SOCCENT J39 PSYOP Planner

SOCCENT J39 seeks a highly skilled proactive J39 Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Planner. Here you will serve as a senior PSYOP planner for SOCCENT HQs. In this role you will advise the commander and staff on the psychological effects of military actions. Provide situational awareness and understanding of the effects individuals and groups have in the Operational Environment (OE). Assess the effectiveness of influence efforts through open-source research and coordinating intelligence collection. Conduct target audience analysis and series development to achieve desired influence effects.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan military operations that influence the attitudes and behaviors of selected Target Audiences (TAs) and populations.
• Determine the best means to deliver messages to individuals and populations in the Area of Operations (AO).
• Assess influence efforts through Measures of Performance (MOP) and Measures of Effectives (MOE).
• Determine adversary and enemy information capabilities.
• Assess the potential effects of adversary and information activities.
• Plan the employment of PSYOP to achieve commander’s objectives within the appropriate authorities and U.S. policies, goals, and objectives.
• Integrate PSYOP with other Information Forces (IFs) to achieve synchronized influence effects.
• Develop plans, Concepts of Operations (CONOPs), series to achieve desired influence effects.
• Integrate various command elements (to include lower/higher echelon units and service components) into planning to ensure synchronization and achieve deconfliction in planning efforts.
• Participate in Video Teleconferences (VTCs) and long-range, strategic planning efforts within USSOCOM, USCENTCOM, other DoW elements, and Interagency (IA) participants. This shall include course of action (COA) development, analysis, documentation, vetting, and presentation.
• Provide iterative, written and oral inputs and recommendations, via briefings and point papers/talking points, for the development and refinement of SOCCENT Influence Operations objectives, priorities, strategies, plans, and planning documents.
• Utilize knowledge of joint doctrine and joint planning concepts, to include the Joint Operation Planning Process (JOPP) and Adaptive Planning and Execution (APEX) process. Apply operational art and operational design in the application of JOPP.
• Utilize knowledge of joint military operations, including command and control (C2) processes and the military decision making process (MDMP).
• Translate, both orally and in writing, technical content and tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) found in proposed COAs, OPLANs, and CONPLANs into high-level briefs, point papers, and talking papers.
• Monitor and review strategies, doctrine, policies, directives, and instructions from higher echelon headquarters and make recommendations to the Government to ensure compliance and consideration in planning efforts.
• Create and maintain a database of PSYOP operations, activities, and investments (OAIs), TTPs, assessments, best practices, and lessons learned - to be used for mission continuity that may be accessed by all stakeholders.
• May perform travel CONUS/OCONUS (TDY status, attend conferences, planning efforts, OPTs with appropriate clearance levels, and exercises) as required and remain fully qualified and current with all specified / required training.

• Active Top Secret with SCI.
• MA/MS in one of these Disciplines: Social Sciences, Public Policy, Applied Statistics, Operations Research, or Systems Analysis
• Joint Professional Military Education Level II or Service Equivalent; Advanced Military Education Levels (i.e. School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS), Joint Advanced Warfighting School (JAWS); Service War Colleges).
• At least 5 years strategic and operational planning and analysis
• At least 3 years’ experience in any of the following: in CENTCOM AOR; MISO; MILDEC; CWMD; ORSA; CYBER; AT/FP; SNA; Special Programs; Interagency Experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Previously served at SOCCENT HQ and familiar with SOCCENT Staff functions

About Vistra:  Vistra Communications, doing business as Vistra and Vistra Federal Solutions, is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) headquartered in Tampa, FL with an office in Alexandria, VA providing professional support serviced to Defense, Federal, and Civilian Agencies.  Approximately 25% of our “team member” employees work in the National Capital Region, providing communications, outreach, and organizational transformation services to our public sector customers.  Vistra provides medical, dental, and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, employer matching 401(k) retirement plan, Paid Time Off, Parental and Bereavement Leave, and Professional Development, among other benefits. 

US Citizenship Required: Due to the requirements of the federal contract that this position supports, U.S. citizenship is required. Citizenship will be confirmed via I-9/E-Verify at the start of employment.