Engagement Coordinator, U.S. Defense Plans & Strategies

Leidos•Reston, VA

23d•$65,650 - $118,675•Onsite

About The Position

The Engagement Coordinator plans, coordinates, and executes the administrative and logistical requirements for strategic-level senior leader engagements supporting Department of Defense (DoD) stakeholders across the National Capital Region (NCR) and Combatant Commands (CCMDs). This role serves as the central “air-traffic controller” for executive interactions—managing schedules, access coordination, briefing materials, and day-of execution—to ensure engagements are secure, professional, and mission-aligned. The position also provides administrative support to the Washington Operations Team supporting DoD or Department of War (DoW) engagements, requiring precision, discretion, and responsiveness in high-visibility environments.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and 4+ years of experience in executive coordination, strategic engagement support, event/meeting planning, government support, or administrative operations. Additional years of experience will be considered in lieu of degree requirements.
Working knowledge of the DoD/DoW environment and senior leader engagement practices, including familiarity with Pentagon front-office coordination and/or CCMD staff engagement processes.
US citizenship with ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance and/or favorable background determination, as required by the program/contract.
Demonstrated experience coordinating complex calendars and multi-stakeholder engagements with shifting priorities and short timelines.
Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to craft clear instructions, confirmations, and concise engagement summaries.
High attention to detail, strong judgment, and consistent follow-through in high-visibility environments.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Teams, Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and document collaboration/version control practices.
Ability to work on-site across the NCR as needed; flexibility for early mornings/late afternoons tied to senior engagements and stakeholder availability.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience supporting engagements at the Pentagon and/or with CCMD headquarters staffs, including coordination with executive assistants, protocol offices, front offices, and action officers.
Familiarity with DoD organizational structures (OSD, Joint Staff, Military Departments, Defense Agencies, CCMDs) and how those structures affect staffing, coordination, and communication pathways.
Experience building executive read-ahead packages/briefing books and conducting quality control of briefing materials.
Experience supporting a Washington Operations or executive operations office (task management, trackers, suspense management, correspondence, reporting).

Responsibilities

Coordinate end-to-end logistics for strategic-level meetings, briefings, and engagements across the NCR and with CCMD staffs (in-person and virtual), including Pentagon engagements and off-site government or commercial facilities as required.
Manage engagement workflows, including request intake, scheduling, confirmations, attendee lists, agendas, read-aheads, and after-action follow-ups.
Coordinate effectively with Pentagon front offices, CCMD executive staff, action officers, protocol/administrative teams, and supporting organizations to ensure engagements are properly staffed and executed.
Support senior leader engagement planning by aligning run-of-show, attendee sequencing, and engagement objectives with stakeholder expectations and operational constraints.
Coordinate visitor access requirements and badging/entry processes in accordance with site procedures; ensure visitors receive clear instructions and timely updates.
Prepare, package, and distribute meeting materials (agendas, slide decks, bios, talking points, read-ahead books), ensuring quality control, version control, and appropriate dissemination.
Serve as a liaison between internal stakeholders (executives, program teams, security, administrative staff) and external counterparts (government staff, CCMD personnel, partner organizations) to align timelines, deliverables, and engagement outcomes.
Arrange meeting spaces and services (A/V, secure communications requirements as applicable, seating layouts, signage/wayfinding, and catering where permitted).
Track action items, decisions, and deliverables; maintain engagement calendars, distribution lists, contact rosters, and engagement records.
Coordinate local and regional travel logistics as needed (parking, driver coordination, route timing, and contingency planning for traffic/weather).
Support rehearsals and day-of onsite coordination, including escorting visitors when required; troubleshoot changes in real time while maintaining executive-level professionalism.
Provide administrative support to the Washington Operations Team supporting DoD or Department of War (DoW) engagements, including managing taskers/requests, maintaining contact lists and engagement trackers, coordinating staffing and internal suspense dates, preparing correspondence and meeting notes, coordinating sponsorship/membership agreements (intake, routing, signatures, renewal tracking, and records management), and supporting engagement reporting/after-action documentation.
Support the U.S. Defense Plans & Strategies Team by coordinating travel and other engagement logistics—within the NCR and beyond—including itineraries, meeting schedules, access/entry guidance, materials preparation, and day-of adjustments as needed.
Maintain discretion while handling sensitive schedules, senior leader priorities, and engagement details.