Job Location:  Atlantic Council Headquarters – Washington, DC
Employment Type: Full-time
Seniority Level: Associate
Job Category: Staff

About Forward Defense

The Atlantic Council’s Forward Defense (FD) program, situated in the Scowcroft Center, generates ideas and connects stakeholders in the defense ecosystem to promote an enduring military advantage for the United States, its allies, and partners. Our work identifies the defense strategies, capabilities, and resources the United States needs to deter and, if necessary, prevail in future conflict. Strategy & policy: FD analyzes the current and future threat environment, identifies strategic choices, and develops and assesses US strategy and policy in pursuit of national objectives. Capabilities & concepts: FD assesses the defense capabilities and emerging technologies that are shaping the battlespace and proposes novel concepts for employing these systems to support US defense strategy. Resourcing & acquisition: FD facilitates government and private sector collaboration to strengthen the defense-industrial base, overcome barriers to innovation adoption, and navigate resource tradeoffs to field capabilities in relevant timeframes.

About the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges and opportunities facing the United States and the world.  The Center honors General Brent Scowcroft’s legacy of service and embodies his ethos of nonpartisan commitment to the cause of security, support for US leadership in cooperation with allies and partners, and dedication to the mentorship of the next generation.

Overview of the Role

The Atlantic Council’s Forward Defense Program is thrilled to hire an Associate Director. The Associate Director will lead FD’s portfolio of work on defense-industrial issues; execute and manage FD’s key projects related to US defense industrial base policy, emerging defense and dual-use technology, and defense industrial integration; manage junior colleagues working on projects on these subject areas; and support the Director and Deputy Director with tasks related to the broader management of Forward Defense. The candidate will oversee significant projects within Forward Defense; maintain, develop, and cultivate a wide network of crucial partner and donor relationships; and contribute to the research and editorial work of our numerous publications on issues related to current and future defense and security challenges.


The ideal candidate is innovative, resourceful, proactive, and has a proven track record of working with policymakers, military officials, and/or senior experts on emerging defense and security issues and technologies. The Associate Director will have solid judgment and the ability to multi-task and communicate effectively in a dynamic work environment. The ability to manage up and work with team members across all levels is critical. In addition, sound judgment and the skills to oversee multiple projects and keep tasks, team members, and deliverables on track while balancing competing timelines is a must.


The candidate will support the Director and Deputy Director in the oversight and operations of Forward Defense internally and will represent Forward Defense in external meetings as needed.


This position is based in our Washington, DC, headquarters, requiring a minimum of 4 days per week in office. The Atlantic Council offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, education, and organizational equity, with offers from $65,000 to $87,000.

Job Responsibilities 

The Associate Director will be specifically responsible for the following:

  • Manage and assume primary responsibility in organizing and executing major Forward Defense projects, including our Commission on Software Defined Warfare, and work pertaining to our defense industry and innovation portfolio, with limited oversight.
  • Set the operational tempo and timelines for projects, track multiple deliverables, and delegate tasks to and oversee junior colleagues to execute logistical and administrative operations in support of events and publications, ensuring products delivered to upper management meet high expectations.
  • Shape the content, format, and structure of FD’s defense industrial base publications and convenings, and support the Director’s assignment and coordination of the team’s projects.
  • Contribute to shaping Forward Defense’s goals and desired policy and programmatic outcomes for our defense industry and innovation portfolio, including leading business development efforts, grant and partnership proposal writing, donor reporting, and budgeting.
  • Edit written work and coordinate closely with fellows and staff to produce articles, issue briefs, blog posts, and other written and audio-visual work.
  • Liaise with other Council centers, our development team, engagement team, and executive office to ensure successful execution of, and publicity for, events and publications.
  • Maintain, develop, and cultivate a wide network of crucial partner and donor relationships, including defense industry, US and foreign government partners, technology sector, and academic partners.
  • Contribute to the intellectual work of the Center through research and writing on issues related to the defense industrial base, to include topics oriented toward innovation, emerging defense and dual-use technology, and industrial base policy. Generate ideas for programming on these topics.
  • Represent Forward Defense at external meetings and events.
  • Supervise and provide mentorship to FD’s interns and junior staff, including training junior staff on processes, protocol, and software.

Qualifications

General Qualifications:

  • Experience in project management, event management, and stakeholder management.
  • Exceptional organizational, writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills.
  • Strong track record in engaging, and knowledge of, key stakeholders in US defense and security, including representatives of US and foreign governments, academia, and think tanks.
  • Significant interest in, and demonstrated knowledge of, defense and security issues across Forward Defense’s work, specifically US and allied military strategy, military operations, and defense and emerging technology.

Specific Qualifications:

  • Graduate degree in a related field is strongly preferred, although an undergraduate degree with additional work experience in a related field may qualify.
  • Past work experience with transferable operational, project, and people management skills (or management training).
  • Previous relevant, substantive work experience and demonstrated expertise in subject matter.
  • Experience in overseeing a small number of interns and staff.
  • Experience in business development, stakeholder management, developing budgets, and tracking expenses.

To produce quality work and to successfully achieve our mission, we recognize the need for our staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a work/life balance. Our comprehensive benefits package helps to keep costs low for our staff and their families. Benefits include, but are not limited to comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance, paid time off, 403(b) plan, FSA options, pet insurance, Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility, and wellness benefits.

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Explore the Program

Forward Defense, housed within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, generates ideas and connects stakeholders in the defense ecosystem to promote an enduring military advantage for the United States, its allies, and partners. Our work identifies the defense strategies, capabilities, and resources the United States needs to deter and, if necessary, prevail in future conflict.

Learn more

All Atlantic Council employees are required to adhere to the Atlantic Council’s vaccination policy. All Atlantic Council employees must be fully vaccinated and boosted, and they must submit proof of both vaccination and COVID-19 booster shot on their first day of employment. Prospective or new employees may seek an exemption to the vaccination requirement through human resources and must have an approved exemption prior to the start of their employment.

Please note: The Atlantic Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and District of Columbia civil rights regulations and policies, the Atlantic Council does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics covered by applicable law. The Atlantic Council provides reasonable accommodation for all qualified applicants needing assistance, employees whose disability, sincere religious belief, or other protected characteristics are protected by law, and bases all employment decisions on qualifications, merit, and business need. The Atlantic Council believes that equity and inclusion amongst our team members are critical to our success as a global organization, and seeks to recruit, develop, and advance the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. Eligibility to work in the United States is confirmed with E-Verify; employment at the Atlantic Council is eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).