Acquisition Key Billet - Project Manager or Acquisition Director Job

Vacancy No. MCAD251890739805 Department U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center
Salary $125,133.00 to $162,672.00 Grade 15 to 15
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 2/18/2025 Close Date 4/18/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Huntsville, ALAberdeen Proving Ground, MDWarren, MIFort Belvoir, VA


Summary

About the Position: DO NOT SUBMIT APPLICATIONS THROUGH THE USAJOBS APPLY LINK! THEY WILL NOT BE RECEIVED BY THE SELECTION AUTHORITY! YOU MUST FOLLOW PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS AND HOW TO APPLY SECTIONS OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

Read the entire announcement. It is the applicant's responsibility to comply with all requirements in this announcement. You must submit your application so that it will be received by 2359 (11:59PM) EST on the closing date of the announcement.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

See "Who May Apply" in the "Qualifications" section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.

Duties

  • Acquisition Key Billet Project Managers are chartered to provide materiel capabilities to Army or Joint customers.
  • Project Managers are allocated resources to develop materiel solutions that achieve user requirements.
  • They lead, direct and control the overall planning and execution of the work and resources required to develop, produce and sustain the programs, systems and associated products.
  • Acquisition Key Billet Directors are leaders of major acquisition contracting or testing organizations.
  • Contracting organizations can have either geographical responsibilities or provide in-plant oversight to a major Defense contractor responsible for producing materiel for Army and joint Customers.
  • Testing organizations are responsible for providing and operating facilities in order to conduct tests, which ensure materiel solutions meet program or end user requirements.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a US citizen.
  • Must be Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certified Practitioner in Acquisition Functional Area (AFA) A (Program Management) or Foundational in AFA C (Contracting) at time of application.
  • Must complete one of the following (MEL-1) training: Senior Service College through War College and/or the National Defense University – Eisenhower School, Defense Acquisition University-Senior Service College Fellowship (DAU-SSCF) Program.
  • Position Requires a Tenure Agreement
  • Position Requires a Secret or Higher Security Clearance.
  • Position Requires Financial Disclosure statement OGE 450.

Qualifications

Who May Apply:

  • Applications will be accepted only from current DoD competitive civil service Federal employees who are civilian DoD members serving on Career/Career Conditional appointments.
  • Current DoD civilians eligible for promotion/re-promotion to GS15 or equivalent broadband converted grade.
  • Current DoD civilians interested in lateral to GS15 or change to lower grade from an equivalent broadband converted grade or SES.

DUTIES:

  • Project Manager: Responsible for all matters relating to cost, schedule and performance for assigned program/system. Exercises technical and administrative program control and authority through various phases of systems development. Manages long range planning activities that include multiyear work plans. Exercises discretional authority to approve the allocation and distribution of funds within the organization's budget to best meet the program's objectives. Manages programs with risks and complexities characterized by compelling and conflicting requirements. Manages long range activities that include multi-year work plans that are products of subordinate organizational managers.
  • Acquisition Director (Contracting): Provides acquisition life cycle and readiness/ sustainment support to Program Executive Offices, Program Managers, and Service/Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) buying Commands. Manages contractor cost, schedule and performance as the single face to industry for recapitalization, modernization, technology insertion and Warfighter operational readiness support. Provides source selection support, past performance, industrial base assessments, financial analysis, engineering, earned value and software validation, production and acceptance/delivery of spares, and components assemblies for major weapon systems. Provides full range of acquisition management and command support. Manages industrial surge contract accelerations, alternate sourcing and mission critical direct deliveries to Warfighters during national emergencies or critical military shortages.
  • Acquisition Director (Testing): Leads a Major Range and Test Facility Base (MRTFB). Plans, conducts, and reports the results of technical, developmental and operational testing of the full spectrum of DoD materiel, foreign materiel and commercial items. Responsible for integrating the workforce of civilian employees, military personnel, and contractors, augmented during testing with civilian employees, contractors, and active-duty Army Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines. Manages an annual multimillion dollar operating budget.


QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
To qualify, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to that of a GS14, step 1 pay grade.

Specialized experience is defined as that experience related to matters in cost, schedule and performance for programs and/or systems. Applicants with program management certification must possess two years of cost, schedule, and performance responsibilities in a program office or similar organization. Applicants with contracting certification must possess at least four years of experience in a contracting coded position. Prior supervisory experience is preferred.

Education Requirement: Must possess, at a minimum, an accredited undergraduate degree.

Time in Grade Requirement/Restriction: These are DoD Demonstration Project positions. Under the Defense Authorization Act, personnel management demonstration programs are operating in numerous Army activities and various other organizations supported by Army civilian personnel centers. Under the streamlined personnel operations for demonstration projects, the familiar 15 General Schedule grade structure is replaced with broad pay bands that typically encompass a range of grades.

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Education

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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

  • Assignment to these positions will be on a temporary basis, with permanent Army employees eligible to exercise return rights to their home organization upon completion of the tour. Individuals selected from Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and other DoD agencies will become Army employees upon placement in the Position and will be reassigned within the Army after completion of the assignment. Note: ACAT I programs require tenure of at least four years.]
  • Prior relevant supervisory experience preferred.
  • All positions are Critical Acquisition Positions (CAPs). Unless specifically waived by the appropriate Army official, (i.e., the Director of Acquisition Career Management, the Army Acquisition Executive, or the Secretary of the Army) or if the employee is 'grandfathered' under 10 U.S.C. 1736(c)(1), the following are statutorily mandated requirements (Reference: 10 U.S.C. 1733 and 1737: Selectee must execute, as a condition of appointment, a written agreement to remain in this position for at least three years. [Note: Acquisition Category (ACAT) I programs require a tenure of at least four years.] In signing such agreement, the employee does not forfeit any terms or conditions of employment.
  • Requirements for Individuals Selected for Centralized Selection List Acquisition Key Billet Project and Project Managers, Acquisition Directors, Contracting Commanders, and Centralized Selection Board Project and Product Directors, can be accessed here: https://asc.army.mil/web/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Requirements-for-CSL-CSB-Policy-Memorandum-29-March-2023V2.pdf
  • All ACAT I and II Acquisition Key Billet Project Manager positions are Key Leadership Positions (KLPs), in accordance with Critical Acquisition Position and Key Leadership positions, which can be accessed here: https://asc.army.mil/web/dacmca_3/.
  • Selection for and assignment to a centrally selected position may include Permanent Change of Station (PCS) to overseas locations, extensive travel and/or mobilization/deployment for service overseas. Information on benefits and entitlements for PCS and during travel and mobilization/deployment may be found in the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) and at https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/workingin-government/benefits/.
  • Must successfully complete a background security investigation before you can be appointed into this position.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED
The Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) Centralized Selection Board (CSL) will convene June 9-13, 2025. Personal appearance before the selection panel is not allowed. If applicant is determined fully qualified by the CSL Board, applicant may be invited to attend the U.S. Army's Acquisition Leader Assessment Program at Fort Knox, Kentucky for a five-day period in October 2025. Attendance at ALAP is mandatory for FY27 CSL consideration. Please visit: https://asc.army.mil/web/csl-alap/.

OTHER INFORMATION:

  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • You must submit all required information by the closing date. If materials are not received, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available, and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible.
  • The materials you send with your application will not be returned.
  • You may be required to complete annual Financial Disclosure statements.
  • You may be required to travel to overseas locations, including current theaters of operation.
  • Individuals selected from Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and other DoD agencies will become Army employees upon placement in the Position and will be reassigned within the Army after completion of the 3 (three) year assignment. [Note: ACAT I program require tenure of at least 4 (four) years.]
  • The Army Acquisition Professional Development System (AAPDS) will enable those that are interested and eligible to "opt-in" to the CSL and Centralized Selection Board (CSB) opportunities using one portal and one application packet.

Required Documents

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (ALL APPLICANTS): To ensure adequate time to build an account and allow for completion of the CSL application package, the applicant should supply the required information via AAPDS no later than two weeks prior to the announcement closing date. The following documents comprise the application for these positions and must be submitted in the prescribed order. No other documents are required or considered. If you fail to provide all documents specified in the announcement, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package, and your application will not be considered. Additional information on the preparation, signature requirements etc. is posted below.
  • Acquisition Career Record Brief (ACRB): The latest version of your ACRB will automatically be pulled into your application. Ensure your ACRB is updated and correct prior to submission of application. Applicants may update and correct specific fields of their ACRB using the edit functions within the Career Acquisition Personnel and Position Management Information System (CAPPMIS). For the areas in the ACRB that cannot be changed by the Applicant, please request assistance using our Army Director Acquisition Career Management DACM Office online help desk request at the following link: https://apps.asc.army.mil/camp. Click on Career Acquisition Management Portal (CAMP) tab, look mid-way down the right side of the following page, click on Ask an Acquisition Career Manager (ACM) to submit your request electronically.
  • Resume: Your resume must follow the template provided here: https://asc.army.mil/web/wp- content/uploads/2016/11/Resume-Template.pdf.
    • Use 12-point Times New Roman with 1 inch margin and a maximum of 3 pages. Do not include a photograph, it will not be used to make eligibility and/or qualification determinations and will not be provided to the board. For purposes of qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment for each position listed (i.e., Hours per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you will not receive consideration for this position. The resume is crucial to portraying the applicant's potential as a senior leader in Army Acquisition. Applicants should expound on and highlight their accomplishments in leading and managing human and fiscal resources, materiel acquisition and project milestones with a focus on cost, schedule, and performance, and/or the ability to provide direction in planning, coordination, control, and direction of all contracting functions. This is the applicant's opportunity to highlight leadership/supervisory experience, relevant work experiences, skills, educational achievements and accomplishments, which are key indicators to the preparation for and success as a supervisory acquisition professional.
NOTE: Emphasize any services performed OCONUS, in Joint Positions and/or while deployed. If you have previously served in a CSL Product or Project management position, make sure you note that on your resume AND your ACRB. (Recommend the following format for former CSL information: "PM/WIDGET - HQDA GS* CSL - PM 20**") * Represents the grade level. **Represents the last two digits of the fiscal year selected.

NOTE: If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  • Performance Appraisals: Last three signed performance evaluations.
  • Senior Rater Potential Evaluation (SRPE): Most recent SRPE must have been completed within one year of the close date of the announcement. A minimum of one SRPE is required; however, any completed SRPEs will be included in the applicant's file.
  • Significant Award Certificates: for awards not evident on the ACRB.
  • Regional Preference Form and Position 1-N Form: These forms will be used during the slating process of selectees. Upon receipt of the list, you will indicate your position preference from 1-N, by number: number 1 (one) being the position you most desire. You must rank all positions according to the level of desire for that position. If you rank one position in a particular region, you must rank all positions within that region.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

DO NOT SUBMIT APPLICATIONS THROUGH THE USAJOBS LINK! THEY WILL NOT BE RECEIVED BY THE SELECTION AUTHORITY!

APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED THROUGH THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES.
  • Applications may not be submitted by mail or any other electronic means other than the processes below. NO OTHER APPLICATION METHOD WILL BE ACCEPTED.
  • You must submit your application so that it will be received by 2359 (11:59PM) EST on the closing date of the announcement.
  • Army specific application requirements apply.

ARMY ACQUISITION EMPLOYEES: Only completed applications will be submitted to the HQDA Centralized Selection Board for review. ARMY NON-ACQUISITION AND DOD EMPLOYEES (All non-Army employees). Only completed applications will be submitted to the HQDA Centralized Selection Board for review. Because the application process for these positions requires access to a system specific to internal Army Acquisition personnel, it is necessary for non-Army Acquisition and DOD Employee applicants to provide some information early in the application process so that the Army DACM Office Acquisition Career Manager (ACM) can provide assistance in preparing for the submission of the application. Please create a CAMP/CAPPMIS Help Request Ticket, select "Boards" in the subject area. In the body indicate you are a current Army Non-Acquisition or DOD Civilian and wish to apply for the CSL and upload a copy of your most current SF-50. The SF-50 validates your eligibility and is required to build a profile and account in CAMP/CAPPMIS, which will allow you to access the AAPDS to apply and complete the application process. For a Senior Rater Potential Evaluation (SRPE), DOD/non-Army Acquisition employees will upload a paper SRPE, as required. It is recommended that interested individuals familiarize themselves with the instructions for the preparation of the SRPE. Of note, the Senior Rater should not use bullet comments, but narrative comments to support the overall rating.

Submit Applications via the Army Acquisition Professional Development System (AAPDS): https://apps.asc.army.mil/camp/
  • Select CAPPMIS
  • Select AAPDS
  • Select Apply: FY27 CSL Project Manager/Acq Director (COL/GS15)

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Address
AD-W27PAA US ARMY ACQUISITION SUPPORT CENTER
DO NOT MAIL
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060
US

Next steps

Once your complete application is received, it will be reviewed to ensure you meet the basic qualification criteria. Eligible applicants will be referred to the CSL Board for consideration. The CSL Board meets approximately 24 (twenty-four) months prior to actual placement of selectees on positions. Applicants may be invited to attend the U.S. Army's Acquisition Leader Assessment Program at Fort Knox, Kentucky for a five-day period October 2025. Selectees are notified via their chain-of-command and/or by publication of the selection on the US Army Human Resources Command web page. Notification of selection can be expected approximately 180 days after the Board is convened with placement in the position in (approximately) July of 2026. Some applicants may be activated as early as June of 2025 to fill their assigned positions. Successful applicants will be required to attend mandatory training required by the DoD/Army. Training required will be determined by the US Army Human Resources Command, Acquisition Management Branch. Some training may be for extended periods of up to 10 weeks.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


© 2006-2025, exclusive of U. S. government job opportunity announcements