U.S. Department of Defense

Summary

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Duties

The United States Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) at Kirtland Air Force Base is searching for a Launch Acquisition Manager (GS-13).

Description:

Are you ready to take on a role where your acquisitions, planning, coordination, and leadership skills make a real impact? We're looking for a dynamic professional to drive program success by developing and executing well-structured acquisition and program management plans that balance cost, schedule, and performance. In this role, you'll keep leadership informed on key program and acquisition actions, troubleshoot challenges with innovative solutions, and ensure strict adherence to security policies and directives. Your ability to foster collaboration will be crucial in aligning stakeholders and maintaining a seamless team approach to acquisition and program execution.

As a key player in the program's success, you'll establish and maintain effective management controls, ensuring acquisition strategies and projects stay on track and within budget. Your communication skills will shine as you keep customers fully informed of acquisition milestones and program progress while adapting to shifting priorities. You'll confidently deliver presentations to DoD and industry leaders, ensuring clarity on project status, accomplishments, and requirements. Your strategic recommendations will shape acquisition policy decisions at the highest levels, minimizing disconnects and driving mission success. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment where acquisitions and program management drive national security objectives, this is the job for you!

The ideal candidate for this position is a highly skilled program management professional with a strong background in defense acquisition, systems development, and lifecycle management. Candidates should have:

• Education & Certification: A bachelor's degree in a relevant field (engineering, business, program management, or related discipline) is highly desirable. This position requires DAWIA Program Management - Practitioner (formally PM Level II) certification or the ability to obtain it.
• Experience: Demonstrated experience in planning, organizing, and managing acquisition programs, ensuring they stay within cost, schedule, and performance parameters. Prior work with DoD, Air Force, or other federal agencies is highly beneficial.
• Technical & Program Knowledge: Expertise in systems acquisition, program management, contracting, engineering, logistics, and financial management. Ability to navigate the complexities of integrated product teams and acquisition strategies.
• Security & Compliance: Must strictly adhere to security policies and be eligible for a Top-Secret security clearance. Position requires compliance with DoD security directives and participation in periodic drug testing.
• Leadership & Communication Skills: Proven ability to lead teams, coordinate with government and industry stakeholders, and communicate effectively at all levels. Must be able to deliver high-quality briefings, reports, and policy recommendations to executive leadership.
• Flexibility & Commitment: Must be willing to travel occasionally, work overtime when required, and meet continuing acquisition education requirements. The role involves critical decision-making under pressure and negotiating effectively with contractors and government officials.

This role is ideal for a motivated, detail-oriented professional eager to make a lasting impact in national security space programs. If you thrive in a dynamic environment where innovation and leadership drive mission success, we encourage you to apply!

Key Skills and Abilities:

1. Knowledge of laws, principles. policies, and practices of systems acquisition and program management.

2. Knowledge or business. industrial management. contracting procedures. technical concepts. and production practices to evaluate contractor proposals and activities.

3. Knowledge of the missions. roles, functions. organizational structures, and operation of the Department of Defense, Air Force, and other entities that govern, interface with, and/or influence the systems acquisition process.

4. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing, clearly, concisely, and with technical accuracy.

5. Ability to establish and maintain good relationships with individuals and groups within the office as well as outside the immediate work unit.

6. Ability to plan, organize, lead. and manage critical aspects of research. development, production, and support of subsystems or equipment, and integrate, analyze, and manage a variety of acquisition functions and personnel of the support of the process.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• PCS is not authorized. Incentive is not authorized.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance.
• Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft/vehicle to conferences, meetings, or functions away from the duty office/location.
• This is a drug testing designated position. The incumbent is subject to pre-employment drug testing as a condition of employment, and participation in random drug testing.
• May occasionally be required to work overtime.
• The employee must meet, or be capable of meeting, Defense Acquisition Work Improvement Act (DA WIA) requirements applicable to the duties of the position.
• This position has been designated as an acquisition position and is covered by the Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP). This position is coded Level II in Program Management.
• Specialist is required to file an OGE 450 (Confidential financial Disclosure Report), IAW AFR 30-30.
• Employee is expected to meet Continuing Acquisition Education requirements.
• This position will close after 5 business days or 75 applications, whichever comes first.

Qualifications

The 1101 series does not have an individual occupational requirement that must be met. You can view the experience level requirements here. Please scroll down to the 3rd section titled Administrative and Management Positions.

Additional information

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.

Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here.

• Benefits
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• 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.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies as related to the series and grade of the position being filled. Final qualifications determinations will be assessed based on OPM's General Schedule Qualifications Standards found here:

Interviews: You will be contacted by e-mail and/or telephone if your application is identified as qualifying for a position being filled. An interview may be conducted. If interviewed, you will be asked to address the same knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies used to initially qualify your application for the position.

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How to Apply

To submit your resume for this Direct Hire opportunity click here.

Agency contact information

US Space Force Enterprise Talent Management

Email

HQ.USSF.TalentAcquisition@spaceforce.mil

Address

USSF - Space Systems Command

1670 Space Force Pentagon

Washington, DC 20330

US

Next steps

For additional information on other USSF direct hire opportunities visit the Air Force Civilian Careers Space Force website and follow USSF on LinkedIn.

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