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Operations Officer Senior Level

Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Summary

The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) leads the nation's effort to protect the United States from terrorism by integrating, analyzing and sharing information to drive whole-of-government action and achieve our national CT objectives.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/12/2026 to 03/27/2026
Salary
$121,785 to - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13 - 14
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
McLean, VA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Multiple
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
No
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
26-12910339-DNI/NCTC/DOS
Control number
860938800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Internal to an Agency = Open to current permanent ODNI employees Federal Employees = This detail opportunity is for current competitive and excepted service employees only. If you are not a current federal civilian employee you will not be eligible for this position. ODNI Joint Duty Assignments do not apply to members of the Military service or contractors. Applicants from federal agencies may be considered for this position as a reimbursable detailee, if endorsed by the employing agency.

Duties

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The NCTC Operations Center (NCTOC) serves as NCTC's point of entry for intelligence reporting and provides situational awareness on global terrorism issues and breaking real-world events. It is the central hub for communications between the Center, the IC, and the broader CT community. The Operations Officer, Senior Level is a member of team leadership who assists in all aspects of running NCTC's 24x7 situational awareness mission. The team serves a number of customers, including the Intelligence Community, the broader counterterrorism community, the Director of NCTC, and the Director of National Intelligence.

Oversee and lead a professional staff that maintains 24/7 global situational awareness by independently planning, researching and analyzing raw intelligence reporting and maintaining awareness of current intelligence issues.

Coordinate with Intelligence Community (IC), watch officers and operation centers to ensure situational awareness of collection enterprise's activities, and to assure alignment with key national priorities.

Oversee the development and implementation of strategies to augment and extend strategic collection capabilities, and coordinate with national, defense, and domestic authorities to ensure alignment with key intelligence priorities.

Manage and direct professional staff in monitoring, sorting, prioritization, and analysis of intelligence and operational message traffic.

Direct and lead professional staff in the development of situational awareness information that is provided ODNI, IC, United States (U.S.) government, and other appropriate leaders.

Oversee and lead professional staff in performing community outreach and collaboration activities by planning and engaging in internal and external information sharing, fostering collaborative relationships with interagency partners, and communicating timely and relevant intelligence information.

Oversee and participate in the preparation of reports and oversight material for collection enterprise situation awareness, to ensure substantive accuracy and consistency with applicable policies and statutes; edit and provide quality control review of written products.

Plan, develop, and deliver oral briefings and written reports to ODNI leadership on intelligence issue activities and/or threats.

Oversee the development and implementation of strategies to augment and extend strategic collection capabilities, and coordinate with national, defense, and domestic authorities to ensure alignment with key intelligence priorities.

Develop, justify, and provide structured recommendations and innovative solutions for collection enterprise situational awareness on the status and employment of collection capabilities.

Serve as principal advisor to ODNI and other IC officials regarding operational collection initiatives, programs, and projects.

As required, guide Operations Officers' training and professional development by identifying relevant courses consistent with the officer's skills, career path, and the team's mission requirements; monitor team training activities to ensure all required and requested training is completed to standard.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Must be a current permanent ODNI employee OR must be a current permanent Federal employee with supervisory approval to apply to the Joint Duty Assignment (JDA). JDA applicants must be currently at the grade level specified in the advertisement. No temporary promotion opportunities will be granted for this position. The program does not apply to members of the Military service or contractors.

Joint Duty applicants may be considered for this position as a reimbursable detailee, if endorsed by the employing agency. Joint Duty applicants must have a current TS/SCI clearance with polygraph or have the ability to obtain one. The ODNI does not conduct polygraphs or provide security clearances for detailees.

FREE RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS

All applicants must answer the following four short, free response essay questions. The responses cannot exceed 200 words per question. By submitting your responses to the following questions, you certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]).

  1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
  2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
  3. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
  4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.

Qualifications

FREE RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS

All applicants must answer the following four short, free response essay questions. The responses cannot exceed 200 words per question. By submitting your responses to the following questions, you certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]).

  1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
  2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
  3. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
  4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.
Required Qualifications:

Extensive knowledge of intelligence analysis and production.

Extensive ability to develop complex written products, as well as the ability to brief counterparts and senior officials on those products, answer detailed questions, and provide supporting information.

Extensive ability to maintain and develop effective working relationships with counterparts and more senior staff in the IC for the purpose of sharing information.

Extensive knowledge of the ODNI and larger IC mission, operations, tradecraft, capabilities, and requirements.

Extensive ability to make assessments of time-sensitive issues, adjust priorities, and change focus quickly as demands change.

Extensive ability to work effectively both independently and in a team or collaborative environment, coupled with established and effective interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Ability to work rotating shifts of 12.5 hours in a fast-paced demanding environment.

Comprehensive knowledge of relationships and interrelationships in the IC and collection capabilities, including Crisis/operations center with 24-hour/7-day responsibilities.

Extensive knowledge of defense, domestic, and national IC collection issues and capabilities.

Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to clearly convey complex information and technical data to all levels of management.

Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with senior defense, domestic, and national IC officials.

Outstanding interpersonal and organization skills, including ability to manage competing priorities under strict guidelines while maintaining superior customer service.

Demonstrated ability to work effectively with teams, build and sustain professional relationships, and exert influence effectively at all levels within and across organizations on a myriad of collection situational awareness topics.

Education

Bachelor's Degree.

Additional information

JOB INTERVIEW TRAVEL

Candidates from outside the Washington Metropolitan Area (WMA) may be selected for a telephone, teleconference, or in-person interview.

SALARY DETERMINATION

A current Federal Government employee, selected for this position, will be assigned to the position at their current grade and salary.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

The ODNI provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Reasonable Accommodations Officer by classified email at dni_reasonable_accommodation_wma@cia.ic.gov, by unclassified email at DNI_DRA@dni.gov, by telephone at (703)275-3900 or by FAX at (703)275-1217. Your request for reasonable accommodation will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION TO THE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS EMAIL ADDRESS. THIS EMAIL IS FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS ONLY.

The ODNI is an equal opportunity employer and abides by applicable employment laws and regulations.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you are among the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.



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