence & Security (USD(I&S)), the national intelligence community, and the U.S. Congress. The Deputy Director fosters research and development, promotes robust coordination across the DoD, Air Force, and other Federal Agencies, and represents the Director in various inter-agency forums.

This position requires synthesizing the technical, systematic, and resource aspects of complex programs, navigating competing interests, and employing persuasive techniques to advance national and DoD policies while ensuring equal employment opportunity is upheld within the organization. Requirements Conditions of employment

  • U.S. citizenship is required
  • Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov
  • Disclosure of Political Appointments
  • Mobility is a condition of employment and appointment for DISES members will be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligations Agreement
  • Selected candidate must file a Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 278) in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978
  • Position has been designated Critical-Sensitive and the selectee must have or be able to obtain a Top Secret clearance
  • Drug testing designated position. The incumbent is subject to random testing for drug use IAW Exec. Order 12564, dated 14 Sep 86. Position requires that the incumbent sign a Drug Testing letter and pass urinalysis testing prior to appointment.
  • Position requires travel under conditions specified in the DoD Joint Travel Regulations. Incumbent is expected to travel on short notice to attend high-level meetings.
  • Position may require incumbent to be available for other than normal duty hours to include weekends to support exercises and crisis planning.
  • An initial DISES career appointment becomes final only after the individual successfully completes a 1-year probationary period.
  • Attendance to the Air Force's Senior Leader Orientation Course (SLOC) is generally required within 12 months of appointment, subject to course availability.
  • Position may be subject to the post-government employment restrictions of Sections 207(a) and (f) of Title 18, United States Code.
  • Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants.

Qualifications Eligibility will be based upon a clear showing the applicant has training, education and experience of the scope and quality sufficient to effectively carry-out the duties of the position. Candidates must exemplify the corporate perspective, leadership vision, broad experience and character needed in the SES corps not only to satisfy the immediate vacancy, but future vacancies which will occur in a variety of organizations, functions and locations.

In accordance with new OPM requirements to streamline Senior Executive Service (SES) hiring, applicants are no longer required to submit lengthy narrative essays, including those for Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or Mandatory Technical Qualifications (TQs), when applying. Instead, the initial application will be resume-only, capped at two pages. This change streamlines the application process and more closely aligns with private industry practices.

Applicants identified for potential selection will have their ECQs assessed by undergoing a structured interview with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB). To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) related to this position within your resume (not to exceed 2 pages). Resumes over the 2-page limit will be disqualified.

Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that satisfy the technical qualifications.

TQ1: Demonstrates technical expertise in leading concept exploration and solution discovery methodologies to address complex, Defense-wide national security challenges. This includes the technical capability to evaluate emerging technologies (e.g., advanced analytics, AI, next-generation computing) and strategically align them into formal project and program structures that meet DAF competitive activities requirements within Intelligence and Special Access Program (SAP) portfolios.

TQ2: Demonstrates proven ability to translate strategic policy goals from senior leaders (SECDEF, DEPSECDEF, SAF, USAF, USD(I&S), SAF/OC) into actionable program guidance and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, coupled with the ability to proactively identify challenges, develop innovative solutions, and effectively manage the development and implementation of major intelligence programs, considering the broad impact on national security and international partnerships.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): All new appointees to the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the five mandatory ECQs: ECQ 1. Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: Demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. ECQ 2.

Driving Efficiency: Demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. ECQ 3.

Merit and Competence: Demonstrated knowledge, ability, and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. ECQ 4.

Leading People: Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable. ECQ 5.

Achieving Results: Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. The ideal candidate will possess experience in the following areas:

  • Extensive experience managing DoD and DAF intelligence plans, programs, and fiscal activities.
  • Extensive experience in the development and application of emerging technologies and advanced analytic tools for the Defense Intelligence Enterprise.
  • Demostrated ability to lead innovative teams, quantify risk and create a culture of experimentation/innovation.
  • Extensive experience preparing and justifying intelligence programs to senior DoD, Intelligence Community, and Congressional stakeholders.

Education Education: A master's or advanced degree from an accredited institution is highly desired. An undergraduate technical degree or an advanced degree in either a technical or management field is highly desired. Additional information Veterans' Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to the DISES.

Relocation Authorized: Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is authorized in accordance with the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR).

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: May be offered. Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click for more information.

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit. is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click .

Tax Law Impact for PCS: On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law 115-97 - the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017" suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit GSA Bulletin FTR 20-04 for additional information. If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click .

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