Job at a glance
About the role This position provides expert-level policy and program analysis to the federal staff of the OASW Training and Education Section at the Department of War. The Program Analyst will be responsible for assisting the government in the oversight of the entire SOF training enterprise. The portfolio is split evenly, with approximately 50% of the duties focused on the Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture (LREC) program and 50% focused on other SOF training policy matters, including statutory proponent areas (e.g., IW, CA, MISO), certification standards and training infrastructure/ranges.
We are seeking a seasoned SOF professional with direct, hands-on experience navigating the formal DoW headquarters environment. The ideal candidate is a proactive self-starter who can immediately distinguish between Secretariat oversight and Component execution, analyze complex capability requirements, and manage competing priorities in a high-tempo setting. What you'll do Internal Policy and Staffing Support (Primary Function): Assist in drafting, reviewing, and editing formal DoW policy documents, including DoW Instructions (DoDIs), Directives, and Memoranda related to SOF training.
Prepare and organize formal "staffing packages" for review and decision by senior OSW officials, ensuring all required documents and analyses are complete and correctly formatted. Support the coordination and adjudication of comments on draft policies with other OSW offices, the Joint Staff, the military departments, and USSOCOM. Proactively monitor the military services for changes to their training policies, analyze the potential impact on SOF, and provide concise summary reports to the government staff.
Congressional, GAO and Legislative Advocacy: Assist federal staff in drafting and preparing formal responses to Congressional Requests for Information (RFIs) concerning SOF training and LREC programs. Gather, collate, and verify data from across the DoW enterprise required to build accurate and complete RFI responses for government approval. Assist in developing background papers, "one-pagers" and briefing materials for senior leaders in preparation for Congressional engagements and budget advocacy.
Strategic Analytical Deep-Dives: Conduct programmatic reviews of SOF individual training certification standards and requirements to ensure alignment with National Defense Strategy (NDS). Analyze the strategic health and modernization requirements of SOF-peculiar training ranges and infrastructure to support Secretariat-level resourcing decisions. Assist government leads in synchronizing Irregular Warfare (IW) training efforts across the disparate enterprise entities.
Attend high-level policy meetings to capture detailed notes and track action items for government personnel. Qualifications Required Experience: SOF Background: Minimum of 10 years of experience within the Special Operations community (Operator, SOF Staff Officer, or SOF-focused Civil Servant). Must be intimately familiar with SOF training pipelines, culture, and the "SOF Truths". Headquarters Experience: Minimum of 5-7 years of experience supporting the Department of War, with at least 3 years of that experience working within a headquarters environment (e.g., OSW, the Joint Staff, a Service Headquarters).
Staffing Mastery: Demonstrated, hands-on experience with the formal DoW staffing process and official correspondence protocols. Strategic Writing: Proven ability to translate complex, tactical SOF training challenges into formal, executive-level government policy documents or briefing materials. Security Clearance: Must possess an active TOP SECRET security clearance. Preferred Experience: Specific experience supporting responses to GAO audits or Congressional inquiries.
Experience with formal task management systems (e.g., CATMS) Education: Bachelor's Degree required. A degree in Public Policy, Government, National Security Studies, or a similar field is highly relevant. The target pay r