Executive Director, Acquisition Policy and Oversight

Summary

The Executive Director, Acquisition Policy and Oversight position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), DHS Headquarters, Management Directorate, Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO). The OCPO is responsible for procurement and contracting operations and activities within DHS including initiating, formulating and implementing policies and procedures necessary to achieve and maintain an effective and efficient procurement and contracting program.

Duties

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The Executive Director, Acquisition Policy and Oversight (APO) provides executive leadership to the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer division responsible for setting strategic direction for acquisition policy, procurement-related legislation, and comprehensive oversight of DHS contracting activities. The incumbent serves as a principal advisor to the Chief Procurement Officer and Deputy Chief Procurement Officer, delivering authoritative guidance on procurement strategies and pioneering solutions to the agency's most complex and unprecedented acquisition challenges. Drives excellence and continuous improvement across all contracting activities, ensuring the integrity, effectiveness, and agility of DHS's acquisition programs in a rapidly evolving procurement environment.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Provides executive oversight to ensure DHS procurement and contracting activities align with national and departmental public policy objectives. Ensures rigorous compliance with legislative mandates and program requirements, safeguarding the integrity and effectiveness of DHS acquisition programs.
• Champions a culture of accountability and operational excellence by providing executive leadership and strategic direction for oversight reviews of DHS contracting activities. Oversees rigorous assessments of compliance, documentation quality, and risk management, leveraging review outcomes to guide and empower contracting teams.
• Provides executive leadership as the CPO's principal liaison for all Government Accountability Office (GAO) and Inspector General (IG) procurement-related reviews. Leads cross-functional teams in representing DHS at entrance and exit conferences, ensuring comprehensive and timely responses to draft GAO/IG reports.
• Exercises strategic oversight of key procurement documents requiring CPO approval, including Determination and Findings, Justification and Approvals for Other than Full and Open Competition, and acquisition plans. Fosters collaboration with contracting activities to deliver proactive guidance and support in the development of critical procurement documentation.
• Provides strategic direction and oversight in the formulation of procurement-related legislative proposals, guiding the Department's approach to legislative initiatives and ensuring that proposed measures advance organizational procurement objectives and priorities Ensures appropriate coordination with the Office of Management and Budget on DHS's position on acquisition legislation.
• Serves as the principal authority for interpreting acquisition statutes and regulations, providing authoritative guidance to DHS senior leadership on the strategic implications of statutory requirements affecting all DHS acquisitions. In close coordination with the Office of Legislative Affairs, proactively engages Congressional staff to effectively communicate and advocate DHS's position on proposed acquisition legislation and amendments to existing laws.
• Provides executive leadership and strategic direction for the development, maintenance, and continuous improvement of DHS acquisition regulations and policy.
• Provides executive leadership in analyzing and resolving highly complex and sensitive contracting challenges that impact DHS's ability to accomplish its mission.
• Provides executive oversight and strategic direction for evaluating proposed and newly enacted complex regulations.
• Provides executive oversight for the development and execution of strategies to ensure acquisition data is current, accurate, and complete.
• Provides executive leadership in championing full and open competition across all DHS procurements and programs. Proactively identifies and addresses barriers to contract competition, recommending strategic solutions and establishing policies and procedures to eliminate obstacles.
• Provides executive representation for the CPO, Deputy Chief Procurement Officer, and the procurement line of business as a member of the Enterprise Investment Board and Executive Steering Committee.
• Provides executive leadership and strategic oversight of subordinate leaders and their organizations, setting clear expectations, driving accountability, and empowering high performance across all levels to ensure operational excellence and alignment with DHS's acquisition mission and strategic priorities.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/
• You may be subject to pre-employment and random drug tests, and must receive a negative test result prior to your appointment to this position.
• You may be required to obtain/maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entering on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of your job offer or termination of employment.
• The selectee will be required to file an Executive Branch Personnel Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 278e) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
• The selectee will be subject to a one-year supervisory probationary period (unless it has already been completed).
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance.

Qualifications

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, applicants must satisfy both (1) the Basic Qualifications and (2) demonstrate possession of the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) relevant to this position within their resume. Resumes must NOT EXCEED TWO PAGES; any content beyond the two-page limit will not be reviewed, and resumes exceeding this limit may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualifications. If your resume does not provide clear evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.

1. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Applicants must meet the requirements for the 1102 series as defined by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Qualifications Standards Manual for Positions which is available at: OPM Qualifications Standards 1102 Website and demonstrate that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and the Professional/Technical Qualifications (P/TQs) listed below.

Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) or equivalent certification is required. Documentation must be attached to the application package. Applicants seeking to meet the training requirements are required to provide a current FAC-C (Professional) certification, DoD Contracting Professional certification, or request a waiver. You must have completed 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; Guidance on Business Related Coursework for the 1102 Contracting Series.

OR - Occupied a GS-1102-14 position since at least January 1, 2000.

2.TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs) and EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Technical Qualifications (TQs). A sample 2-page resume that incorporates ECQs and TQs can be viewed on this link (indexed at page 16 - 17) Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications and the Qualifications Review Board.

TQs REQUIREMENTS: Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that satisfy the technical qualifications as follows:

TQ 1: Demonstrated experience in the management and oversight of a large scale, complex, multifaced acquisition operation, providing mission critical supplies and services. This includes experience in leading an operation to implement acquisition initiates across large organizations.

TQ 2: Demonstrated extensive experience and expert knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies governing the federal acquisition of supplies and services. Prior experience must reflect responsibility for both pre-and post-award management and administration of major acquisitions.

TQ 3: Demonstrated knowledge of federal legislative process and procedures. Skilled in interpreting draft legislation and providing timely advice on legislative intent and implication of potential statutes affecting federal and broader acquisition policies.

ECQs REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.

There are five 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.

Detailed information on each ECQs, the underlying and fundamental competencies, and information regarding the Structured Interview QRB (SIQRB) Process are available in the "Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications and the Qualifications Review Board."

Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.

Veterans Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to the SES.

Current or Former Political Appointees: OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the DHS Headquarters Executive Services team.

Education

This position has an education requirement. You must submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package.

Official transcripts will be required from the selectee prior to receiving an official offer. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been 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. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Additional information

Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expenses will not be paid.

Recruitment/Relocation/Retention Incentive may be authorized at Management's discretion.

Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility i