Senior Congressional Affairs SME

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) delivers high-impact, technical solutions to complex national security issues. With over 50 years of business expertise and consistent growth, we are known for continuous innovation for our government customers, in both the US and abroad. Our exceptionally talented team is highly collaborative in spirit and practice, producing Results that Matter. Come work with the best! We offer opportunity, unique challenges, and clear-sighted commitment to the mission. Objective. Responsive. Trusted.

SPA’s Sea Land Air (SLA) Division supports a diverse portfolio of national security government clients, including the Undersea Enterprise, the Navy Surface Community, the Navy MPTE Enterprise, the Air Force, Army, DoD Agencies, DARPA, international clients including the Canadian Navy and Australian Defence Force.  Our primary objective is to provide timely, objective and analytic assessments that integrate the policy, operational, technical, programmatic and acquisition aspects of our clients’ challenges.

Leveraging both in-domain and cross-domain expertise to maximize our clients’ success, SLA Division acts as trusted agents to senior decision-makers and key leaders and excels at providing data driven analytic insights, systems engineering, strategies and plans that address current and emerging challenges to national security.

Within the SLA Division, Integrated Warfare Systems Group (IWSG) comprises more than 80 staff that provide program and project management, systems and digital engineering, software, test & evaluation, logistics, cybersecurity, international/Foreign Military Sales, strategic communications, and IT support to more than 40 programs and projects in the Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems, Above Water Sensors Directorate (PEO IWS 2.0) and customers in Naval Surface Warfare Dahlgren Division’s Integrated Combat System department, Office of Naval Research, and the Navy’s Team SUBS office.

SPA’s IWS Group office is located at 20 M Street in Southeast DC, conveniently down the street from our clients at the Washington Navy Yard.  Full time or Part time work is available. #MC

The successful candidate will support the Strategic Communications team within the Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS) Directorate. Specific responsibilities will include:

• Provide unique insight on effective Congressional engagement, especially recommendations for specific legislative language and priorities to advance PEO IWS strategic initiatives, identification of nuanced impediments to messaging and engagement in Congress, DoD, and industry, and identification of strategic engagement and stakeholder analysis opportunities;
• Consultation on technical assessment and resource analysis development support for critical PEO IWS programs, objectives, and priorities and effective alignment to House Appropriations Committee (HAC), House Armed Services Committee (HASC), Senate Appropriations Committee (SAC), and Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) policy and programmatic guidance as they relate to appropriations, funding realignment, and PEO IWS systems procurement; and
• Identification of overlooked funding sources and authorities and creation of briefs and engagement plans to provide PEO IWS with analysis and execution of advantageous stakeholder introductions and relationship development to better inform budget requests and proposals, provide insight on Congressional sentiment of PEO IWS program priorities, and avoid budgeting risks and pitfalls.

This position is open to fully remote employees, although some travel to the Washington, DC Metropolitan area is expected.

Required Qualifications

• 15+ years experience in Congressional budgeting and procurement processes, development, and oversight;
• Demonstrated expert experience in strategic communications, targeted messaging development, funding proposal development, and key stakeholder engagement;
• Demonstrated expert understanding of Department of Defense fiscal and resource priorities, processes, and strategies as they relate to acquisition of complex programs and initiatives;
• DoD SECRET clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with other related Government and Government-adjacent stakeholders (e.g. White House Office of Management and Budget, non-profit public policy organizations / think tanks, and Fortune 500 defense contractors) highly desired
• Masters Degree in a technical/STEM field