Chief Procurement Officer

Summary

The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) has an exciting opportunity for an exceptional leader to be its next Chief of Procurement. The AOC is a Legislative Branch agency responsible to the U.S. Congress for the maintenance, operation, development and preservation of the United States Capitol complex. As a global destination for thousands of visitors, Capitol Hill intersects history, architecture and art with the birthplace of our nation's laws.

Duties

The position requires knowledge of contracting principles, laws, regulations and procedures applicable to pre-award and post-award actions sufficient to award and administer A/E, Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, Early Contractor Involvement, Best Value Source Selections, Lowest Price Technically Acceptable, Multiple Award, Small Purchase, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), Utility Energy Savings Contracts (UESC), simplified acquisition procedures, service acquisitions and construction contracts. (FAC-C) Professional or equivalent certification is required. The Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) serves as the agency's Chief Acquisition Officer, Senior Procurement Executive, and Head of Contracting Authority. The CPO provides leadership, strategic planning, management, and oversight for all procurement activities at the Architect of the Capitol. Major Duties: Maximizes the use of full and open competition to promote fairness and efficiency in procurement activities. Increases the adoption of performance-based contracting, emphasizing outcomes and accountability in vendor relationships. Collects and standardizes procurement information, enabling more informed and efficient procurement decisions across the agency. Ensures that acquisition planning and strategy development directly support the agency's mission and objectives. Establishes clear lines of authority, accountability, and responsibility for acquisition decision-making, ensuring transparency and effective oversight. Carries out all powers, functions, and duties delegated by the Architect, specifically in relation to acquisition functions. Ensures and maintains the integrity of the agency's procurement process, safeguarding ethical standards and compliance. Applies data-driven decision-making to evaluate program Manages the direction of agency acquisition policy, ensuring alignment with organizational goals. Assesses the requirements for agency personnel regarding acquisition knowledge and skills, identifying gaps and areas for development. Establishes training and certification standards for acquisition professionals to ensure a skilled and capable workforce. Manages rotational assignments to provide opportunities for personnel to apply contracting skills in diverse setting. Manages the direction of agency acquisition policy, issuing policies to promote uniform implementation of acquisition procedures in compliance with controlling laws and regulations. Recommends proposed acquisition policies or legislation to the Architect and Congress, ensuring the agency remains proactive in legislative matters. Develops and implements innovative approaches to address complex challenges within the acquisition framework. Represents the organization in high-level meetings with other agencies and industry leaders, fostering collaboration and advancing mutual goals. Builds and sustains relationships with internal and external partners, advocating for organizational priorities and ensuring alignment with interagency efforts. Leads efforts to enhance public trust and transparency in acquisitions by engaging stakeholders and effectively communicating the organization's missions and objectives. Requirements

. Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM qualification standards Must possess certification at Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI) Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) (Professional) Certification or the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act equivalencies. Specialized experience: is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Candidates for the GS-15 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service OR equivalent level in the private sector, military or other. Examples of specialized experience include: (1) Leading a large procurement group that executes complex contracts with innovative acquisition strategies. (2) Serving as a high-level expert and advisor on acquisition regulations and contracting procedures. (3) Utilizing performance metrics, setting short and long range goals, and analyzing and mitigating risk. (4) Awarding and administering construction and supplies and services contracts. (5) Providing guidance and performance expectations to encourage employee career growth and advancement. The ideal candidate is an exceptional speaker/briefer when articulating procurement and management issues to senior executives, political appointees, staffers and Members of Congress.

Education

This position requires a Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) Professional or equivalent certification. A. 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 B. 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. C. Exceptions: Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met. However, they will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for promotion to a higher grade, unless granted a waiver under Paragraph D. D. Waiver: When filling a specific vacant position, the senior procurement executive of the selecting agency, at his or her discretion, may waive any or all of the requirements of Paragraphs A and B above if the senior procurement executive certifies that the applicant possesses significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience. With respect to each waiver granted under this Paragraph D, the senior procurement executive must document for the record the basis of the waiver. If an individual is placed in a position in an agency on the basis of a waiver, the agency may later reassign that individual to another position at the same grade within that agency without additional waiver action. Transcripts must be provided if selected. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part of foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing if selected. How You Will Be Evaluated

Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions. Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies: 1. Ability to supervise people in the performance of procurement and contract administration. 2. Knowledge of Federal contracting regulations and procedures relating to construction, supplies and services acquisition. 3. Skill in strategic planning and goal-setting. 4. Ability to form strong interpersonal working relationships. 5. Skill communicating in writing and in person to include giving briefings. Your responses to the self assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or disqualification for further consideration. Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the “Required Documents” section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application). You may preview questions for this vacancy. Benefits

A variety of health insurance plans; retirement system with investment options; paid holidays; paid sick and annual (vacation) leave; life insurance; incentive systems; subsidized transportation; training and development opportunities, etc. The Architect of the Capitol offers eligible employees opportunity to participate in the Student Loan Repayment Program. Other Information

Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit OPM vet guide If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC's suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide, and cover the cost for the drug test. The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, genetic information, sexual orientation and/or disability. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. Moving expenses are not authorized. Relocation expenses are not authorized. Probationary Period- Selectee(s) is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency. This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol. All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.