Associate Director, Defense Programs (Army)

RTX • Wilson, VA

9h • Onsite

About The Position

RTX is seeking an Associate Director, Defense Programs, to join its corporate Global Government Relations (GGR) team. The role drives strategic planning and execution of GGR internal and external processes and partners with business unit leaders to advance unified solutions. It provides strategic, analytical, and procedural leadership to improve collaboration among government relations, business unit programs and business development functions, and corporate partners. The position supports GGR portfolios covering the Office of the Secretary of War, Joint Staff, and Army.

The successful candidate will bring aerospace and defense expertise and an established external network within the Pentagon and the broader Department of Defense. The role serves as a trusted advisor and thought leader, and may directly engage senior Pentagon leaders and executive stakeholders when senior leadership is unavailable. The position is onsite in Arlington, Virginia, and requires U.S. citizenship and an active, transferable DoD Top Secret/SCI security clearance before starting.

The role is responsible for governance and planning, aligning priorities across business units, maintaining stakeholder communications, and preparing briefs and other materials for senior leaders. It also partners across GGR and RTX business units to assess political, legislative, and regulatory changes, address policy hurdles, and advance business priorities. The Associate Director represents RTX in Pentagon and legislative affairs engagements, contributes to public policy discussions with industry associations and think tanks, and leads cross-functional special projects and strategic initiatives.

The salary range is $157,200–$298,800. The position may be eligible for relocation and incentive compensation. RTX offers benefits that may include medical, dental, and vision insurance; vacation and paid time off; a 401(k) plan with employer contributions; tuition reimbursement; student loan repayment; insurance and disability coverage; parental and adoption benefits; wellness and employee assistance programs; and other benefits. Specific benefits depend on the business unit and applicable employment terms.

Requirements

• Typically, a university degree and at least 12 years of relevant experience; or an advanced degree in a related field and at least 10 years of experience; or, without a degree, 16 years of relevant experience.
• Relevant experience in aerospace and defense, military service, Department of Defense civil service, legislative affairs, or corporate government relations.
• Demonstrated experience working within or closely alongside the Pentagon, such as the Joint Staff, Service Staff, Office of the Secretary of Defense, or Defense Agencies.
• Practical knowledge of policy, requirements, and budget processes, including PPBE and FAR/DFARS.
• Strong knowledge of and active engagement with Pentagon decision-makers, industry associations, think tanks, and other non-government nonprofit organizations.
• Ability to communicate complex materials, including military doctrine, executive orders, and regulatory and legislative language.
• Active Top Secret security clearance; the posting specifies an active and transferable U.S. government clearance and U.S. citizenship.
• Strategic thinking and ability to connect operational planning to long-term organizational strategy, synthesize input from multiple business units, and translate it into structured initiatives.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build trust, influence without direct authority, and engage regularly with executive leadership.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and navigate ambiguity.
• Self-motivation and a results-driven approach, using cross-functional networks to solve problems with urgency.
• Strong communication, organizational, detail-orientation, and customer-focus skills.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree.
• Extensive active external network within the Pentagon and broader Department of Defense.
• Experience engaging senior Pentagon leaders and executive stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead operations and strategic planning that promote engagement and information sharing across business units and corporate functions.
• Work with executive leadership to develop and manage agendas, follow up on action items, and track progress through key metrics.
• Build relationships across RTX and its business units, surface cross-business opportunities, align customer messaging, and connect related campaigns and programs.
• Lead processes to establish, refine, and execute joint strategic priorities.
• Communicate with internal and external GGR stakeholders and foster timely, transparent communication across participating business units.
• Prepare briefs, reports, and presentation decks for senior leadership engagements.
• Partner across GGR and business units to assess political, legislative, and regulatory changes; address policy hurdles; evaluate operational impacts; and drive unified solutions.
• Assess internal and external dynamics to identify opportunities to strengthen enterprise collaboration and remove barriers to joint execution.
• Represent RTX at policy and regulatory meetings, engage senior leaders, and serve as an executive proxy in high-level engagements as needed.
• Engage with industry associations and think tanks to inform and influence national security policymakers and regulatory and legislative decision-makers on public policy issues affecting RTX.
• Lead high-priority cross-functional special projects and strategic initiatives as required.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees
• 401(k) plan with employer matching and a separate employer retirement contribution
• Tuition reimbursement
• Student loan repayment program
• Life insurance and disability coverage
• Pet insurance and optional home, auto, additional life and accident, critical illness, group legal, and identity theft protection coverages
• Birth, adoption, and parental leave benefits
• Fertility and family planning benefits
• Adoption assistance
• Autism benefit
• Employee assistance plan, including up to 10 free counseling sessions
• Wellness rewards program
• Virtual doctor visits
• Child and elder care services
• Medical second-opinion program
• Possible relocation assistance
• Possible annual short- and/or long-term incentive compensation
• Paid time off and holidays
• Flexible spending accounts
• Flexible work schedules

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director