Senior Strategist

Description
Senior Strategist Position Overview Serve as a Senior Strategist who will lead workstreams and help drive the human-centered design, research, and execution efforts within our Hana Defense Solutions (HDS) team, part of the Native Hawaiian nonprofit corporation The Hana Group.
From strategic vision to tactical implementation, we deliver adaptable, mission-centered solutions that help government and defense clients achieve lasting impact. Our team supports the mission-critical efforts of the Department of War (DoW) and federal clients through human-centered design, technology, and co-development.
As a Senior Strategist, you must have the skills, passion, and motivation to solve the wicked, complex problems the DoW faces by getting to the root cause. You'll work closely with senior leadership, stakeholders, and cross-functional team members, driving research, design frameworks, processes, and communications on initiatives across several multi-functional teams.
Primary Responsibilities Directly manage client workstreams and client relationships
Develop products within client workstreams that meet DoW standards and security requirements using human-centered design methods
Support creation and execution of strategic plans, frameworks, and recommendations that align with client and mission objectives
Conduct qualitative and quantitative research to understand operational challenges, identify opportunities, and inform decision-making
Work closely with Hana and client SMEs to ingest technical information for use on client products
Synthesize complex insights and user research into clear narratives, reports, and visual frameworks for leadership and client stakeholders using human-centered design
Support the design and facilitation of workshops, design sprints, and strategic planning sessions
Collaborate cross-functionally with account leaders, designers, developers, strategists, and other team members
Regularly attend in-person customer meetings on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, as required
Support the maintenance of design systems, style guides, and design standards
Document lessons learned, frameworks, and methodologies for reuse and knowledge sharing within the organization
Support the preparation of client briefs, progress reports, and leadership summaries as required by the PM
Track action items, milestones, and dependencies to ensure timeline completion, escalating as needed
Other duties as assigned
What Sets You Apart Ability to navigate client workstreams and client relationships independently
Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate and engage a variety of stakeholders at different levels
Experience supporting strategic planning initiatives within the government and defense space
Understanding of Adobe Creative Suite and other design tools as necessary to execute or direct work
Ability to think strategically while executing tactically, moving comfortably between high-level plans and hands‑on delivery
Advanced active listening skills
Ability to work across cross-functional teams
Knowledge of government contracting, performance management, and budget execution
Familiarity with tools like Jira, Confluence, and Figma
Strong grasp of what to deliver to a client and when (i.e., we don't take orders for products, we generate what the client needs to meet their goal)
History leading client workstreams and working directly with clients
Functional understanding of contract language and contract requirement
Requirements Minimum Requirements Bachelor's degree in Strategy, Business, Industrial Design, Engineering, MIS, Communications, or a related field
10+ years' experience working on DoW or government contracts in problem-solving and strategy roles
Familiarity with DoW operations, regulation, and structure
Proven ability to analyze complex problems and present structured, evidence-based recommendations
Experience with human-centered design methods and frameworks
Experience leading client work and interacting directly with clients
Adaptable to client work environments (i.e., able to read the room and adjust for results)
Ability to support the full project lifecycle, from kickoff through implementation and adoption
Travel for in-person sessions with the customer
Must be a U.S. citizen and possess a DoD Secret or higher security clearance
Preferred Qualifications Familiarity with defense logistics and acquisitions, cyber and technology, operational and infrastructure, and other defense workstreams
Proven experience briefing senior military officers, SES-level officials, or other executive government leaders
Strong organization, detail orientation, and writing skills
Experience owning both strategic direction and tactical delivery within small, high-accountability team
Benefits Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for qualified Health, Dependent Care, and Transportation expenses
Hana-owned MacBook Pro
Flexible PTO
Paid Federal Holidays
Short term disability insurance
401k
Work Schedule Full time, 40 hours per week
Remote with periodic on-site presence at client locations DC Metro as needed (2-3 days/week for some positions
HTS is an EOE/M/F/D/V/H

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