Company Overview
Metrea is a defense company dedicated to translating commercial innovation into solutions for the hardest problems in national security. With deep mission expertise, Metrea focuses on delivering effects as-a-service across a spectrum of domains including Air & Space, Electromagnetic & Cyber, and Digital & Synthetic. Metrea Management provides central services via Operations, Solutions, Strategy, Legal, and Finance teams.
Capability Unit
Metrea Management is our global shared service providing support for the Capability Units (CU) in areas such as Operations (People, Platform Technology, etc.) Finance & Investment, Legal, Compliance & Contracts, Solutions, and Strategy.
Position Summary
The Head of Discovery is responsible for creating the Discovery capability area (DISCO) with a focus on discovering high surprisal national security problems on behalf of Metrea and its stakeholders. The nascent capability area will channel its discovery efforts towards designing, curating, hosting, and leveraging an ongoing series of invite-only, high-quality, in-person symposia that explore particular problem themes in national security.
DISCO will identify themes and frame events, select participants and invite guests, and ultimately, craft the right presentation, debate, discussion, interaction, and engagement environments to absorb as much discovery value for every participant and for Metrea itself. DISCO will also use other communication, engagement, publication, and media modalities to frame and enhance its centerpiece symposia and maximize the impact of its mandated activities.
Candidates for this role will be rooted in humility, be both systematic and entrepreneurial, highly discerning, and with a passion for over-delivering. They will bring a depth of expertise and passion for national security, as well as significant relevant experience for H/DISCO mandate.
The Head of Discovery will be a part of the Strategy Group, and as such will participate in a variety of other efforts. The expectation is that Discovery activities will occupy roughly 75% of the time, and the remaining 25% will be other Metrea and Strategy Group projects.
Role and Responsibilities
- Discovery capability area development. The primary task for this position is to develop a new Discovery capability for Metrea. This will begin by developing a campaign plan and value case for the capability. This plan should include the effects that will be delivered, the capabilities required to deliver those effects, and the timelines against which those effects will be delivered. Developing a campaign plan and value case will be highly collaborative with a variety of teammates from across the enterprise.
- Discovery activities. As part of leading and building the discovery capability, this role will require active participation in discovery activities. These will range from private conversations with senior government officials to public participation in writing and debating ideas and policies. This will also include identifying, evaluating, developing, and delivering new content to help engage with ideas, problems, and people in national security.
- Engagement. Participate in a range of Metrea’s engagement activities and support Metrea’s engagement teams where subject matter expertise and/or customer knowledge or intimacy might help Metrea progress prospects favorably. Represent Metrea as required at external events and venues.
- Research. Support Metrea’s Research team in conducting deep research, analysis, modeling and simulation of problems and solutions related to the relevant portfolio.
- Frameworks. Metrea has developed a series of proprietary frameworks to help evaluate problems and make decisions. This role will begin with a deep-dive into those frameworks and then involve applying them to problems that are identified.
- Tooling. As the Discovery capability grows, the role is responsible for building the tooling required.
- Teaching & Training. All Metreans are expected to be able to teach others about their areas of expertise and be interested in receiving training on relevant topics and fields.
- Scanning for & evaluating opportunities. As a part of the Strategy team, and the broader Metrea team, continually scan the environment for wicked problems and potentially elegant solutions. Participate in, and potentially lead when appropriate, evaluations of problems and potential solutions.
- Support decision-making processes. Contribute to the development of value cases, and participate in the decision-making process used to assess organic and strategic opportunities, with a particular focus on whether the opportunity is aligned with Metrea’s strategic priorities.
- Supporting and leading. Sponsor, lead or participate in projects that draw on your skillsets or specialist knowledge as required by Metrea.
Skills and Experience
- Detailed understanding of the national security problem-space, mission themes, capabilities, and offerings.
- Expert understanding of the policies, processes, priorities, and organization of the US Government in general, and the Department of Defense in particular, around national security matters.
- Proven ability to interact with complex ideas and evaluate them against first principles.
- Experience in writing and speaking publicly in the national security ecosystem.
- Ability to think and communicate across a wide range of disciplines beyond national security, such as science and philosophy.
- Expert knowledge of the human terrain around the US Government's national security establishment, coupled with extensive personal contacts and a proven ability to generate high-impact networks.
- Proven ability to liaise and communicate with fluency with senior policy, military and industry officials.
- Ability to interact at the highest levels of industry, scientific, technology, military, policy, and finance communities.
- Ability to immerse oneself in new esoteric national security and multi-domain concepts and grow subject matter expertise in new technical niches and develop rapport with new user and stakeholder communities.
- Good understanding in the field of global defense and security, along with the associated missions, assets, technologies and operations.
- Experience in conducting relevant subject matter research & development at highest standards of rigor, discretion, and execution.
- Highly developed sense of judgement and maturity.
- Intellectually curious, with strong critical thinking skills and attention to detail.
- Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot, problem solve and apply analytical rigor.
- Strong organizational skills, and discipline, along with a high sense of reliability, discretion, and confidentiality.
- Proven ability to work effectively in, and leverage a highly collaborative, matrixed environment to achieve project ends.
- Fluent in the use of modern software tools and applications.
- Highly developed communication and presentation skills.
- Capacity to balance strategic vs. operational mind-sets and results vs. process orientation.
- Ability to function effectively under resource constraints and work creatively in a start-up environment.
- Strongly orientated towards performance with a solid and consistent ethical compass.
- Demonstrated intellectual humility, high-levels of emotional intelligence and an innate ability to challenge own thinking and adjust to others’.
Our Culture
Metrea’s single core value “rooted in humility” is supported by four key attributes; entrepreneurial, systematic, discerning & over-deliver which combined; form our Teammate Firmware, our culture. These attributes are explored during the hiring process, when we grow our teams and to continually support the growth of our culture. We are a hyper-collaborative, dynamically hierarchical organization united by a passion for what we do, and how we do it, who we do it with, and who we do it for
Benefits
Health and welfare
Retirement plan eligibility
Work Authorization / Security Clearance
Preferred but not required.
AAP/EEO Statement
Metrea Special Management LLC (MAM) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
Position Type and Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time position with typical working hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hours and work shifts may change in accordance with department and business needs. Exempt Employees must have the ability to be on-call and available, as business needs require. Non-Exempt employees may be required to work over 40 hours per week with approval from the department manager.
Travel
10-20%
Work Location
Washington, DC- Hybrid
Work Environment
This job operates in an office setting
Reasonable Accommodations Statement
To perform this role successfully, an individual must be able to perform the responsibilities outlined in this job description to a satisfactory standard. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with additional needs to perform the essential functions.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. The role, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
