Senior Advisor - Defense Transformation & Strategic Planning

Culmen International LLC is seeking to hire a Senior Advisor in Defense Transformation & Strategic Planning supporting a Department of State contract onsite in Yerevan, Armenia.

In this pivotal role, you will serve as a strategic advisor, supporting a U.S. government capacity building program, working with Partner Nation on defense transformation and strategic planning challenges and gaps.

This position does require living in Yerevan, Armenia.  Culmen does provide local furnished housing to include utilities and high-speed internet in safe and secure location, transportation accommodations, Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance and International SOS coverage.

This is for a future position and may not be immediately available.

• Provide expert guidance and the advice and technical assistance needed to develop, implement, and sustain defense transformation strategic planning reforms at the MoD and GS. 

• Assist with ensuring defense transformation is governed by a unified body of senior-level decision-makers, or similar governance system.  

• Assist with developing a long-term defense transformation strategy with a unified vision that outlines the strategic outlook for defense transformation and specific milestones that need to be achieved which may include a document outlining a whole-of-MOD approach to transformation. 

• Ensure there is partner ownership over the processes developed and a sustainable structure that can remain in place after advisory support ends. 

• Develop strong professional relationships with key stakeholders in the MoD and GS and then act as a trusted advisor to them. 

• Establish a working relationship with main counterpart(s) in the Armenian MoD and GS and participate as an advisor in any related new working groups and/or initiatives already underway which contribute to the overall objective(s). 

• Integrate into the U.S. Embassy political and security cooperation structure in order to share information, expand connections, and bolster relevant projects underway. 

• Coordinate regularly with the U.S. Embassy Political/Economic Section and provide briefings at least monthly to US Embassy Political/Economic Section, ODC, and Defense Attaché. 

• Identify existing gaps in defense transformation strategic planning.  

• Assist the MoD and GS in promoting effective, responsible, and accountable employment of force by developing standard operating procedures for integrating domestic and international legal considerations into operational decision-making. 

• Work to identify barriers, make recommendations to the MoD and GS to overcome them, and, where possible, work to address them in support of the desired end state. 

• Responsible for clear and concise monthly progress reports and deliverables such as a gap analysis, country action plan, performance monitoring, and others as required.   

• Participate in periodic virtual continuous learning and exchange opportunities.

• US citizen 
• Active Secret 
• O-5/GS-14 and above 
• Master’s degree in areas such as National Security Policy/Affairs, International Affairs, Security Studies, Political Science, or a similar field AND at least six (6) years of U.S. military and/or U.S. civilian professional experience with strategic-level security and/or defense policy and strategy development.  

OR  

• Bachelor’s degree in areas such as National Security Policy/Affairs, International Affairs, Security Studies, Political Science, or a similar field AND at least ten (10) years of U.S. military and/or civilian professional experience with strategic-level security and/or defense policy and strategy development. 
• Two (2) years of experience advising senior officials in a foreign government and/or foreign military on transformation. Non-resident or intermittent travel experience may count toward some or all of the required years, if the advising took place in-person with the foreign government representative(s).  
• Two (2) years of experience in assisting partner nations with drafting and implementing strategic-level security/defense strategies and relevant policy making procedures and assisting with national security frameworks.  
• Familiarity with NATO standards and requirements.  

• One (1) year of experience implementing a change management system or process in a government institution.  
• One (1) year of experience working in Armenia, or the Caucasus. Non-resident or intermittent travel experience may count toward some or all of the preferred year.  
• One (1) year of experience assisting foreign governments to transition from Soviet systems to western systems and processes.  

Culmen International is committed to enhancing international safety and security, strengthening homeland defense, advancing humanitarian missions, and optimizing government operations. With experience in over 150 countries, Culmen supports our clients to accomplish critical missions in challenging environments.

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

At Culmen International, we are committed to creating and sustaining a workplace that upholds the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO). We believe in the importance of fair treatment and equal access to opportunities for all employees and applicants.  Our commitment to these principles is unwavering across all our operations worldwide.