The finalists for WashingtonExec’s Pinnacle Awards were announced Oct. 11, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place live, in-person Nov. 30.
Next is DOD Industry Executive of the Year (Public Company) finalist Josh Jackson, who’s senior vice president and general manager for SAIC’s Engineering, Integration, and Mission Solutions market segment. Here, he talks success in his current role, primary focus areas going forward, proud career moments and more.
What has made you successful in your current role?
Our skilled team of leaders has made me successful in my current role. Two years ago, we combined two separate organizations into one with the sole purpose of providing innovative solutions to support the Navy and the Marine Corps missions. After the teams merged, the team dug deep to craft a strategy that enables us to provide innovative solutions.
Every day, our team makes incremental progress to achieve our strategic business objectives. I believe that diversity of thought is essential, because we all bring different perspectives, expertise and experiences to the table. That diversity, plus our focus on strategic outcomes and incremental progress, makes our team successful.
What are you most proud of having been a part of in your current organization?
I’m most proud of the 4,000 professionals in our business unit that are supporting and enabling the Navy and the Marine Corps missions around the globe. From troubleshooting tactical networks to developing next-generation hybrid-electric platforms, our teams are laser-focused on helping advance the strategic objectives of the Navy and the Marine Corps.
Our driving force is passion for the mission, which is evident in our team’s dedication; even during the height of the pandemic, our team never wavered in their desire to support the Navy’s missions.
What are your primary focus areas going forward, and why are those so important to the future of the nation?
We are focused on supporting the Navy’s enterprise and mission IT modernization to enable commercial-grade digital transformation at scale for sailors and Marines. We are also focused on becoming the leader in applying digital engineering and systems integration to the Navy, to deliver fast and cost-effective warfare system modernization.
We believe that we can help the Navy save money through digital transformation of their enterprise systems, which allows the Navy to invest more in sailors, Marines and build new capabilities to accelerate our warfighting advantage.
We also believe the smart application of digital engineering accelerates the development of weapons systems and the modernization of legacy systems, which provides the Navy with more capability options at a lower cost.
Looking back at your career, what are you most proud of?
I’m proud of two things: The positive impact we’ve had on national security and the leaders we’ve developed. I’ve been blessed to support some very important national security programs in my career and it’s rewarding to see the fruits from hard engineering labor actually make a difference.
In many cases, we increased capabilities of our warfighters and helped the defense department solve some really tough challenges. I’m equally, if not more proud, of the people that I’ve worked with that have developed and refined their leadership, developed new skills and tackled seemingly insurmountable challenges through grit. With a little encouragement, I’ve seen individuals and teams do more than they thought they could.
What’s your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
No matter the domain, in business or government, it takes a team to solve challenges and create opportunities. Be a team player. Whether leading the team or being a member of the team, look for unique ways to contribute to the team and ways to foster inclusive debate that leads to more robust solutions. No matter how far you are in your career journey being a part of a team that has overcome challenges will accelerate your career.