Program Development Office Director, National Security

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory•Washington, DC

About The Position

The Program Development Office Director (PDO Director) is a senior leadership position in PNNL’s National Security Directorate (NSD). The director defines and oversees NSD’s business development strategy, provides leadership, engages sponsors, and supports new funding opportunities for PNNL’s national security mission sponsors. The role emphasizes sponsor satisfaction, program execution, and mission impact, and develops programs that are innovative, relevant, and aligned with stakeholder priorities. The PDO Director works with internal and external stakeholders to build relationships and sustain a pipeline of opportunities aligned with PNNL’s capabilities, facilities, strengths, and interests. The role spans programs and sponsors across the Department of Energy complex, Special Programs, the Department of War, Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the Intelligence Community. The director connects PNNL’s people, capabilities, and innovation to national security needs, and provides insight to help line managers steward laboratory capabilities for future mission requirements. The director builds a balanced portfolio of sponsor-funded programs and projects; manages development of an annual portfolio of approximately $800 million in funding for technical science and technology; and oversees a $14 million budget for business development and unallowable expenditures associated with proposal development and relationship management. The position also manages, tracks, and negotiates annual Department of Treasury ceilings for Strategic Partnership Program ceilings with the Pacific Northwest Site Office. It leads a team of sector and subsector managers, supports program and project manager selection with Program Management Office Directors, works with division management on technical capability development, and reports strategic objective progress to NSD and PNNL leadership. The position may be based in Richland, Seattle, or Washington, DC. Business travel of up to 25% is required. The incumbent may enter experimental laboratories, radiological areas, and high-security areas. Maintaining a Q/SCI security clearance is required; the position also requires the ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance and U.S. citizenship.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (BS/BA) and 15 years of demonstrated experience engaging with National Security sponsor organizations—including DOW, DHS, DOS, NNSA, and the Intelligence Community—and understanding their operations and technology needs; or a master’s degree (MS/MA) or higher and 13 years of demonstrated experience engaging with National Security sponsor organizations—including DOW, DHS, DOD, NNSA, and the Intelligence Community—and understanding their operations and technology needs.
Demonstrated experience as a direct people manager of professional or technical staff, including hiring, performance management, employee development, and organizational leadership.
Experience establishing and advancing vision, strategy, objectives, and priorities at the directorate or business level or higher to improve organizational performance and achieve strategic outcomes.
U.S. citizenship.
Ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance and meet federal background investigation eligibility requirements for access to classified matter under 10 CFR 710, Appendix B.
Ability to demonstrate non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for the 12 consecutive months preceding completion of the Questionnaire for National Security Positions.
Subject to pre-employment and random drug testing.
Maintaining a Q/SCI security clearance is required.
Ability to travel for business up to 25%.

Nice To Haves

Experience managing full project and program scope from formulation—including proposals, planning, estimating, and scheduling—through project controls, performance measurement, delivery, and closeout.
Experience working effectively in dynamic and continually changing environments.
Experience developing and achieving strategic objectives in national security-related business, including developing novel concepts and approaches where little precedent exists.
Demonstrated experience leading other leaders to deliver institutional strategy.
Recognition as a strategic thought leader on current and future challenges facing the national security community.
History of building strong relationships with senior leaders within the national security community.
Demonstrated strong communication and influencing skills with internal and external stakeholders.
Demonstrated experience using PNNL business processes and frameworks to manage project execution, contract and business development activities, commercialization efforts, and strategic performance objectives.

Responsibilities

Define and oversee the National Security Directorate’s business development strategy.
Provide leadership, engage sponsors, and support new funding opportunities for PNNL’s national security mission sponsors.
Develop innovative, relevant programs aligned with stakeholder priorities and national security mission needs.
Build strong internal and external relationships and maintain a consistent pipeline of opportunities aligned with PNNL’s strengths, facilities, capabilities, and interests.
Build a balanced portfolio of sponsor-funded programs and projects and maintain strong relationships with senior personnel in national security sponsoring agencies.
Deploy the Laboratory’s scientific and engineering capabilities to provide sponsors with appropriate technical solutions and establish priorities for National Security sectors.
Manage development of an annual portfolio of approximately $800 million in funding for technical science and technology.
Manage, track, and negotiate annual Department of Treasury ceilings for Strategic Partnership Program ceilings with the Pacific Northwest Site Office.
Oversee a $14 million budget for business development and unallowable expenditures related to proposal development and relationship management.
Track and report strategic objectives to NSD and PNNL leadership, and lead execution of directorate- and laboratory-level objectives.
Assemble and guide high-performing sector and subsector managers who manage sponsor relationships and influence business development activities.
Partner with Program Management Office Directors in selecting and assigning key program and project managers.
Work with division management across the Laboratory to support technical capability development.
Provide insights to help line managers steward laboratory capabilities in alignment with future mission requirements.
Convey PNNL R&D staff perspectives and expertise to federal mission stakeholders.