Division Director, Naval Division

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The Naval Division is NSEC's primary mission partner to the Department of the Navy, Marine Corps, and the nation's maritime security enterprise. The Division addresses some of the Navy's most consequential challenges, including decision superiority in contested environments, mission engineering for force design, whole-of-nation maritime statecraft, prototype transition, non-traditional sea denial, and undersea warfare.

The Division's strategy is aligned to the National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Fighting Instructions. Through trusted partnerships and objective technical expertise, the Division helps senior leaders make informed decisions and advance mission outcomes across the maritime domain.

The Division Director is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic direction, and operational performance of the Naval Division. This executive translates strategic priorities into an operating model that attracts and develops exceptional talent, strengthens sponsor relationships, and delivers measurable mission impact.

Job Description:

The Division Director of the Naval portfolio leads MITRE's engagement with the Department of the Navy, Marine Corps, and broader maritime security community. The role is responsible for shaping the Division's strategic direction, aligning resources to emerging mission priorities, and ensuring the delivery of high-impact technical work that addresses the nation's most pressing maritime security challenges.

Reporting to the Vice President, Defense & Services (D&S) Center, the Division Director is accountable for all aspects of Division performance, including sponsor engagement, portfolio execution, workforce leadership, and financial stewardship. The Division Director serves as MITRE's senior representative to Navy and Marine Corps leadership and works closely with internal and external stakeholders to advance mission outcomes across the maritime enterprise.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute the Division's strategy, ensuring alignment with enterprise priorities and sponsor mission needs.
• Identify areas where MITRE can provide unique value and focus organizational investments and resources accordingly.
• Collaborate with D&S Center leadership and peer Division Directors to advance cross-cutting strategic initiatives.
• Represent the Division in senior-level engagements with sponsors, advisory councils, and interagency partners.
• Communicate strategic priorities and organizational direction to internal and external stakeholders.

Operational Excellence

• Lead Division operations across multiple departments, ensuring effective execution of programs, projects, and strategic initiatives.
• Oversee workforce planning, financial performance, resource allocation, and portfolio management.
• Partner with the Division Chief Engineer to maintain a balanced, coherent work program aligned with strategic priorities and mission needs.
• Establish performance expectations and accountability mechanisms that drive operational effectiveness and continuous improvement.
• Ensure delivery of high-quality products and services that meet sponsor expectations and MITRE standards.

Sponsor Relationships

• Build and sustain trusted relationships with senior government and military leaders.
• Anticipate emerging mission priorities and align Division capabilities to evolving sponsor needs.
• Translate technical and organizational priorities into compelling sponsor-facing strategies and engagement plans.
• Serve as MITRE's principal representative to Navy and Marine Corps stakeholders.

Technical Excellence

• Provide strategic oversight of the Division's technical portfolio and major mission areas.
• Partner with technical leaders to maintain excellence in technical quality, analytical rigor, and mission relevance.
• Ensure the Division's technical investments and work programs remain aligned with emerging maritime security challenges.
• Elevate significant technical findings and mission outcomes to enterprise and sponsor leadership.

Talent Development

• Recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing workforce in partnership with MITRE's Technology & Engineering Sector.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and mission commitment.
• Develop Department Managers, Chief Engineers, and other leaders through coaching, delegation, and succession planning.
• Strengthen partnerships across MITRE to integrate expertise in areas such as artificial intelligence, data architectures, autonomous systems, and wargaming.

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum 15 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 12 years with a Master's degree; or 10 years with a PhD; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated success leading large technical organizations and portfolios delivering mission impact for defense or national security sponsors.
• Comprehensive understanding of U.S. Navy missions, operations, organizations, and strategic priorities.
• Experience working directly with or on behalf of the Navy across multiple mission or technical domains.
• Demonstrated success developing, communicating, and executing organizational strategy in complex mission-driven environments.
• Experience building and sustaining trusted relationships with senior government and military leaders, including Flag Officers and Senior Executive Service (SES) officials.
• Proven ability to lead through influence, build consensus, and drive outcomes across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Experience managing complex portfolios with accountability for workforce, financial performance, and mission outcomes.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and collaboration skills, with demonstrated success working across government, industry, academia, and internal enterprise partners.
• Strong business acumen and the ability to operate effectively in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Active Top Secret (TS) clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain TS/SCI access.
• U.S. Citizenship required
• This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on-site.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Deep operational or analytical expertise in one or more key areas: Decision Superiority/ Command, Control, Computing, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting (C-C5ISRT), Mission Engineering, Maritime Statecraft, Prototype Transitions, Non-Traditional Sea Denial, or Undersea Warfare.
• Experience with Joint Fires, Command and Control in Contested Environments, Autonomous Systems, Data Architectures and Analytics, Wargaming, and Experimentation.
• Experience in multisectoral analysis, including whole-of-nation approaches to gray zone competition, port infrastructure risk, or allied burden-sharing.
• Experience developing prototype transition pathways - moving high-risk, high-value concepts from government purpose-rights demonstration to operational fielding.
• TS/SCI clearance.

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):
Top Secret

This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):
Top Secret/SCI

Salary compensation range and midpoint:
$226,400 - $283,000 - $339,600 Annual

Work Location Type:
Onsite

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.

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