Chief of Staff, Strategic Deterrence - Active Security Clearance Required

LLNL•Livermore, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

We have an opening for a Chief of Staff in the Strategic Deterrence (SD) Directorate. You will serve as a senior advisor to the Deputy Director, establishing and driving priorities, decision-making cadence, and operating rhythm to ensure timely, high-quality execution of SD mission deliverables. You will operate with broad delegated authority to drive decisions and outcomes across SD, integrate responses to internal and external partners on high-consequence programmatic issues, and ensure SD leadership actions and communications are aligned with directorate and Laboratory strategy. You will play a key role in fostering a positive, collaborative culture across the organization. You will work closely with the Deputy Director and Principal Associate Deputy Director to help ensure SD is effective in meeting mission needs and sponsor requirements. You will regularly interact with SD program leadership, senior internal managers and executives, external sponsors, Laboratory support organizations, NNSA/DOE, and LLNS senior management. As Chief of Staff, you will coordinate SD Office (SDO) activities that strengthen key SD relationships and partnerships, and support directorate-level mission execution, integration, and follow-through. SD is a complex, multi-discipline program directorate with an annual funding portfolio of $2B, supporting more than 2,600 employees. This position may offer a hybrid schedule, which includes the flexibility to work from home one or more days per week, after a probationary period. The specifics of the hybrid schedule, including the exact number of days required in the office and virtual work options, may vary based on the needs of the team and the organization.

Requirements

This position requires an active Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance or active Top-Secret clearance issued by another U.S. government agency at the time of hire.
Advanced degree in science, engineering, business administration, organizational leadership, public policy, communications, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
Extensive experience resolving complex, high-consequence problems, developing integrated approaches, and driving execution across multiple organizations.
Leadership experience with major scientific, technical, administrative and/or operational initiatives, with advanced knowledge spanning one or more specialized fields.
Extensive experience managing with strategic focus, setting priorities, balancing competing requirements, delivering results under multiple deadlines, and building sustainable teams and processes.
In-depth knowledge of Laboratory programs, policies, procedures, and governance mechanisms, and strong understanding of the mission, strategy, and sponsor environment relevant to SD.
Expert communication, facilitation, collaboration, and problem-solving skills including experience briefing and influencing executive-level stakeholders.
Extensive experience interacting with and negotiating on matters of significance with internal executives and external sponsors and partners, for example NNSA/DOE, DoW, and other organizations.
Leadership experience, and ability to build alignment across a broad cross-section of technical, operational and administrative organizations.
Proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships across complex, multi-disciplinary environments.

Responsibilities

In partnership with the Principal Associate Deputy Director (PADD), serve as the Deputy Director’s principal integrator for SD programmatic, operational, and workforce activities, ensuring priorities are clear and leadership actions are timely and aligned with SD and Laboratory strategy.
Ensure effective and timely responses to sponsor requirements by coordinating, reviewing, prioritizing, and communicating work products across SD program staff and leadership.
Organize and oversee SD Senior Leadership Team engagements, including agenda-setting, issue framing, decision capture, action tracking, and facilitation of cross-organizational collaboration.
Develop, implement, and refine operating mechanisms, policies and procedures in alignment with Laboratory and sponsor requirements.
In partnership with the PADD, ensure the SD Office operates effectively, with clear roles, decision processes, and execution discipline that enable mission delivery.
Oversee timely, accurate, and effective internal and external communications from the SD Office, ensuring clear, consistent strategic messaging aligned with Laboratory strategy.
Provide strategic direction and priority-setting for SD communications activities.
Lead preparation for SD executive engagements, including development and presentation of briefing materials, coordination with stakeholders, and follow-through on actions in partnership with the SD Events and Communications Teams.
Help shape and implement SD organizational strategies, priorities, and objectives with medium to long-term impact, including informing tradeoffs, risk management, and resource alignment.
Represent SD in senior-level internal and external engagements, building and sustaining strategic relationships and negotiating on matters of significance to SD and the Laboratory.
Foster a positive, collaborative work environment by building strong relationships, encouraging teamwork, and supporting effective communication across the team and organization.
Exercise delegated authority on behalf of the Deputy Director to resolve cross-cutting issues and advance SD priorities.
Perform other duties as assigned.