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DIRECTOR FOR CONTRACTING

Department of Defense
Missile Defense Agency
This job announcement has closed

Summary

- This is a Senior Executive Service Tier 1 position. Salaries for Tier 1 positions range from $184,363 - $207,500.

- This position is in the Senior Executive Service, a small elite group of top government leaders. SES members possess a diverse portfolio of experiences including strong skills to lead across organizations.

- As an executive, you will influence the direction of innovation and transformation of the federal government and lead the next generation of public servants.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
07/21/2025 to 08/04/2025
Salary
$184,363 to - $207,500 per year
Pay scale & grade
ES 00
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Huntsville, AL
Fort Belvoir, VA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Senior Executive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
MDA-25-12768036- SES
Control number
841114500

Duties

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Provides executive leadership, fiscal stewardship, and programmatic guidance and coordination across MDA regarding contracting matters. Assists and advises the MDA Director and other Senior Executives, on complex contracting matters, including those issues pertaining to grants, agreements, non-procurement, and innovative acquisition strategies and methods to drive efficiencies in deliver of weapon systems solutions and services in support of the highly complex MDS.

Exercises, by designation, all authorities as the Head of Contracting Activity for the multi-billion dollar program(s) and approves justifications for other than full and open competition for proposed contracts over $15 million.

Leads a large, geographically dispersed organization, of both supervisory and non-supervisory Procurement Analysts, Contracting Officers, Contract Specialist, and other support personnel assigned to the Contracting Organization. Personnel are assigned across 13 execution directorates and 5 oversight and operations directorates.

Exercises the authority that is vested in the Secretary of Defense by 10 U.S.C. 4021 to enter into transactions other than contracts, cooperative agreements, and grants in carrying out basic, applied, and advanced research projects, as well as the authority to enter into Other Transactions for Prototype projects as permitted by 10 U.S.C. 4002 and to enter into experimental and testing agreements and contracts under 10 U.S.C 4023.

Prescribes and publishes the MDA's Missile Defense Acquisition and Contracting Supplement (MDACS) to FAR and DFARS, as well as other internal guidance and procedures that governs MDA's acquisition and contracting processes.

Maintains awareness of the overall multi-billion dollar procurement portfolio, associated workload and program direction for the Agency, and facilitates timely planning of contracting strategies. Oversees development of acquisition strategies, and performance and analysis of market surveys to meet program requirements and advises on highly complex contracts for research and development, pre-production, production, sustainment, and acquisition of services. This includes Foreign Military Sales procurements and all variations of fixed price and cost reimbursement contract types.

Reviews specific cost proposal instructions to offerors in the pre-solicitation phase and provides guidance to contracting officers in responding to cost-related issues/questions during the solicitation phase. This includes advising on pricing, policy mailers, and financial aspects of multi-million dollar acquisition programs. Structures contracting incentives to meet MDA mission requirements and implements DoD Buying Power Initiatives.

Ensures synchronization and integration of contracting activities with other MDS program acquisition activities. Appoints contracting officers, approves Determinations and Findings and Justification and Approvals. Serves as Source Selection Authority, or Fee Determining Official, and conducts business clearance and approval of negotiation positions, as appropriate. This includes ensuring proposals are comprehensively evaluated in both competitive and noncompetitive acquisitions, including price and cost analysis. Manages post-award contract administration actions for the Agency. This includes contract modifications, negotiation of changes, and exercise of options. Investigates and resolves contractor delays, past performance assessments. Manages subcontractor surveillance and supply chain management, resolution of problems, and disposition of claims.

Serves as the Acquisition Career Management Advocate (ACMA) for the MDA contracting workforce by providing leadership, career program management, and oversight of the development and training.

The incumbent performs other comparable duties as assigned.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Work Schedule: Full Time
  • Must be a U.S. citizen
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
  • Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
  • Veteran preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service
  • Must be able to obtain/maintain Special Sensitive/Top Secret SCI clearance
  • Designated and/or random drug testing is required
  • Mobility Agreement: All newly appointed Career SES leaders must sign the Reassignment Rights obligations Agreement as a condition of appointment into the SES.
  • Probationary Period: You will serve a one-year Senior Executive Service (SES) probationary period unless you previously completed the probationary period in the SES.
  • Financial Disclosure: Senior Executives are required to comply with the provisions of the Ethics in Government Act, PL 95-521, which requires the submission of a financial disclosure statement (OGE-278), upon assuming an SES position.
  • Senior Executives are required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment," (OF 306), prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background check.
  • Overtime: None
  • Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
  • Tour of Duty: Set Schedule
  • Telework: Situational telework eligible
  • All newly appointed Career SES leaders must sign the Reassignment Rights Obligations Agreement as a condition of appointment into the SES.

Qualifications

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs) and TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs):

There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Technical Qualifications (TQs). However, to meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the ECQS and TQS within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs):

ECQ 1 - Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.

ECQ 2 - Driving Efficiency: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.

ECQ 3 - Merit and Competence: This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.

ECQ 4 - Leading People: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.

ECQ 5 - Achieving Results: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs):
1. Demonstrated experience in Federal acquisition and contract management, statutes, regulations, policies and practices applicable to all phases of the contracting process to include data rights clauses and intellectual property, source selection processes and negotiations, Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Cost Accounting Standards, Defense Procurement policy, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations Supplements (DFARS), proprietary data, patents and acquisition of technical data as it pertains to a major weapons system acquisition.
2. Demonstrated ability to lead a large, diverse, and geographically dispersed workforce and represent the Agency at a level of national, federal, defense or private sector interest, scope and impact.

DoD Joint Enterprise-Wide Experience Statement:


In addition, DoD requires an Enterprise Perspective. This individual must have the ability to apply a broad point of view and an awareness and understanding of individual or organizational responsibilities in relation to DoD or government-wide strategic priorities is required. Executives must demonstrate the ability to work with internal and external partners to support national security objectives. This perspective is typically gained through a variety of diverse work experiences. A separate narrative statement is not required. This information should be within the resume.

Education

A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

Additional information

REEMPLOYED ANNUITANTS: https://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/1400.25- V300.pdf

Background Investigation - This position is designated as critical sensitive and requires that a background investigation be conducted and favorably adjudicated in order to establish eligibility for Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearances, to include managing compartmentalized missile and radar programs.

Financial Disclosure - Senior Executives are required to comply with the provisions of the Ethics in Government Act, PL 95-521, which requires the submission of a financial disclosure statement {SF-278), upon assuming an SES position. This must be submitted annually and upon termination of employment.

Acquisition Certification -
1. This is a Critical Acquisition Position (CAP). Unless specially waived by the appropriate official, the following are statutory mandated requirements:
a. Selectee must execute, as a condition appointment, a written agreement to remain in Federal Service in the position for at least three years. In signing such agreement, the employee does not forfeit any employment rights, nor does such an agreement alter any other terms or conditions of employment.
This CAP requires a Contracting, Professional acquisition certification. The incumbent has 24 months to achieve this certification.
2. The incumbent must complete 80 Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) every two years.

Travel to national and international locations may be required.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume and supporting documents, for the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, experience and education as it relates to the fundamental competencies, identified below. Your application will be evaluated by an Executive Evaluation Panel rating and ranking panel, and highly qualified candidates may be contacted for an interview and to provide reference checks. The Office of the Secretary of Defense Executive Resources Board will review results and make recommendations on final selections to the appointing authority.

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