Deputy Program Director for Human Optimization

Battelle delivers when others can't. We conduct research and development, manage national laboratories, design and manufacture products and deliver critical services for our clients—whether they are a multi-national corporation, a small start-up or a government agency.

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

Battelle is seeking a Deputy Program Director for Human Performance Optimization (HPO) within our Health Business to lead the execution of large-scale, globally distributed military support programs focused on enhancing the readiness and resilience of U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF). This role drives strategic initiatives that optimize physical, psychological, social, and cognitive performance across high-functioning teams. The Deputy Director will work with the Program Director to oversee the recruitment, deployment, and sustainment of approximately 800 credentialed health professionals—many requiring security clearances—across 37 locations in the United States, Europe, and Asia, ensuring alignment with mission-critical objectives and federal government expectations.

The Deputy Director Program Director is responsible for end-to-end program delivery, including staffing, field operations, compliance, recruiting pipeline development, and stakeholder coordination. The ideal candidate brings a blend of strategic vision and operational precision, with demonstrated experience managing geographically dispersed, multi-functional teams in high-tempo, zero-fail environments. This position requires exceptional leadership, communication, and organizational skills to maintain program excellence and drive continuous improvement in support of national security and human performance outcomes.

• Serve as subject matter expert in human performance optimization and military health.
• Deliver executive-level briefings to senior military leadership and Battelle executives, translating program metrics, trends, and challenges into actionable insights.
• Coordinate logistics and surge operations, ensuring rapid response capabilities and continuity of care during high-demand or emergent scenarios.
• Champion innovation and continuous improvement, integrating evidence-based practices, emerging technologies, and performance analytics to optimize outcomes.
• Promote a culture of resilience and readiness, ensuring all program activities support the holistic well-being and operational effectiveness of high-performance personnel and their families.
• Facilitate collaboration across commands, installations, and service branches, optimizing service delivery and ensuring alignment with DoD-wide human performance initiatives.
• Model a culture of safety and risk management across all domains, particularly in behavioral health and data privacy.
• Direct resource management and staffing operations, ensuring budget adherence, recruitment timelines, and retention benchmarks are consistently met.

• Master's degree or higher in Human Performance, Health Sciences, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, or a related field.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or Program Management Professional (PgMP) certification.
• 10+ years of senior program leadership experience overseeing distributed healthcare or human performance programs, including CONUS and OCONUS operations.
• Proven success managing large-scale federal programs ($100M+), with a track record of delivering "exceptional" performance ratings.
• Deep understanding of SOCOM or DoD medical support environments, with demonstrated alignment to POTFF objectives and operational tempo.
• Active Secret clearance required; TS/SCI…