Associate Director, Strategy; Program Manager

the Opportunity The Associate Director; Strategy serves as a senior strategic practitioner responsible for leading complex engagements, advising senior client stakeholders, and developing high-impact strategic solutions that drive measurable outcomes. This role partners closely with clients to understand organizational challenges, identify opportunities for value creation, and translate complex information into actionable strategies and recommendations. As a trusted advisor, the Associate Director; Strategy shapes strategic direction, guides problem-solving efforts, and synthesizes research, stakeholder perspectives, and organizational priorities into clear, compelling narratives and executive-level deliverables. This role influences outcomes through expertise, thought partnership, and strategic leadership while contributing to the development of team members and the continued evolution of the Strategy competency. The Associate Director; Strategy serves as a role model for strategic excellence, helping elevate the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of strategic work across engagements while maintaining a strong focus on client success. The Program Manager (PM) is accountable for the overall success of assigned contracts and client engagements. The PM oversees program delivery, client relationships, financial performance, staffing coordination, risk management, and contract execution to ensure successful outcomes for both clients and LINK. Acting as a trusted advisor and consultant, the PM works closely with clients, project teams, and internal stakeholders to establish strategic direction, create business value, and deliver impactful solutions. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communication, English, Business, Public Policy, or a related field. 12+ years of experience in strategic communications, consulting, organizational transformation, program management, strategy, or a related field. Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Current Secret level clearance preferred. Strong expertise in strategic planning, organizational transformation, communications, and stakeholder engagement. Well-versed in a variety of strategy disciplines and able to select the appropriate approach for a given challenge. Strong strategic thinking, analytical problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities. Demonstrated ability to translate complex information into clear insights, recommendations, and actionable plans. Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with senior leaders, clients, and cross-functional teams. Demonstrated ability to balance multiple priorities and deadlines while maintaining high standards of quality and client service. Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex engagements and influence executive decision-making. Capable of mentoring and coaching others. Approaches work with optimism, openness to new ideas, and a collaborative mindset. Responsibilities Associate Director; Strategy responsibilities include: Client Partnership & Strategic Advisory Partners directly with clients to define missions, visions, strategic goals, and measurable KPIs/OKRs aligned to enterprise priorities. Serves as a trusted advisor to senior leaders by framing complex challenges, conducting current-state assessments, and translating ambiguity into actionable strategies and implementation roadmaps. Leads strategic planning efforts, including executive workshops, stakeholder engagements, scenario planning activities, and initiative prioritization efforts. Synthesizes research, stakeholder inputs, organizational priorities, and business objectives into executive-level recommendations and strategic direction. Oversees multiple workstreams or engagements, ensuring strategic alignment, quality, and measurable impact across efforts. Identifies opportunities to create tangible business value and helps shape future work that supports client success and long-term engagement growth. Provides strategic guidance that enables informed decision-making in complex and evolving environments. Communication Strategy, Storytelling & Execution Develops compelling strategic narratives, executive-level presentations, communication strategies, and decision-support products. Shapes messaging frameworks that align leadership vision, organizational priorities, and stakeholder needs. Designs content structures, information hierarchies, and storytelling approaches that communicate complex information with clarity and impact. Collaborates with creative teams to develop high-quality visual products that support strategic objectives and audience understanding. Establishes standards for strategic communication products and provides guidance that improves quality and consistency across engagements. Guides development of executive-ready materials that support alignment, decision-making, and organizational action. Change Management & Organizational Transformation Develops and implements change management strategies, stakeholder engagement approaches, communications strategies, and adoption roadmaps. Designs governance frameworks, operating models, and implementation approaches that enable sustainable transformation outcomes. Facilitates executive and cross-functional working sessions that drive alignment, accelerate decision-making, and address organizational barriers. Establishes feedback mechanisms and performance measures that support continuous improvement and long-term success. Evaluates organizational progress and refines strategic approaches based on stakeholder feedback, performance data, and emerging needs. Team Development & Competency Growth Mentors teammates through coaching, knowledge sharing, and constructive feedback. Contributes to performance management activities through development feedback, observations, coaching, and participation in performance discussions. Participates in interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and talent development efforts. Mo