Senior Policy Analyst in Arlington, Virginia

Sr. Policy Analyst

Arlington, Virginia Must be a U.S. Citizen with an active Secret Clearance. Orchard LLC is looking to identify a Senior Policy Analyst to be proposed for a Key Position in support of the Office of Naval Research (ONR), located in Arlington, VA. This role will be mostly on-site and requires an active Secret Clearance. Our client will issue a Letter of Intent (LOI) in August so that the profile can be included in the bid response, and the project is expected to start work in February 2027.

This position supports the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Headquarters and Mission Support Directorate by facilitating stakeholder engagement, policy coordination, and strategic communication across the Naval Research Enterprise (NRE), Department of War (DoW), federal agencies, and academic partners. The Senior Policy Analyst (Level III) serves as a key liaison between government stakeholders, helping to coordinate initiatives, facilitate collaboration, support leadership decision-making, and ensure effective communication across diverse organizations.

The ideal candidate is a highly organized professional with strong analytical skills, exceptional communication abilities, and experience supporting complex government programs. Your responsibilities as a Senior Policy Analyst.

• Serve as a technical liaison between ONR leadership and stakeholders across the Naval Research Enterprise, DoW, federal agencies, and academic institutions.
• Directly engage stakeholders to foster collaboration, information sharing, and mission objectives.
• Lead and organize meetings, working groups, and executive-level engagements.
• Manage project action items, decision-making, and follow-through to ensure timely resolution, accountability, and sharing of insights.
• Develop and deliver briefings, status updates, and other leadership-level summaries on stakeholder relationships, initiatives, and emerging issues.
• Analyze stakeholder concerns and identify opportunities to improve coordination, communication, and organizational effectiveness.
• Support leadership with research, policy analysis, and strategic recommendations related to stakeholder engagement efforts.
• Assist with governance, compliance, and organizational coordination activities as required.

Your background will include.

• All candidates must possess an active Secret clearance. Due to the hiring timeline, candidates without a clearance will NOT be considered at this time.
• Must be a US citizen.
• Bachelor's degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Business Administration, Public Administration, Government, Communications, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading and coordinating stakeholder engagement activities (e.g., working groups, etc.).
• Strong research and comprehension skills in a science and technology (S&T) environment.
• Strong group facilitation skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, able to be tailored to executive and technical audiences, including briefings, reports, and presentations.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong relationship development and management skills, specifically across diverse organizations and stakeholder groups.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities.

• Experience supporting DoW, Navy, or federal government S&T organizations.
• Familiarity with governance, compliance, audit readiness, or organizational performance initiatives.
• Familiarity with DoW property accountability regulations and Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness (FIAR) standards.
• Experience supporting government audits, compliance programs, or internal control activities.
• Experience with asset management systems such as DPAS or ERP platforms, especially Navy ERP.
• Knowledge of federal policy development, stakeholder management, and interagency coordination processes.
• Experience supporting executive leadership or senior government officials.

Compensation for this role will be determined based on experience and qualifications. The expected base salary range is between $95K and $113K. Generous benefits, bonus eligibility, and significant professional development support are all available.