HOT JOB - IMMEDIATE OPENING!

Culmen International LLC is seeking to hire a Defense Production Liaison/Senior Advisor for an opportunity supporting a Department of State contract onsite in Kyiv, Ukraine. Working with the Senior Advisor on Defense Industry Partnerships, the Senior Advisor shall provide expert guidance and technical assistance needed to develop, implement, and sustain Ministry of Strategic Industries (MSI) transformation into a professional entity that can effectively regulate and oversee Ukraine’s defense industry.

• Work collaboratively with the other Senior Advisor to ensure work product cohesion and advance a robust, reliable, and well-governed Ukrainian defense industrial base
• Develop strong professional relationships with key stakeholders in MSI
• Participate as an advisor/liaison in any relevant working groups and/or initiatives already underway which contribute to the development of a sustainable Ukrainian DIB
• Establish relationships with counterparts at agencies that partner with MSI and support interagency communication and/or coordination mechanisms between these entities
• Advise on business arrangements that facilitate production of defense articles with foreign investors
• Advise MSI throughout the implementation life cycle of a partnership with U.S. or NATO-allied industry that results in the production of the needed defense articles
• Assist with developing effective investment strategies, plans, and policies to enhance transparency and accountability as well as promote and manage foreign investment in Ukraine DIB
• Complement and coordinate with other ongoing advisory and security assistance efforts to ensure Ukraine has legislation, regulations, and procurement best practices in place
• Ensure there is partner ownership over the processes developed and a sustainable structure that can remain in place after advisory support ends
• Establish relationships with other USG and international advisors working in the DIB and defense production space to coordinate and deconflict recommendations
• Integrate into the U.S. Embassy political and security cooperation structure to share information, expand connections, and ensure alignment with embassy guidance and priorities. Meet regularly with U.S. Embassy to brief on progress and challenges

• Active Secret
• Minimum O-5 or civilian/industry equivalent (FS-02/GS-14)
• Master's degree in Legal Studies, Security Studies, Business Administration, Business Law and Compliance, National Security Policy/Affairs, International Affairs, Supply Chain Management, Political Science and/or Military Technology
• 10 years experience in U.S. military and/or U.S. civilian professional experience with security and/or defense industry and policy development

OR

• Bachelor's and 15 years experience in U.S. military and/or U.S. civilian professional experience with security and/or defense industry and policy development 
• 1 year experience advising senior officials in a foreign government or foreign military on defense industry
• Experience advising on strategic national industrial policy, defense technology release policy, defense industry business development, Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), corporate board structures, or change management
• Experience managing, executing, or developing defense sectors, particularly in areas involving co-production and international partnerships

• Experience with U.S. armed and/or NATO forces acquisitions processes supporting partner countries and allies, ideally from an Implementing Agency (IA) or Program Executive Office (PEO); familiarity with NATO's Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) processes is a plus
• Experience working with U.S. Defense Trade and Compliance requirements and regulations such as the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the U.S. Munitions List (USML) or NATO equivalents
• Experience working with and identifying defense industry manufacturing capability or production needs for defense systems with the ability to align defense production initiatives with broader economic recovery strategies.
• Experience in crafting strategies to build a robust and self-reliant defense industrial base and procurement capabilities in line with Western/NATO best practices
• Specific knowledge of NATO and other international standards for military interoperability
• Demonstrated knowledge of Western best practices and international standards for anti-corruption and transparency measures within defense industry and procurement contexts, including strategies to combat corruption and predatory malign influence on strategic industries
• Proven experience in promoting and managing foreign direct investment (FDI) in critical sectors, with a track record of facilitating defense-related investments and projects
• Experience leveraging technologies to provide solutions to complex defense industries, and modernization of defense enterprises.
• Have a deep understanding of warfighting technologies / systems and the supply chains, manufacturing chains, and development processes/investment processes needed to deliver them to the battlefield
• Experience in artillery, UAV, and/or air defense production
• Desired proficiency in speaking/reading/writing in the Ukrainian and/or Russian language (Foreign Service Institute (FSI) score of 3/3 or higher, a Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) score of 2+/2+/2+ or higher, or a Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) score of C1 or higher)
• Recent (within the past five years) experience living or working in Europe and/or post-Soviet bloc

Culmen International is committed to enhancing international safety and security, strengthening homeland defense, improving global health and humanitarian programs, and optimizing government operations.  With experience in over 140 countries, we help our customers to accomplish critical missions in challenging environments worldwide.

• Local furnished housing to include utilities and high-speed internet in secure and safe location
• Transportation accommodations
• Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance
• International SOS coverage

To learn more about Culmen International, please visit www.culmen.com 

The determination of compensation for this position is based on factors such as location of host country, uplifts available, skills needed, life support availability and other varying factors to complete in country assignments for an independent consultant. 

At Culmen International we are committed to creating, promoting, and sustaining a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our commitment to these values is unwavering across all our work around the world.  We include and celebrate employees of diverse races, genders, religions, sexual orientations, ethnicities, nationalities, socioeconomic statuses, languages, (dis)abilities, ages, and religious commitments. These differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our employees and clients. Culmen is an equal opportunity employer.