David Payne

About David Payne

Senior Recruitment Consultant and Strategic Planner with over 25 years of experience delivering results across military, government, and private sectors. I specialize in full-cycle recruiting and military talent acquisition - leveraging deep expertise in DoD SkillBridge, Hiring Our Heroes, and veteran/military spouse hiring initiatives.As a former Army Strategist (FA59) with an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School and a TS/SCI clearance, I’ve led high-impact strategic planning efforts for the Army Staff and Combatant Commands - developing campaign/contingency plans, globally integrated plans, overseeing transformation efforts, and briefing senior executives on matters of national and international defense policy.Currently, I serve as a Senior Recruitment Consultant for The Intelligence & Security Associates (ISA), advising on talent strategy, sourcing, and onboarding across both commercial and defense sectors. I also lead veteran-focused hiring programs to achieve business objectives.My value lies in integrating strategy with action—whether advising executives on strategic plans or helping organizations build diverse, veteran-strong teams. I’m open to client partnerships, consulting engagements, and strategic opportunities in both talent and defense sectors. Military Talent Pipelines | DoD SkillBridge | Hiring Our Heroes Fellowships | Veteran Recruiting Strategy Strategic Planning | Campaign & Contingency Planning | DOD & Federal Consulting Army & Combatant Command HQs Experience | Defense Strategy & Policy | Executive Briefing | TS/SCI

Experience

1. Senior Recruitment Consultant & Hiring our Heroes Coordinator

   The Intelligence And Security Associates, Llc Isa

   Feb 2024 — Present · Colorado Springs, CO, US

   Senior Recruitment Consultant providing talent acquisition support and advisement to the Human Resources Team. Manages the company’s Hiring Our Heroes fellowship programs and DoD Skillbridge internships. Specializes in the recruiting of transitioning servicemembers and their spouses, veteran outreach, and mentoring. Delivers full spectrum support of recruiting activities, on-boarding, human capital strategy development, and marketing/branding.

Education

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Seminar XXI Fellow, Foreign Politics, International Relations, and US National Security

  2019 — 2020

• Lubbock Christian University

  Bible & Ministry, Master in Bible & Ministry

  2003 — 2009

• Texas A&M University

  Bachelor of Science - BS

• Naval Postgraduate School

  Graduate Certificate, Executive Leaders Program in Homeland Defense & Homeland Security, Homeland Defense & Homeland Security

  2015 — 2016

• Harvard Kennedy School

  Master of Public Administration (MPA), Master in Public Administration

  2009 — 2010

• The United States Army War College

  Basic Strategic Art Program, Military and Strategic Leadership

  2010 — 2010

• Texas A&M University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Political Science & Business Analytics

• Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University

  Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, Military Joint Operations Planning and Strategy

  2015 — 2016

Skills

• Security Clearance
• Microsoft Office
• Government
• Customer Service
• Program Management
• Analysis
• Military Operations
• Military Experience
• Strategic Planning
• Management
• Strategy
• Military
• Training
• U.s. Department of Defense
• Policy
• Leadership
• National Security