Military Deception (MILDEC) Planner

Blue Sky Innovators is seeking an experienced Military Deception (MILDEC) Planner with a strong background in joint military planning, intelligence integration, and operational deception. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience developing, coordinating, and integrating military deception activities into joint campaigns and operations.

As a Blue Sky Innovator, you will work collaboratively with USNORTHCOM planners, intelligence professionals, and operational stakeholders to develop and integrate military deception concepts and plans in support of strategic and operational objectives. The successful candidate will apply a comprehensive understanding of joint planning doctrine, intelligence processes, operational design, and deception planning to address complex challenges across the homeland defense and security mission.

This role offers a select opportunity to contribute to the nation’s defense by supporting senior military leadership and helping develop innovative approaches to complex operational challenges.

Key Responsibilities:

• MILDEC Planning: Develop, coordinate, and integrate military deception concepts, plans, and activities into joint operational and campaign planning in accordance with applicable Department of War and joint doctrine.
• Joint Campaign Planning: Participate in operational and strategic planning efforts, ensuring MILDEC considerations are incorporated throughout the planning process and aligned with command objectives.
• Intelligence Integration: Integrate strategic, operational, foundational, and current intelligence into deception planning and assessment to support informed operational decision-making.
• Operational Design: Analyze complex operational problems and develop deception approaches that support broader campaign objectives, operational plans, and commander priorities.
• Interagency and Joint Coordination: Coordinate MILDEC planning and activities with appropriate military services, combatant command staff elements, interagency partners, and other stakeholders as required.
• Senior Leader Engagement: Prepare and present MILDEC plans, assessments, recommendations, and decision briefings to senior military and civilian leadership.
• Planning Products: Develop high-quality planning products, assessments, briefings, synchronization materials, and other documentation required to support command planning activities.
• Assessment: Support the development of measures and indicators to assess the effectiveness of deception activities and provide recommendations for adaptation.
• Adaptability: Thrive in a changing operational environment, demonstrating creativity, sound judgment, and the ability to rapidly adapt planning approaches to evolving requirements.
• Initiative: Analyze complex problems, identify opportunities, and develop practical solutions while operating effectively with limited guidance.

Qualifications:

• Experience: Extensive experience in military planning, with demonstrated expertise in joint and/or service planning doctrine and operational planning processes.
• MILDEC Experience: Demonstrated experience planning, coordinating, integrating, or assessing military deception activities in support of military operations or campaigns.
• Joint Planning: Strong understanding of Joint Planning Process (JPP), operational design, campaign planning, and the integration of intelligence into military planning.
• Communication: Superior written and oral communication skills, with demonstrated ability to develop and present complex planning concepts to senior military and civilian leadership.
• Security Clearance: Must have a Top Secret/SSBI security clearance.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Master’s degree in a relevant field desired.

Experience Desired:

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of successful assignments in military deception, joint military planning, intelligence integration, operational design, or related information-related capabilities.

• At least 5 years of experience supporting a Combatant Command, Joint Task Force, or other senior-level joint headquarters is highly desirable.
• Experience conducting Military Deception activities is preferred.
• Experience working in complex interagency, multinational, or international environments is also desired.

Specialized Military Training:

• JPME II
• Service advanced military schooling such as SAMS, JAWS, SAASS, or MAWS
• Joint Planners Course and/or equivalent