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Supervisory Contract Specialist (Direct Hire)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Goddard Space Flight Center
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Summary

As the Goddard Associate Chief for Policy, you will be responsible for developing policies, procedures, and strategic direction for a diverse group of contracts for commercial and non-commercial goods and services. You will lead a team of highly skilled procurement professional experts in acquisition policy that spans the entire acquisition lifecycle. You will work in close conjunction with the Procurement Director, Deputy Director, and other Agency Senior Leaders.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
11/29/2024 to 12/05/2024
Salary
$163,964 to - $191,900 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Goddard Space Flight Ctr
Greenbelt, MD
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
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
15
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
GSFC-25-DE-12622151-LC
Control number
820749500

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Duties

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  • Supervises a group of senior procurement professionals expert in acquisition policy that spans the entire acquisition lifecycle.
  • Provides administrative and technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the unit, identifies strategic objectives and defines technical work requirements and milestones.
  • Serves as a key advisor to the Director/Procurement Officer and Agency Senior Leaders. Advises on acquisition issues pertaining to contract actions, including procedures and policy interpretation, for a wide range of highly complex contract actions.
  • Participates as a key member of the organization and Agency Procurement Leadership team including organization strategy and assessment, policy related initiatives and improvements and succession planning.
  • Oversees the development of policies, procedures, and strategic direction for a diverse group of contracts for commercial and non-commercial goods and services. Oversees the Source Evaluation Board competitive process.
  • Maintains a high level of quality by monitoring and assessing the health of the organization and internal controls to identify and correct areas of vulnerability, including performing internal assessments, audits and supporting Enterprise reviews.
  • Maintains proficiency and currency in new and updated procurement initiatives, policies, regulations and procedures. Determines impact on the organization and communication strategy for roll-out to the organization.
  • Sets and communicates acquisition policy and guidance for the Goddard workforce. Assesses training needs and develops and delivers in-house training to satisfy organizational training needs.
  • Performs a full range of supervisory duties which includes assigning and evaluating work; recommending personnel actions; taking disciplinary actions; and identifying training needs and developing employees.
  • Fosters a culture of engagement, diversity, inclusiveness, excellence and innovation. Champions NASAs commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility to create an environment that promotes a commitment to safety, integrity, and teamwork.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
  • Position subject to pre-employment background security investigation
  • If selected, you will be required to complete a financial disclosure statement.
  • You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
  • A one year supervisory probationary period may be required.

Qualifications

You must meet all three requirements listed below; unless you are covered by an exception:

  1. The mandatory Basic Requirement shown in the Education section below;
  2. Specialized experience and/or directly related education, as shown below, which has equipped you with the particular competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of this position; and
  3. Certification/Training requirements.

To qualify for GS-15, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level:
  • Leading and overseeing a team of procurement professionals regarding the full spectrum of pre and post award issues including policy interpretation and execution;
  • Making authoritative decisions, providing expert technical guidance and consultation on complex pre and post award matters involving large high dollar Request for Proposals (RFP)s and contacts related to: cost type and fixed price acquisitions for research and development, services and supplies for commercial and non-commercial;
  • Utilizing business acumen in advising senior leadership and contracting officers on matters pertaining to unprecedented contracting issues, contracting procedures and policy interpretation in day-to-day contact and through competitive acquisitions, sole-source negotiations, formal discussions and documentation.

Certification/Training for GS-15:
You must meet one of the following requirements to be considered for this position:

A. Certification:
Possess a valid level III Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) or FAC-C (Professional) or level III Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification or DAWIA Professional.

OR

B. Training:
Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for level III Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) (NASA-FAC-C-Curriculum-Table.pdf), and at least 4 years of experience in contracting or related positions. At least one year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position.

To be hired for this position, you must possess a valid level III Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) or FAC-C (Professional) or level III Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification or DAWIA Professional or must have already completed all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for level III FAC-C and/or FAC-C Professional. If you are currently certified, you may be asked to provide evidence of continuous learning to verify your existing certification. If you are not currently certified, you must apply for certification within 30 days after your start date in this position.

**List your FAC-C or DAWIA certification level and date of certification. If you are not currently certified, but have completed the mandatory procurement training, list the training that you have completed to date.**

Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job.

NASA prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tool in drafting application and assessment responses. Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process.

The ideal candidate has experience recommending, developing, and implementing policies and procedures to procure supplies, services, for construction or research and development projects using formal advertising or negotiation procedures to evaluate contract price proposals and policies.

Education

Basic Requirement:

1. Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to GS-13 or higher-level contracting positions, including at least 4-years' experience in contracting or related positions. At least 1 year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position.

AND

2. A 4-year course of study leading to a minimum of 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.

NOTE: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the basic education requirements for positions they occupied on January 1, 2000; only including positions at the same grade.

U.S. degrees must have been awarded from colleges or universities that are accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs. These education credentials must be deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

All degrees must have been received in the year of, or any year subsequent to the original date of accreditation.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across NASA within the local commuting area(s) of the location(s) identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) within NASA. CTAP/ICTAP will be cleared for any additional selection from this announcement.

If you have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must:
- Indicate your eligibility when applying for a position. The questionnaire asks you to identify your ICTAP/CTAP eligibility.
- Meet the minimum qualifications requirements for the position
- Submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP as indicated in 'Required Documents'

For additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, click here - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ictap.

How you will be evaluated

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

Direct Hire Authority: These positions will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority. Category rating and veterans' preference will not be considered in evaluating applicants. For more information on Direct Hire Authority, please see: OPM Direct Hire Fact Sheet.

Veterans: Under the provisions of Direct Hire Authority, veterans' preference does not apply. However, applicants who are eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to include that information in their application and submit supporting documentation (i.e., DD-214, or other substantiating documents). For more information please see: Veterans' Preference information on the FedsHireVets website.

You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

  • Contracting/Procurement
  • Employee and Team Leadership
  • Policy Management
  • Procurement Planning and Contract Formation

NASA considers paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

NASA will not ask you to disclose criminal history record information during the application process or before we make a conditional/tentative offer of employment. If you apply for this position and are selected, NASA will conduct a suitability/security background investigation after you accept a tentative job offer. If you feel you are asked to disclose your criminal history before you accept a tentative offer and wish to file a complaint within 30 days, please contact: Agency-FCCJ@NASA.gov.

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