Chief of Staff

Hanwha Defense USA Inc•Arlington, VA

7d•$200,000 - $300,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Chief of Staff serves as the senior executive advisor and operational coordinator to President, US Shipbuilding, ensuring strategic priorities are delivered, cross‑functional initiatives are managed, and communication flows efficiently between the executive team, staff, and stakeholders. As a U.S-based defense company with the strength of a world-class shipbuilding global parent, we are seeking a high performing professional, capable of significantly contributing to HDUSA’s high-paced transition to a premier US shipbuilder. The ideal candidate is an experienced shipbuilding affiliated professional with strong organizational, collaboration and problem-solving skills. A self-starter with the ability to operationalize and achieve commander’s intent is a must.

Requirements

20 years of relevant experience in U.S. defense business development, DOW acquisition, or shipbuilding government / industry roles
Significant experience with international business and cross-cultural deliverables
A “self-starter” who has outstanding communication and organizational skills
Prior military or civilian DOW service strongly preferred; experience working with or within DOW, USCG or acquisition communities is a plus
Must be able to obtain a SECRET level Security Clearance
Expertise in the U.S. defense acquisition system and ability to navigate complex program requirements
Working understanding of shipyard operations — production sequencing, capacity constraints, skilled trades workforce dynamics — sufficient to translate between yard execution realities and headquarters or customer expectations
Ability to operate with delegated authority across peers and senior direct reports without formal line authority, and to do so with judgment and discretion
Strong bias toward closure: comfortable owning ambiguous problems, driving them to resolution, and handing them off cleanly
Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to brief senior leaders across internal and external stakeholders
Fast learner who can quickly adapt in a high-pressure maritime and defense market
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and common business operations platforms (CRM, project and portfolio management, business intelligence tools)

Nice To Haves

Experience with financial analysis and support of merger & acquisition / corporate development efforts preferred

Responsibilities

Serve as the integrator for President level decisions: triage what requires his decision, what can be delegated, what can be resolved at the staff level, and route accordingly.
Collaborate with internal functional teams (business development, industrial expansion, engineering, supply chain, contracts, program management, IT, and finance) to deliver cross-functional operational success.
Serve as the business unit’s lead for all headquarters’ internal products.
Support the team’s growth strategy deployment by utilizing world-class organizational skills.
Monitor and assess U.S. federal shipbuilding spending trends, acquisition strategies, and other activities relevant to the maritime industrial base.
Design, install, and run the front-office operating rhythm across the US shipbuilding team spanning multiple locations — setting the agenda for staff meetings, business reviews, quarterly board meetings, and semiannual strategy sessions.
Own the tasker and action-item process end to end for high-priority initiatives — capture commitments, assign owners and due dates, drive them to closure, and surface risks before they become issues.
Deconflict priorities and competing demands among direct reports, and intervene where roles, decision rights, or escalation paths become unclear.
Foster and maintain trusted relationships with staffs of key government decision-makers — PAE Maritime, PAE Undersea, OPNAV, ASN(RD&A), MARAD, and the U.S. Coast Guard — as well as primes, first-tier suppliers, and industry associations, to position the company as a credible, capable, and trusted partner.