Job Title: Operational Planning & Posture Subject Matter Expert
Job Category: Project and Program Management
Time Type: Full time
Minimum Clearance Required to Start: TS/SCI
Employee Type: Regular
Percentage of Travel Required: Up to 10%
Type of Travel: Local
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The Opportunity:
Make a difference, join our Team! The Operational Planning & Posture SME is the branchâs technical/functional authority for deliberate planning support and posture-related planning integration. The role defines and sustains planning-support rigorâstandards, quality gates, and expert advisoryâso high-visibility products remain coherent, defensible, and aligned with guidance across the Joint Planning and Execution Community (JPEC). Unlike the Senior role, the SME does not own daily suspense tracking/battle rhythm execution; the SME intervenes where complexity, risk, or ambiguity threatens outcomes.
This position is located at Camp Smith, Hawaii.
Responsibilities:
- Define planning-support standards (templates, quality gates, staffing checklists, traceability expectations, version-control conventions) for branch-wide use
- Advise government leads on complex planning-support approaches (staffing strategy, integration paths, decision points, adjudication methods)
- Perform senior technical review of high-visibility briefs, information papers, and final planning documents to ensure clarity, consistency, and decision-readiness
- Resolve the hardest integration problems (conflicting guidance, misaligned assumptions, incomplete inputs) and recommend defensible tradeoffs and mitigation paths
- Translate policy/guidance into actionable planning inputs and posture initiative implications (as directed by government leads)
- Coach Senior and junior staff on advanced staff writing, editorial judgment, and staffing discipline through targeted reviews and exemplars
- Strengthen Operational Planning Team (OPT)/working group outcomes by shaping narratives, analytical framing, and decision-quality criteria (not meeting administration)
- Assess systemic bottlenecks and recommend repeatable improvements to reduce rework and improve first-pass acceptance (without taking over daily execution)
Qualifications:
Required:
- Master's degree (or equivalent practical experience) in a relevant field
- Career level and intermediate level military education (Expeditionary Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and Staff College (other service equivalents))
- 10+ years deep experience supporting joint/service planning and senior-leader decision support, including production and critical review of staff products
- Demonstrated mastery of JPEC planning forums and staffing dynamics (e.g., OPTs, joint planning groups (JPGs))
- Knowledge and application experience in the Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP) and Joint Planning Process (JPP)
- Expert capability drafting/editing planning products and enforcing consistency, traceability, and formatting disciplineâ˘
- Ability to comply with government workplace requirements and obtain/maintain any required access/eligibility
Strongly Preferred:
- Intermediate or top-level operational planning education (e.g., JAWS/SAMS/MAWS/SAASS/Service and Joint War Colleges or Fellowships
- Senior PME (e.g., CGSC/ILE, USMC CSC, Naval/War College equivalents)
- Prior experience with USINDOPACOM, MARFORPAC, HQMC, a combatant command, Service component, or MEF HQ
- Doctoral degree in a relevant field
Skills & Competencies
- Deep functional expertise in deliberate planning support and posture planning integration
- Advanced analytic framing and problem-solving under ambiguity
- Expert-level writing/editing and product coherence management
- Influence without authority; credible advisory presence with senior stakeholder
- Standards-setting, coaching, and quality assurance mindset
- Autonomy, Decision Authority & Accountability
- Owns technical/functional standards and review thresholds for planning-support quality (government leads retain final approval authority)
- Decides when to elevate quality risks and require additional review cycles for high-visibility products
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What You Can Expect:
 A culture of integrity.
At CACI, we place character and innovation at the center of everything we do. As a valued team member, youâll be part of a high-performing group dedicated to our customerâs missions and driven by a higher purpose â to ensure the safety of our nation.
An environment of trust.
CACI values the unique contributions that every employee brings to our company and our customers - every day. Youâll have the autonomy to take the time you need through a unique flexible time off benefit and have access to robust learning resources to make your ambitions a reality.
A focus on continuous growth.
Together, we will advance our nation's most critical missions, build on our lengthy track record of business success, and find opportunities to break new ground â in your career and in our legacy.
Pay Range:
There are a host of factors that can influence final salary including, but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories and contract wage rates, relevant prior work experience, specific skills and competencies, education, and certifications. Our employees value the flexibility at CACI that allows them to balance quality work and their personal lives. We offer competitive compensation, benefits and learning and development opportunities. Our broad and competitive mix of benefits options is designed to support and protect employees and their families. At CACI, you will receive comprehensive benefits such as; healthcare, wellness, financial, retirement, family support, continuing education, and time off benefits.
The proposed salary range for this position is:
$100,200 - $220,700
CACI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic.