DiplomacyForeign Affairs ExpertExercise Designer (Fort Leavenworth, KS)

Diplomacy/Foreign Affairs Expert/Exercise Designer (Fort Leavenworth KS)

• Eligibility: Open only to U.S. citizens (SECRET clearance required)
• Position Type: Full-Time/Permanent
• Location: Fort Leavenworth Kansas (in-person/no hybrid or remote)
• Salary: $100-130K/year bonus eligible
• Apply By: Rolling

About Us:

Motive International () is not like most Federal contractors. We are a social enterprise with a hybrid for-profit/not-for-profit business model focused entirely on a mission to mitigate global conflict and instability. We implement programs and deliver innovative technology-enabled solutions to public and private sector clients and conduct pro-bono impact initiatives all around the world that help make societies more peaceful and prosperous. Our small team is comprised of passionate world-leading experts and motivated professionals who believe deeply in our mission and values. We are a certified 8(a) and Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) based in Washington DC with a reputation for excellence integrity and fearlessly pursuing our mission.

About the Opportunity :

Motive is part of a team contracted to deliver ongoing support to the U.S. Armys Mission Command Training Program (MCTP) which designs and executes large-scale military exercises including the Warfighter Exercise (WFX) series for Army Corps and Division echelons. Motives contracted support to MCTP began in August 2026 and will endure for many years.

Motives role in MCTP is to staff the Unified Action Partner (UAP) cell a full-time embedded team of interagency subject matter experts (SMEs) responsible for designing civil domain elements of exercise scenarios to ensure a complex realistic training environment. UAP SMEs work on-site at MCTP HQ at Ft. Leavenworth Kansas where they support full exercise lifecycle design and planning tasks then travel to CONUS and OCONUS locations where exercises are held throughout the year.

Motive welcomes applications from fully qualified candidates for the UAP SME positions which are specialized in the following domains:

• Intelligence (ideal for candidates with prior service in/around CIA NSA other IC agencies)
• Foreign Affairs (ideal for candidates with prior service in/around the State Department)
• Humanitarian Affairs (ideal for candidates with prior service in/around official development assistance agencies such as USAID or the State Department INGOs Red Cross or UN agencies)

Motive will review applications on a rolling basis with priority for positions with active openings.

Highly qualified candidates will be contacted to either interview for immediate vacancies or complete steps to join our bench of pre-qualified alternates if no positions are immediately available. Non-selected candidates may be added to Motives general applicant pool and may be contacted at a later date for other opportunities.

Minimum Qualifications:

• U.S. citizen with minimum SECRET security clearance
• Masters degree
• Min. 8 years of professional experience in relevant SME domain
• Overseas professional experience in complex crisis or contingency environment
• Willingness to reside permanently in the Ft. Leavenworth KS area
• Ability to travel up to 20% time including to OCONUS locations
• Exceptional communication and teamwork skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Solid understanding of the military/civil-military operations
• Familiarity with military exercise lifecycle/exercise design or planning experience

To Apply:

1. Complete an application for the relevant SME domain
   • Application Form: click HERE.
   • Full Name
   • Full contact info
   • Select which SME domain(s) best fit your background
   • Highest degree earned and institution
   • Number of years of relevant experience and brief description of the most senior role(s) held in the relevant domain of expertise
   • Your Background & Approach (long form field instead of separate cover letter)
     • In your opinion what principles and concepts from your domain of expertise are critical for military leaders to understand in order to be effective in real-world combat or complex contingencies and how would you seek to incorporate these principles into an exercise setting

1. • Interest & Fit (long form instead of separate cover letter)
   • This position would require you to be based at Ft. Leavenworth Kansas working full-time at a military HQ as part of a large enterprise that designs plans and executes multiple Warfighter exercises a year requiring frequent travel. Briefly explain your interest in and fit with the location setting and lifestyle of this position.
2. Submit a current CV with current address and contact info

Required Experience:

IC