Senior Strategist or Design Strategist; Program Manager

Location: We are actively hiring in the Washington D.C. area.

Who We Are: LINK is a fast-growing Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) that leverages human-centered design to support strategy, innovation, communication, change, and branding within the federal government and adjacent industry partners. At LINK, we partner with engineers, futurists, and thought leaders to untangle complexity, discover opportunity, and communicate clearly with visual stories.

Let us be your partners in change.

Position Summary

The Senior Design Strategist/Strategist serves as a trusted advisor to clients, partnering directly with senior leaders, engineers, and cross-functional teams to solve complex organizational and business challenges through strategic thinking, human-centered design, systems thinking, research, and consulting expertise.

This role leads significant portions of client engagements, translating organizational priorities, stakeholder perspectives, and research-driven insights into actionable strategies, strategic frameworks, compelling narratives, workshop outcomes, executive-level recommendations, and visual deliverables that help organizations align stakeholders, navigate complexity, and drive meaningful, measurable change. Through a combination of facilitation, structured problem solving, synthesis, storytelling, design leadership, and effective communication, the Senior Design Strategist/Strategist transforms ambiguity into clarity and develops strategies and experiences that advance client objectives.

The Senior Design Strategist/Strategist works across functions to shape strategic direction, guide the development of high-quality deliverables, and elevate the quality, rigor, and effectiveness of client engagements. In addition to client delivery responsibilities, this role contributes to the growth of the company's strategy practice through mentorship, knowledge sharing, performance feedback, participation in hiring and onboarding activities, and by strengthening strategic and design capabilities across the team.

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.

Key Responsibilities

Senior Strategist/Design Strategist responsibilities include:

Client Partnership Design Strategy Leadership

Serves as a trusted advisor to clients by framing complex challenges, identifying opportunities, and applying human-centered design approaches to inform strategic decision-making.

Partners directly with client stakeholders to understand organizational priorities, user needs, operational constraints, and desired outcomes.

Leads the development of design strategy approaches that align stakeholder needs, business objectives, and mission requirements.

Guides cross-functional teams through ambiguity, helping stakeholders build alignment and make informed decisions.

Identifies opportunities to create tangible business value and support long-term client success.

Provides guidance that helps clients make informed decisions and navigate organizational complexity.

Content Strategy, Storytelling Execution

Translates complex ideas into compelling strategic narratives, executive-level presentations, communication strategies, and decision-support products.

Develops messaging frameworks that align leadership vision, organizational priorities, and stakeholder needs.

Define content structures, information hierarchies, and storytelling approaches that communicate complex concepts clearly and effectively.

Collaborates with creative teams to develop high-quality visual products that support strategic objectives and audience understanding.

Establishes quality standards for strategic deliverables and provides guidance to team members to ensure consistency and excellence.

Leads development of executive-ready materials that support decision-making, alignment, and organizational action.

Change Management Organizational Transformation

Develops and implements change management strategies, including stakeholder engagement plans, communications strategies, change impact assessments, and adoption roadmaps.

Designs governance frameworks, operating models, and implementation approaches that support successful transformation efforts.

Facilitates cross-functional working sessions that drive alignment, accelerate decision-making, and address organizational resistance.

Establishes feedback mechanisms and performance measures that support continuous improvement and long-term success.

Monitors progress, evaluates outcomes, and refines approaches based on stakeholder feedbac…