Acquisition Program Management SME (0013)

Acquisition Program Management SME (0013)

OCT Consulting LLC is a boutique management and strategy consulting company that provides support to Federal Government clients. We provide consulting services in the areas of Strategy, Process Improvement, Change Management, Program and Project Management, Acquisition/Procurement, and Information Technology.

Responsibilities and Duties

We are looking to bring onboard an acquisition program management subject matter expert (SME) to support the program management (PM) best practices and training function related to a government client’s high-level acquisition and program management review board. You will be expected to work with stakeholders to provide advice and guidance on the development of program management across the Department; aid in the development of standard program management documentation; provide training to programs in program management best practices; and contribute to the development of a program management community of practice.

In addition to your duties regarding program management, you will also be expected to directly participate as a member of the review team / SME, as needed. Serving as a program management SME, you will work side-by-side with the programs that you evaluate to share best practices, iterate on their submissions to the review board, and serve as the key point of contact to help programs to understand what stellar program planning looks like. An additional key responsibility of this role is to contribute to the development of a program management community of practice at the Federal agency. Existing program management best practice materials and groups are decentralized and scattered throughout various bureaus. Our goal is to consolidate all program management best practices and education into a centralized community of practice, which you would help develop and lead. 

Responsibilities and duties include:

● Work with stakeholders to provide advice and guidance on the development of program management across the Department

● Aid in the development of standard program management documentation

● Provide training to programs in program management best practices

● Contribute to the development of a program management community of practice, and help run and maintain the community once built

● Assist major acquisition programs in preparation for Chief Acquisition Officer (CAO) acquisition decision events and milestone reviews

● Develop job aids and training materials to enable Clinger Cohen Act, Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act, and OMB A-11 Capital Planning compliance

● Serve on a team of reviewers to evaluate documents submitted to the acquisition / program management review Committee, as needed. These documents will include acquisition plans, statements of work, program management plans, program budgets, program milestone schedules, analyses of alternatives, market research reports, risk registers, and other acquisition and program management documents. Notably, these planning documents will pertain to both the acquisition process and the sustainment of the program beyond acquisition

● Aid in the development of an informational memo, key issues list, key questions list, and other relevant writeups and outputs of evaluation which will be formally sent upwards to the Committee ahead of each of the Committee’s formal 2-hour meetings program reviews, as needed

● Answer questions from Committee members regarding your evaluation of program management documents. Attend and participate in meetings / briefings, as needed, to ensure that Committee members are adequately briefed ahead of their 2-hour formal meetings. Be available to attend Committee sessions if/when needed. Note that Committee members are generally at the Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary level.

● Work side-by-side with programs to ensure that they know exactly what documents and information must be submitted to the Committee. Answer questions from programs regarding their submissions.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 15 years of work experience culminating in senior-level program management support to the Department of State, DHS, DOD, DOE, DOC, and/or other Federal agencies.

• Experience supporting “Big A” acquisition/major systems acquisition, Program Executive Office (PEO), or Component Acquisition Executive (CAE) business processes.
• Previous Federal government experience at the GS-15 level or above and/or previous experience as a senior executive in public sector consulting managing large-scale programs is preferred; deep experience in program documentation for Federal agencies.
• Senior level Federal Acquisition Certification (FAC) in Project/Program Management (FAC-P/PM), DAWIA, or Project Management Professional (PMP).
• Experience at the GS-15/O-6 or SES/flag officer level desired
• Experience developing and managing acquisition artifacts (e.g., Affordability Analysis, Acquisition Program Baseline (APB), Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP)).
• The ideal candidate will have managed programs with a value of over $500 million.
• Exceptionally proactive in approach, and capable of making decisions in the face of significant uncertainty.
• Excellent organizational and detail-oriented working style; you should be capable of creating executive-level materials, as needed. You should be willing to assist in the development of memos and other evaluations that are submitted to senior executives in the Federal government.
• Excellent communication skills, and the ability to work collaboratively in support of senior government stakeholders. Ability to confidently brief and lead meetings with senior government officials.
• Proficiency in Microsoft suite of programs, as well as Google tools to manage Shared files
• Ability to manage competing priorities and multiple taskings, and work in a fast-paced working environment.
• Openness to feedback and continuous self-improvement; self-awareness to understand the areas where you excel and those which will require further development.
• Highly intellectually curious and resourceful when approaching problems and determining solutions.
• Bachelor’s Degree (Preferred).
• Must possess or be able to obtain and retain a DoD Secret clearance; the investigation will involve a credit, fingerprint, and law enforcement agency check (Current DoD Secret or higher clearance preferred).

Ability to Commute

The position is primarily off-site but may require up to one day per week at the Federal client site in Rosslyn, VA (i.e., Arlington, VA) and/or on client site in Washington, DC.

Benefits:

The position includes competitive compensation and a full suite of benefits:

● Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

● Retirement savings 401K plan provided by an industry-leading provider with 3% employer matching contributions.

● Paid Time Off

● Life Insurance, Short- and Long-Term disability benefits

● Training Benefits

Salary: A generous compensation package commensurate with experience and education.

About OCT

OCT Consulting LLC is a certified SBA 8(a), minority-owned, small, disadvantaged business providing professional services and information technology solutions to the Federal government and commercial clients. Founded in 2013, we bring the advantage of agility in operations along with a management team with a track record of leading successful engagements at major Federal government agencies.

OCT is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. OCT is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status.

Job Type: Full-time