Early-Career Safegaurds & Security Planning and Operations Specialist, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

We are seeking a Strategy Specialist to join the Safeguards & Security (S&S) team! This role provides enterprise-level executive support and strategic leadership enablement for the Director of Safeguards & Security/Chief Security Officer (CSO), while also supporting leaders across the S&S organization. The selected candidate will develop and deliver high-impact, executive-level presentations and story-driven communications; build and continuously improve security performance and risk reporting; and help ensure strategic alignment with Corporate, Division, and internal/external partners to enable accountable, compliant, and effective S&S execution across the Laboratory. Join our dynamic team to develop creative solutions to unique national security challenges!

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Serve as a facilitator for S&S leadership activities (e.g., Director/CSO reviews, leadership team meetings, management reviews), including agenda planning, content integration, decision/action tracking, and follow-through.
• Create polished, creative, executive-level presentations (PowerPoint) that translate complex topics into clear, compelling stories tailored to senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Develop executive talking points, narratives, and written products for S&S leadership; synthesize complex security, operational, and performance inputs into concise, decision-quality messages.
• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve S&S performance and risk reporting tools (dashboards, metrics, and trend analyses) to communicate insights and recommended actions.
• Act as a liaison for S&S programs and stakeholders to ensure alignment of executive priorities, deliverables, and communications.
• Support organizational leadership with planning, coordination, and executive support activities, including time-sensitive tasking and special projects.
• Partner with subject matter experts (SMEs), program owners, and internal/external collaborators to gather input, resolve outstanding items, and drive consistent messaging and execution.
• Influence consensus and facilitate resolution of issues as appropriate across diverse stakeholders.
• Handle sensitive information with discretion and maintain confidentiality in a high-visibility executive environment.
• Use project management and Lean Six Sigma tools to analyze problems and improve processes.

* Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

$74,700 - $144,400

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Communications, Marketing, Information Security/Assurance, Criminology, Public Administration, Psychology, or other relevant discipline; or equivalent (AS + 4 or no degree + 8).
• Ability to obtain and maintain an active DOE Q-level security clearance.

• Demonstrated ability to design and develop executive-level presentations with a clear narrative, audience-focused messaging, strong visual design, and effective use of charts and graphics.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint, including building cohesive executive-ready decks from disparate inputs and iterating quickly under tight timelines.
• Experience in project management; demonstrated ability to successfully manage and complete multiple programs and projects concurrently.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise initiative, operate independently, and thrive in ambiguous environments (e.g., evolving priorities, incomplete information, short deadlines), while maintaining alignment with Director/CSO messaging.
• Demonstrated ability to apply critical thinking to synthesize disparate, detailed inputs into decision-quality products (e.g., executive briefs, reports, and presentations).
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with senior leadership and diverse stakeholders, including influencing outcomes without direct authority.
• Experience with or substantial knowledge of strategic planning and/or translating strategic objectives into executable plans, measures, and deliverables.
• Experience developing and managing performance metrics and dashboards; ability to analyze and present trends and insights (Power BI and advanced Excel skills desired).
• Demonstrated proficiency producing executive-level communications including concise writing, editing, and integrating inputs from multiple contributors into a coherent narrative.
• Experience using Lean Six Sigma tools/methods to analyze problems and improve processes (e.g., process mapping, VOC, SIPOC, waste identification, standard work).
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team-focused environment, exercise discretion, and maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Experience using Microsoft 365 collaboration tools (Teams, SharePoint/OneDrive) to manage content, workflows, and version control;
  familiarity with Copilot (or similar tools) is a plus when used with appropriate judgment and data protection practices.

The Strategy & Program Operations Department is part of Sandia's Safeguards & Security (S&S) Center, whose primary function is the protection and support of Sandia's mission, information, resources, and people. We strive to develop strategic partnerships and provide effective tools and resources to fully integrate security into every aspect of the work performed at Sandia. The Strategy & Operations Department leads efforts in the development, implementation, and successful execution of a diverse portfolio of S&S-related initiatives involving strategy and operations. Our responsibilities include strategic alignment, executive communications, governance support, and data analytics, developing, integrating, and visualizing security performance and risk data (e.g., dashboards, metrics, and trend analyses) to provide decision-quality insights for leaders. We also support program performance monitoring and process improvement. A significant amount of our work involves leading or supporting executive-level briefings and high-visibility projects.

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

This Limited Term Employee (LTE) position is a temporary position for one year term, which may be renewed at Sandia's discretion up to a maximum of seven years.

Individuals in LTE positions may bid on regular Sandia positions as internal candidates, and in some cases may be converted to regular career positions during their term if warranted by ongoing operational needs, continuing availability of funds, and satisfactory job performance.