Contract Specialist (Direct Hire)- French Language Requirement

Full Job Description

This position serves as a senior Contract Specialist for the American Battle Monuments Commission with a duty station in Paris, France.

The incumbent plans, awards, and administers complex overseas A-E, construction, and service contracts-including infrastructure and horticulture projects-supporting ABMC cemeteries worldwide.

The ideal candidate has held a contracting officer warrant, exercises independent business judgment, and is proficient in French.

Language Requirement Because 16 of our 26 sites are in French-speaking countries, proficiency in French is a requirement for final selection.

The Agency may correspond with applicants in French throughout the application process.

Applicants will be evaluated by a third-party testing facility prior to interview to determine their proficiency in speaking and reading French using the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale.

You should be prepared for a language evaluation immediately upon consideration. A minimum score of ILR speaking 2+ / reading 2+ is required to qualify.

More information on the ILR scale is available online.

If you are selected at the minimum score(s), you may require completing a language training program and/or re-test as a condition of continued employment.

Proficiency in languages other than French (particularly Italian, Dutch, Arabic, and Spanish), while not required for selection, should be indicated on your application.

Basic Requirements for GS-13 and above: 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 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.

Specialized Experience: For the GS-13 level: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-12); or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates: Serving as a warranted Contracting Officer (i.e., held a Contracting Officer warrant or Certificate of Appointment/COA) and exercising that authority to award and/or administer contracts.

Independently performing the full range of pre-award and post-award contracting functions, such as acquisition planning; market research and analysis; development of solicitation documents; establishment of evaluation criteria; evaluation of offers/proposals; price and/or cost analysis; conducting negotiations; preparing award documentation; awarding contracts; administering contracts (including processing modifications and addressing performance issues); resolving contract administration problems; and performing contract closeout.

Applying federal contracting principles, regulations, and policies in the execution of contracting actions.

Specialized Experience: For the GS-14 level: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-13); or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates: Serving as a warranted Contracting Officer (i.e., held a Contracting Officer warrant or Certificate of Appointment/COA) and exercising that authority to lead, award, and administer complex contracting actions.

Leading and executing complex, high-risk, or high-visibility acquisitions, including developing acquisition strategies and negotiation approaches; serving as lead negotiator; performing and/or overseeing price/cost analysis; awarding contracts; and directing complex contract administration actions (e.g., significant modifications, claims, disputes, or terminations).

Providing authoritative contracting guidance beyond individual actions, such as developing procedures or templates, conducting quality or peer reviews, advising senior leadership or program officials, or providing technical guidance or training to acquisition personnel.

NOTE: To be considered for this position, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the GS-1630 series set forth in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards by the closing date of the announcement.

A copy is available at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards Experience refers to 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; community; student; social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to gain employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience so it can be fully credited.

Major Duties:

The position serves as a senior Contract Specialist responsible for independently planning, negotiating, awarding, and administering complex contracts in support of ABMC's overseas mission.

Work includes full lifecycle pre-award and post-award contracting for supplies, services, architect-engineer (A/E) requirements, and construction, often involving high-visibility and mission-critical requirements.

The position requires a Contracting Officer warrant and exercises Contracting Officer authority to develop acquisition strategies; conduct market research; prepare solicitations; evaluate offers; perform price and cost analysis; negotiate terms; award and administer contracts; resolve contractual issues; and complete contract closeout actions, applying federal acquisition principles and adapting them to internal agency policies and host-nation laws and practices.

The position reports to the Chief Acquisition Officer/Senior Procurement Executive and coordinates with Headquarters and Overseas Operations leadership and stakeholders to execute the agency's contracting and procurement program.

Overseas Information Please note the following information related to this overseas assignment: The selectee will be required to obtain a diplomatic passport and appropriate visas (at the cost of the Agency) prior to assignment.

The selectee will be required to live in assigned, government quarters.

The selectee will receive post allowance and/or post differential in accordance with Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) in lieu of locality pay.

More information on DSSR benefits can be found here.

On this overseas accompanied tour, medical, dental, and education services may not be available in the immediate location and/or may be provided solely by host nation providers.

The availability and level of care at host nation medical facilities will vary by location.

Movement overseas may require the selectee to initiate a change in your health benefits plan to ensure coverage.

Eligibility for foreign area benefits will be determined at the time of hire, and may change at any time depending on law, regulation and Agency policy.

Foreign laws or international agreements may have a direct impact on the ability of a selectee's same sex domestic partner or spouse to accompany the selectee and receive certain benefits.

If you believe you may be affected by these laws and agreements, you should familiarize yourself with relevant information before applying for or accepting this position.

The majority of entitlements through a civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government will be considered taxable benefits by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

However, any additional taxes incurred will be offset either by government regulations, Agency policy, or both, as applicable.