Executive Officer (SME) (China Expert) in Arlington, Virginia at Federated IT

About Bridge Defense. Bridge Defense is redefining how modern defense technology is delivered. Based in Washington, D.C., we are built for the dynamic mission environment facing the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, and federal law enforcement agencies. We provide full-spectrum national security solutions that combine secure infrastructure, cleared talent, and mission-ready software to meet evolving defense challenges. Our services include secure software development in classified environments and the design and implementation of advanced IT and cybersecurity capabilities ranging from secure cloud architectures and enterprise infrastructure to data center operations, scientific analysis, and cutting-edge cyber defense.

We are led by technologists and veterans with firsthand mission experience, which enables us to understand both the operational realities and the innovation needed to succeed. Our approach is agile and outcome-based, delivering results in weeks rather than months whenever possible.

At Bridge Defense we value people, integrity, and excellence. We foster an environment where innovation thrives in support of traditional mission requirements. Our team members receive competitive compensation, robust benefits, professional development and certification opportunities, and clear paths for growth while working on the nation’s most critical projects.

Core Values:

• Innovation & Responsiveness: We push beyond legacy models with efficient, tech-led solutions built to scale and evolve.
• Trusted Performance: Security, compliance, and deep experience in delivering to demanding environments guides all we do.
• Mission Focused Expertise: From veteran leadership to cleared engineers, our people understand both the technology and the mission.

Summary:

The Executive Officer (XO) SME supports the OSW/OUSD I&S (CADI)/H&SA – Irregular Warfare Division with integration of strategy, plans, and policy in support of priority Department and Administration national security issues. The XO SME analyzes defense strategies, policies, and directives to support decision making with regard to global economics, and geopolitical trends – particularly those involving China. The position requires experience in developing recommendations and action plans to support Department priority strategic challenges by tapping into their Intelligence and Operational planning background.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Analyzes and advises on defense strategies, policies, and directives to support decision-making, conducting research and collecting data on national security and defense issues – especially as they relate to China Defense Industry, Economics, and military doctrine.
• Consult on individual and others’ research, evaluations, studies, analyses, scenarios/simulations, reports, business policy and regulation development assistance, and strategy formulation.
• Develops recommendations and action plans to address strategic challenges.
• Drafts reports, briefings, and presentations on defense strategy and policy issues.
• Monitors and assesses the impact of policy changes on defense operations.
• Collaborates with government agencies, defense organizations, and stakeholders on policy matters.
• Provides support for strategy formulation of long-term strategic plans and national defense objectives.
• Keeps abreast of geopolitical developments and emerging security threats in area of expertise.
• Stays familiar with defense policy and security strategy documents.
• Evaluates and advises on Risk and defense policy effectiveness.
• Creates actionable information activities intelligence (e.g., military intelligence analysis) across the various intelligence disciplines/domains or scientific and technical intelligence; or, within the business, competitive, and market intelligence domains.
• Assists with the development of long-term strategic plans and national defense objectives, while keeping abreast of geopolitical developments and emerging security threats.

Required Qualifications, Education, and Experience:

• Active/Current Top Secret/SCI clearance
• MA/MS in National Security, Geopolitics, International Studies or related field (or a BA/BS and an additional 6 years of work-related experience)
• Minimum of 15 years of work-related experience.
• Of those 15 years, at least 10 years supporting a component of DoD.
• Experience in using analytical methods and tools to evaluate defense policy effectiveness.
• Understanding of international relations, diplomacy, and military alliances in the context of defense strategy, and most important as it relates to China.
• Intelligence, or Intelligence Community Support background.
• Strong writing and presentation skills for communicating complex policy topics to diverse audiences, both internally and externally.
• Experience working with classified and sensitive information while adhering to security protocols and clearance requirements.

Desired Qualifications, Education, and Experience:

• Experience working on Defense level policy.
• Knowledge of defense acquisition and procurement processes.
• Familiarity with defense budgeting and resource allocation principles.
• Ability to conduct scenario planning and risk assessment for strategic planning purposes
• Can hit the ground running on various efforts.

The Successful Candidate will Possess:

• Prospective candidates should have strong risk management skills, excellent communication, teamwork, and conflict management skills.
• The candidate must be analytical and effectively able to prioritize needs, requirements, and other issues.
• Ability to communicate and interact effectively at all levels of staff and management.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment, develop relationships, and obtain consensus among interested parties.
• Critical thinker with strong technical skills, diagnostic skills and problem-solving ability.
• Solid written and verbal communication skills to negotiate direction, drive projects and projects to successful conclusion and deliver knowledge to team members verbally and via clear designs, runbooks and technical engineering and exchange sessions.
• Self-starter, flexible, adaptable, collaborative and motivated to champion continuous improvement.
• Ability to develop peer networks across an enterprise to maintain technology awareness and to support resolution of problems.
• Ability to operate across traditional technical boundaries, comfortable working in the compute space as well as the storage space in an operational capacity.
• Technically curious and driven to learn new skills.

General Factors:

• Depending on project requirements, may be required to work within a compressed schedule; overtime should be expected when schedules demand it.
• Willing to travel, if needed.
• No Relocation.