Department Manager for the Acquisition Studies

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The OSD Division (N220) is seeking a talented and experienced leader to serve as the Department Manager for the Acquisition Studies & Analysis Department (N221).

N221 is a diverse group of mission engineers, defense acquisition experts, operations research / system analysts, cybersecurity professionals, and communication systems engineers– all with a united passion to solve problems for a safer world. We’re experienced professionals who advise senior leaders and decision-makers across the national security enterprise. Our evidence-based work garners visibility and provokes thought and action. We’re team players who build partnerships across government, industry, academia, and research centers. And above all - we bring objectivity, innovation, courage, and technical excellence to help our sponsors make the right decision.

The Department is based at the MITRE McLean campus and has technical staff located in McLean, Bedford, and a few MITRE sites. The Department work programs focus on providing high quality technical and engineering support and establishing trusted advisor relationships to senior sponsors within the OUSD(A&S), OUSD(Policy), CAPE, and DTRA work programs.

The selected candidate will be responsible for setting the technical direction of the Department's work program portfolio, strategically shaping and executing the work programs, growing a diverse team of world-class technical and engineering talent, fostering a culture of connection and belonging among department staff, and building collaborative relationships across the sponsor community, MITRE, industry, and academia.

As DM, the candidate will be accountable to the N220 Managing Director for all aspects of the sponsor-facing and internal department operations. In addition, the DM will coordinate and integrate efforts closely with partner DMs and MDs in the Service and Intelligence Centers and Divisions.

Job Responsibilities:

• Implement a coordinated strategy for MITRE support to A&S with emphasis supporting decisions associated with Acquisition and Sustainment.
• Guide and be accountable for all aspects of project and department performance, including staff selection, technical quality, programmatic support, and budgetary development/execution and are supported by their management.
• Establish goals and communicating clear expectations and guidance that contribute to highest priority sponsor outcomes
• Be responsible for delivering impact in terms of both division objectives and sponsor mission outcomes.
• Collaborate with the Service Component and Intelligence DMs and/or MDs to integrate efforts across Joint & Services, Air Force, and Intelligence programs, and to align associated division and center priorities towards MNS Cross Cutting Outcomes, J&S Big Lifts, and the OSD Work Program Strategy
• Collaborate with MNS Priority Outcome Leads and bridge direct work impact to these outcomes
• Develop and nurture relationships with senior leaders in sponsor organizations (new and existing) – with the goal of serving as trusted advisor and guiding the respective work programs to achieve strategic goals established in concert with these leaders
• Develop and grow the department workforce talent to support the work program and cross-division needs. Evolve and shape the team in coordination with MITRE labs and other resource organizations to provide effective skill mix to address sponsor outcomes.
• Develop and grow the next generation of leadership: thought leaders, project leaders, and people leaders.
• Hire, develop, and shape the required skills, capabilities, and diversity of the department’s workforce.
• Foster an environment of connection and belonging, with a focus on inclusion and diversity
• Ensure delivery of regular, constructive feedback and developmental support to Project Leaders, Group Leaders, and supporting admin / security staff members. Ensure the department staff performance and compensation management activities arefair and transparent.
• Lead by example: be the exemplary model of MITRE’s Cultural / Behavioral Attributes: Speed, Risk Taking, Adaptability, Grace and Respect, and Collaboration.

Basic Requirements:

• A Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, or equivalent and 12+ years of related experience, or 10 years and a Master’s Degree, or PhD with 7 years of experience, or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• Active Secret Clearance with the ability to maintain a DoD Top Secret clearance with access to Secure Compartmented Information (TS/SCI).
• Technical background in one or more disciplines of relevance to our A&S, CAPE, and DTRA sponsors; acquisition, enterprise systems engineering, C4I, cyber security, information technology, communications, sensors, and capability integration at the enterprise/dept of defense level
• Proven experience engaging senior sponsors with successful impacts and outcomes, and establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships
• Established track record in leading the delivery of data-driven technical products with the military warfighting domain, resulting in positive mission impact.
• Demonstrated ability to take risk and lead work with partial insights, and operate effectively autonomously
• Demonstrated ability to build collaboration across organizational units.
• Experience in hiring and growing exceptional technical staff and teams.
• Experience managing large technically diverse team
• Demonstrates collaboration and communication skills to support individual, team, and customer-related interaction.
• Possess excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Consistent track record of generating relevant, impactful product deliverables (including definition, completion, and technical quality), in both an individual contributor and team setting.
• A desire to continually learn and master new concepts and technologies.
• Strong critical thinking, analytic, and problem-solving skills – comfortable working in dynamic settings where task objectives may evolve or need to be shaped, or creative solutions to task impediments must be identified.
• Excellent interpersonal and technical communication skills, with the ability to write technical reports, present briefings, and persuasively speak to audiences of all backgrounds, including executives or senior customers.
• Demonstrated ability to work in an interdisciplinary team environment, establish and leverage a diverse professional network, and integrate contributions from a variety of resources (people, tools, organizations).
• This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week onsit

PreferredQualifications:

• An advanced degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, natural/applied sciences, cyber security, or data sciences.
• Current/Active TS/SCI Clearance.
• Ability to frequently (multiple times in the week) engage in person at site and sponsor locations (CONUS) on a regular basis. The majority of OSD portfolio sponsors are in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area.
• Previous Department Manager, Project Leader, or Group Leader experience
• Demonstrated MITRE project and people leadership experience.
• Prior experience developing or assessing DoD systems or operations, reflected by:
  • Working knowledge of OSD or other DoD organizations, missions, roles/responsibilities, and relationships.

• Demonstrated experience leading analytical/assessment efforts and yielding impactful results at high levels of government and/or industry.
• Understanding of portfolio management principles or techniques, demonstrating an ability to conduct effective tradeoff analysis of cost, schedule, and performance impacts to develop and prioritize recommendations.
• Specific familiarity working within DoD acquisition, requirements, or resourcing processes – i.e.,
  • Defense Acquisition System (DAS)
  • Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS)
  • Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE)
• Strong grasp of the relevant capabilities, processes, missions, and challenges of one or more of the following domain areas:
  • CJADC2, Joint Command and Control, and/or the Joint Fires Architecture (JFA)
  • Contested Logistics
  • Non-Traditional Data
  • Integrated Deterrence
  • Counter C5ISR-T
  • Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (JEMSO)
  • Nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3)
  • Cyber resiliency of weapon systems and/or critical infrastructure
• Prior experience developing or assessing DoD systems or operations, reflected by:
  • Working knowledge of OSD or other DoD organizations, missions, roles/responsibilities, and relationships.

Our culture is a tangible asset that endures through our people and leaders. At MITRE, our leaders must also demonstrate and continually develop a consistent set of shared Leadership Competencies:

• Lead with a Strategic Mindset: Drives alignment across MITRE to achieve our mission by engaging across and beyond the enterprise, making and executing decisions, and activating the Good Growth Strategy.

• Create Value: Takes a broad approach to solving complex problems using a national and global lens. Unleashes the full capabilities of our people in a relentless pursuit of innovative solutions that are scalable, equitable, transferable, and sustainable.

• Cultivate Inclusion: Creates an environment and opportunities, built on trust, where people can be their whole authentic self, feeling welcomed, supported, engaged, and respected for who they are and what they contribute to the organization. Embraces and engages all dimensions of diversity to exponentially expand MITRE’s impact in solving problems for a safer world.

• Communicate for Impact: Conveys powerful messages tailored to the unique needs of stakeholders—and desired outcomes—in a style that engages and inspires action. Exemplifies active listening to foster collaboration, understanding, and alignment.

• Commit to Action and Outcomes: Holds self and others accountable for acting on and achieving established objectives. Exemplifies cultural attributes while executing and delivering impactful outcomes.

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):

This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):

Work Location Type:

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