Clarification from the agency

This job is opened to Current Federal Employees in the Excepted Service and Competitive Service and all qualified U.S. Citizens.

The Director, Contract Policy is responsible for the management of a DoD-wide program to develop and monitor the implementation of contracting policies, innovative contracting techniques, best practices and procedures related to obtaining goods and services to meet the evolving needs of the Warfighter, including those policies which guide the execution and administration of contracts with industry.

The Director is also responsible for the contracting workforce career development model, critical workforce initiatives, and identifying training and continuous learning requirements to support workforce development pathways. The incumbent is responsible for leading change by exercising leadership skills, encouraging creative thinking and innovation, and influencing others toward improved programs/processes. Incumbent is responsible for building coalitions and effective communications avenues on issues relating to policy development and implementation.

The incumbent leads a select staff of contracting and acquisition professionals in the Contract Policy directorate of Defense Pricing and Contracting and performs the following major functions:

• Leads the planning, development and implementation of improvements, innovative and flexible procurement policies and processes to ensure the U.S. Armed Forces obtain quality goods and services on time and at reasonable prices. Directs research based on the results of audits, inspections, management reviews, Congressional hearings, and other evaluations to isolate contracting, procurement, and acquisition deficiencies and establishes long-range programs that contribute to more favorable and predictable outcomes.
• Leads and manages all aspects of International Contracting policy development and execution. Represents the Principal Director, DPC on matters having International Contracting and procurement policy implications at meetings within the DoD, with members of Congressional staffs, executives, and high level policy officials of other government agencies, private industry and foreign governments.
• Analyzes relevant proposed legislation affecting contracting, pricing, and acquisition policies and develops the DoD position on such legislation. Explains the Department views on proposed legislation to Congressional members and their staff, and committee staffers.
• Consults with senior management levels in the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, and other Federal Agencies in achieving more uniform and effective contracting policies throughout the Federal Government. Represents DoD on interagency committees and commissions concerning all matters within the scope of assigned responsibilities.
• Serves as the principal advisor to the Principal Director, DPC and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council concerning many contracting issues, including but not limited to competition, small business, commercial contracting, intellectual property rights, contracting aspects of services acquisition, contingency contracting, environmental, Federal Prison Industries, suspension and debarment, pricing, cost principles, profit policy, cost accounting standards, contract administration, and past performance evaluation.
• Leads effective and efficient contingency contracting policies in support of deployed forces, contingencies, humanitarian or peacekeeping operations, and disaster relief. Develops DoD policy to implement and maintain the requirements Indemnification under Public Law 85-804, concerning extraordinary contractual relief.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to qualify for this position.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration).
• This position requires you to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance.
• Designated and/or Random Drug Testing required.
• The individual selected will be required to file an 'Executive Branch Personnel Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278) in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
• You will serve a two-year probationary period unless you have previously completed the probationary period in the SES.
• All newly appointed Career SES leaders must sign the Reassignment Rights Obligations Agreement as a condition of appointment into the SES.
• This is a Critical Acquisition Position.? The individual selected must hold or attain a Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level III certification in Contracting within 24 months and maintain it.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), the Mandatory Technical Qualifications, and other qualifications, if applicable, listed below.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS: All applicants must submit written statements (narrative format) describing accomplishments that would satisfy the ECQs. You must address each ECQ separately, not to exceed 10 pages. You are required to respond to all ECQs. If you fail to do so will result in a rating of 'ineligible.' When responding to the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), you must clearly show that you possess the experience, knowledge, skills and ability to perform the duties of this position by submitting narrative responses in which you detail your experience in each of the ECQs. Your examples should be clear and emphasize your level of responsibilities, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments with results of your actions, policy initiatives and level of contacts. You should limit your narrative to two pages per ECQ, and address each ECQ separately. OPM's Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications can assist you in writing an effective SES application. In particular, please note the Challenge-Context-Action-Result Model that is recommended and very helpful when drafting ECQ narrative responses. The Guide is available on OPM's Website at:
http://www.opm.gov/ses/references/guidetoSESQuals_2012.pdf

Applicants must utilize the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) Model when writing Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ). Use two examples of relevant experience for each ECQ being sure your experience matches the ECQ criteria.
Challenge - Describe a specific problem or goal.
Context - Describe the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to address a particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale).
Action - Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge.
Result - Give specific examples of measures/outcomes that had some impact on the organization. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills.

Each accomplishment should be clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibilities; the scope and complexity of the programs, activities, or services you managed; program accomplishments; policy initiatives undertaken; level of contacts; the sensitivity and criticality of the issues you addressed; and the results of your actions. You should use action oriented leadership words to describe your experience and accomplishments (e.g., Led the development and implementation of....) and quantify your experience wherever possible to demonstrate your accomplishments (e.g., number of employees supervised; size of budget managed; amount of money saved, etc.).

ECQ 1 - Leading Change: This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.

ECQ 2 - Leading People: This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.

ECQ 3 - Results Driven: This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.

ECQ 4 - Business Acumen: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.

ECQ 5 - Building Coalitions: This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.

Applicants that are either Career SES members, or graduates of the Office of Personnel Management Certified Development Program are not required to address the ECQs.

MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS: All applicants must submit written statements (narrative format) of accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications. You must address each technical qualification separately. You are required to respond to all of the technical qualifications. If you fail to do so, you will be rated as ineligible. Please limit your written statements to no more than two pages per technical qualification.

1. Demonstrated expertise in and comprehensive knowledge of contracting, international contracting, contingency contracting, and acquisition policies and procedures of the Military Departments and Defense Agencies, a large federal entity, or the organizational equivalent within industry.
2. Demonstrated expertise in contracting including experience in the management of contracting operations; contract and contract administration policies; contract, pricing, financing and payment policies; and/or related practices.
3. Demonstrated expertise in and understanding of the emerging issues associated with contingency contracting and international contracting.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, experience, and education. Your application will be evaluated by a rating and ranking panel. Highly qualified candidates may undergo an interview and a reference check. The Office of the Secretary of Defense Executive Resources Board will review results and make recommendations on final selections to the appointing authority. Unless you have already been certified by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB), your ECQs must be certified by the OPM QRB before your appointment can occur.