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Deputy Director of Operations, USSF SOCOM

Department of the Air Force
United States Space Force Components
United States Space Force / SOCOM

Summary

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For additional information on other USSF direct hire opportunities visit the
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Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$126,711 - $193,760 per year
Pay scale & grade
NH 4
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
SF-FY27-6K-NH-0301-04-SPLSH
Control number
891812100

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Duties

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The United States Space Force (USSF) at MacDill AFB, FL is searching for a Deputy Director of Operations to support USSF SOCOM (NH-0301-04, GS 14/15 equivalent).


Description:
Step into the future of defense innovation as the Deputy Director of the Operations for United States Space Force Special Operations Command. In this high-impact leadership role, you will exercises delegated authority to make or recommend decisions concerning Directorate programs and activities. Resolves issues involving competing operational requirements, limited resources, compressed timelines, and coordination across multiple organizations. Represents the Director, as authorized, at command-level working groups, boards, planning teams, operational forums, and other engagements. Provides continuity of operations during the Director's absence and ensures timely execution of Directorate responsibilities., shaping the nation's space superiority. We're seeking a strategist, who thrives in high-stakes environments, navigating complex procurement landscapes with precision, agility, and integrity. If you're ready to lead from the front and make your mark on the celestial frontier -this is your mission

Ideal Candidate:
Serves as Deputy Director of the Operations Directorate and assists the Director in planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating the Directorate's operational activities. Provides senior-level civilian leadership and management oversight for assigned programs, projects, and operational initiatives supporting SPACEFOR-SOC missions. Develops and evaluates long-range and near-term plans, goals, objectives, policies, and procedures necessary to execute assigned missions. Translates command priorities and senior leader guidance into executable Directorate objectives, tasks, milestones, and measures of effectiveness. Identifies complex operational and organizational problems; analyzes alternatives; assesses mission, manpower, resource, readiness, and risk implications; and recommends courses of action to command leadership. Ensures Directorate activities remain synchronized with command priorities, Space Force guidance, joint requirements, and applicable special operations requirements.


Key Skills and Abilities:
1 Expert, comprehensive knowledge of joint special operations (SOF) and space operations doctrines, with a proven ability to lead, synchronize, and execute current operations and crisis action response. Experience within a Combatant Command operations directorate (specifically USSOCOM J3 or a Theater Special Operations Command (TSOC) is highly preferred over singular domain expertise.
2 Mastery of military force generation, presentation, and readiness cycle management. Proven skill in tracking force readiness metrics, managing deployment/redeployment timelines, and translating high-level operational tasks into clear, tactical-level execution plans.
3 Demonstrated ability to design, coordinate, and execute complex joint-service exercises to validate operational concepts, evaluate training effectiveness, and integrate emerging space capabilities into the SOF Enterprise. Skill in managing formal lessons-learned and corrective action programs.
4 Exceptional capability to communicate high-risk operational concepts and brief senior general/flag officers and civilian executives. Skilled in drafting operational orders (OPORDs), formal staff packages, and representing command equities in joint, inter-agency, and coalition forums to resolve complex operational conflicts.
5. Highly developed skill in preparing and presenting strategic operational plans, military estimates, theater risk assessments, and formal position papers to senior military, civilian, and international coalition leaders.
6. Exceptional ability to anticipate complex operational risks in theater, assess and provide strategic direction for the resolution of mission-critical planning obstacles, and establish new strategic concepts and operational methodologies.
7. Effective capability to communicate both orally and in writing. Skilled in drafting high-level documentation (briefings, staff packages) and maintaining productive working relationships across diverse command entities to resolve complex issues.


Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret / SCI security clearance.
  • May be required to travel by military or commercial aircraft in the performance of TDY assignments.
  • May be required to work overtime on an unscheduled or emergency basis.
  • Subject to Temporary Duty Assignment (TDY): Approximately 30 days per year.
  • Eligible for situational telework only, including Emergency and OPM prescribed “Unscheduled Telework”.
  • PCS / relocation funding is authorized and may be made available.
  • This position will close after 5 business days or 75 applications, whichever comes first.
  • This is a drug testing designated position. The incumbent is subject to pre-employment drug testing as a condition of employment, and participation in random drug testing.

Qualifications

The 0301 series does not have an individual occupational requirement that must be met. You can view the experience level requirements here. Please scroll down to the 3rd section titled Administrative and Management Positions.

Additional information

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.

Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here.

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.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies as related to the series and grade of the position being filled. Final qualifications determinations will be assessed based on OPM's General Schedule Qualifications Standards found here:

Interviews: You will be contacted by e-mail and/or telephone if your application is identified as qualifying for a position being filled. An interview may be conducted. If interviewed, you will be asked to address the same knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies used to initially qualify your application for the position.

United States Space Force Components

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This Job Opportunity Announcement (JOA) will be used to form a pool of qualified applicants who will be considered for direct hire vacancies as they become available.

To learn more about the United States Space Force Mission click here

Agency contact information

US Space Force Enterprise Talent Management
Email
HQ.USSF.TalentAcquisition@spaceforce.mil
Address
USSF - United States Space Force Components
1670 Space Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330
US

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https://spaceforce.com

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