Master Strategy, Plans, Exercises, and Policy Planner (CENTCOM Public Affairs Directorate)
Tampa, FL
Full Time
Senior Manager/Supervisor
Opportunity: Master Strategy, Plans, Exercises & Policy Planner
Bottom Line Up Front: Hoplite Group is seeking a Master Strategy, Plans, and Policy Planner to support contracted services for the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Public Affairs Directorate (CCPA). This contract will include executing communication strategies and ensuring accurate, timely information to U.S. and regional audiences. It will employ digital tools to monitor, collect, translate, and analyze traditional and social media across CENTCOM’s 21-nation area of responsibility, supporting senior leader decision-making, correcting misinformation, and aiding counter-propaganda efforts. Services will include strategic communication planning, media engagement, crisis response, training, and quality assurance. The Strategy, Plans, and Policy Planner team will consist of four (4) planners: one Master-level Planner and three Senior-level Planners. These planners will be assigned portfolios in the Middle East, Levant, Central Asia, and Special Missions/Other, subject to changes by the CCPA Director. These areas will always align with the CENTCOM Area of Operations (AOR).
Location: The primary place of performance is at HQ CENTCOM, MacDill AFB. Other anticipated work may include TBD locations within the Continental United States (CONUS) or at locations within the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility. Continuity of Operations: As specified by the Command’s COOP instruction and as determined by the CCPA Director, be prepared to deploy toalternate site COOP locations to support the headquarters response to an imminent threat or in response to an emergency (e.g., natural disasters).
Travel: CENTCOM Hosts/Leads at least seven (7) major exercises per year and oversees over 40 exercises between its exercises and its components. The CENTCOM exercises are held in the CONUS, and OCONUS, specifically, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, and Jordan. The component exercises are held in: Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Lebanon, and Israel. Travel can include travel both inside and outside of the CENTCOM Area of Operations. Throughout the Joint Exercise Life Cycle (JELC), Planners will be required to travel to one or more of the CENTCOM-hosted planning conferences in support of the exercise.
Level of Effort: Full-time
Availability: Anticipate Spring-Summer 2026 start date. Personnel will be expected to be present from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. Situations may require extended hours of operations, to include military exercises, contingency operations, or weather emergencies.
Objective: Execute the following job responsibilities in support of the CENTCOM Public Affairs Directorate:
General Requirements:
All contractor personnel will be responsible for the following tasks, actions, and processes:
Qualifications & Skills:
Bottom Line Up Front: Hoplite Group is seeking a Master Strategy, Plans, and Policy Planner to support contracted services for the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Public Affairs Directorate (CCPA). This contract will include executing communication strategies and ensuring accurate, timely information to U.S. and regional audiences. It will employ digital tools to monitor, collect, translate, and analyze traditional and social media across CENTCOM’s 21-nation area of responsibility, supporting senior leader decision-making, correcting misinformation, and aiding counter-propaganda efforts. Services will include strategic communication planning, media engagement, crisis response, training, and quality assurance. The Strategy, Plans, and Policy Planner team will consist of four (4) planners: one Master-level Planner and three Senior-level Planners. These planners will be assigned portfolios in the Middle East, Levant, Central Asia, and Special Missions/Other, subject to changes by the CCPA Director. These areas will always align with the CENTCOM Area of Operations (AOR).
Location: The primary place of performance is at HQ CENTCOM, MacDill AFB. Other anticipated work may include TBD locations within the Continental United States (CONUS) or at locations within the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility. Continuity of Operations: As specified by the Command’s COOP instruction and as determined by the CCPA Director, be prepared to deploy toalternate site COOP locations to support the headquarters response to an imminent threat or in response to an emergency (e.g., natural disasters).
Travel: CENTCOM Hosts/Leads at least seven (7) major exercises per year and oversees over 40 exercises between its exercises and its components. The CENTCOM exercises are held in the CONUS, and OCONUS, specifically, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, and Jordan. The component exercises are held in: Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Lebanon, and Israel. Travel can include travel both inside and outside of the CENTCOM Area of Operations. Throughout the Joint Exercise Life Cycle (JELC), Planners will be required to travel to one or more of the CENTCOM-hosted planning conferences in support of the exercise.
Level of Effort: Full-time
Availability: Anticipate Spring-Summer 2026 start date. Personnel will be expected to be present from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. Situations may require extended hours of operations, to include military exercises, contingency operations, or weather emergencies.
Objective: Execute the following job responsibilities in support of the CENTCOM Public Affairs Directorate:
- Lead and manage planning activities within Joint Planning Teams (JPT) and Operational Planning Teams (OPT) for diverse multinational efforts.
- Coordinate planning and produce task order activities related to operational requirements.
- Provide analyses, recommendations, and draft products for joint planning teams, working groups, and senior leadership,including USCENTCOM staff, DoD,
- IA, Allies, Coalition members, and partner nation leaders.
- Assist with evaluations and provide recommendations to Divisions and Branches for conducting joint combatant command-level planning.
- Offer subject matter expertise in all phases of the Joint Operational Planning Process, including Mission Analysis, Course of Action (COA) Development, Wargaming, COA Comparison, and Decision.
- Develop plans and orders based on the analysis of COA decisions, mission statements, commander’s intent, and guidance.
- Facilitate the handover of plans for execution to ensure a smooth transition from planning to operational execution.
- Provide situational awareness to CENTCOM leadership and staff during the transition from planning to execution.
- Conduct coordination with various stakeholders, including Components, IA, Allies, and Coalition members.
- Manage and contribute to working groups, reports, and assessments, with an understanding of long-term impacts.
- Maintain situational awareness of CENTCOM's current and future priorities, ensuring timely coordination and integration of public affairs products.
- Develop and coordinate Public Affairs Guidance (PPAG), talking points (TPs), and other communication strategies to support CENTCOM’s operational plans.
- Establish functional relationships with CENTCOM directorates, such as J3, J5, and others, to ensure proper integration of public affairs elements in operational plans.
- Participate in CENTCOM’s B2C2WG organizational construct to track the integration of communication equities into planning efforts.
- Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders, including interagency and international partners, to
- ensure synchronization of information-related capabilities.
- Advise leadership on strategic and regional concerns and recommend solutions to enhance communication efforts.
- Ensure that all public affairs products are coordinated with higher Public Affairs authorities, subordinate commands, and other government entities for a cohesive communication approach.
- Provide crisis and contingency response support as directed by CCPA leadership.
- Support emergent 24/7 surge requirements during crises or unforeseen events.
- Maintain a TS/SCI clearance and comply with all travel and operational readiness requirements.
General Requirements:
All contractor personnel will be responsible for the following tasks, actions, and processes:
- Information Gathering: search and collect data from diverse sources, including online platforms, databases, publications, and reports.
- Analysis: analyze the collected information to identify trends, patterns, and insights that may be valuable for theorganization. This will involve data analysis, content analysis, or other analytical techniques.
- Assessment of Credibility: evaluate the credibility and reliability of the information gathered to ensure that accurate andtrustworthy data is used for decision-making.
- Reporting: prepare reports, summaries, or presentations based on analysis to communicate findings to relevant stakeholders within the organization.
- Monitoring and Alerting: continuously monitor sources for new information relevant to the organization and set up alerts or notifications to ensure timely awareness of important developments.
- Risk Assessment: assess potential risks and opportunities based on the information gathered, helping the organization tomake informed decisions and mitigate potential threats.
- Collaboration: collaborate with other Specialists or departments within the organization to share insights and coordinate responses to emerging issues.
- Tool and Technology Utilization: stay updated on tools and technologies used for information gathering and analysis, suchas data mining software, social media monitoring tools, and analytical platforms.
- Stakeholder Engagement: engage with external stakeholders to exchange information, collaborate on analysis efforts, and build partnerships for mutual benefit.
- Legal and Ethical Compliance: ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards governing the collection and use ofpublicly and commercially available information, including privacy laws and intellectual property rights.
- Training and Development: provide training to colleagues on effective methods for gathering and analyzing publicly and commercially available information or contribute to the development of best practices within the organization.
- Crisis Response: During crisis situations or emergencies, provide real-time updates and analysis to support decision-making and response efforts.
- Quality Assurance: ensure the accuracy, relevance, and reliability of the information analyzed, employing rigorous quality assurance processes to maintain high standards of data integrity.
- Strategic Planning: participate in strategic planning processes by providing insights and recommendations based on the analysis of publicly and commercially available information, helping to shape the organization's goals and priorities.
Qualifications & Skills:
- Security Requirements: Must have a minimum TS/SCI clearance prior to Contract award. Interim TS or TS//SCI clearances will not be considered acceptable.
- Comprehensive experience in joint strategic planning
- Graduation from one of the following programs:
- Joint Advanced Warfighting School (JAWS)
- School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS)
- School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS)
- School of Advanced Warfighting (SAW)
- Maritime Advanced Warfighting School (MAWS)
- Senior Service College equivalent
- A master's degree.
- Minimum of 10 years of planning experience.
- At least 5 years of planning experience at a Geographic or Functional Combatant Command Headquarters.
- A minimum of 5 years of planning experience in at least one information-related area (Public Affairs (PA), InformationOperations (IO), Key Leader Engagements (KLE), or Civil Affairs (CA)).
- Preferably completed Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) I.
- Preferably have Corporate Marketing experience.
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