Lead Contract Specialist

Full Job Description

Seeking an individual to serve as a Lead Contract Specialist within the Grants Activities Branch of the Procurement Services Division.

You will be responsible for providing leadership, oversight, and expert guidance in the administration of a diverse portfolio of Federal financial assistance instruments to a team of procurement professionals operating under the full lifecycle of grants and cooperative agreements, ensuring compliance with applicable statutes, regulations, and agency policies.

You must meet all three requirements listed below; unless you are covered by an exception: The mandatory Basic Requirement shown in the Education section below; Specialized experience and/or directly related education, as shown below, which has equipped you with the particular competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of this position; and Certification/Training requirements.

To qualify for GS-14, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level: Presenting grant information and making recommendations on contracting and grant matters to senior leadership and partnering with stakeholders.

Supporting the development, implementation, and improvement of contract and grant award administration processes and procedures for compliance with current federal regulations and policy.

Leading a team in acquisitions or procurement to distribute, prioritize, and balance workloads according to workflow, skill levels, and occupational specialization.

Grants management experience preferred but not required. Certification/Training for GS-14 You must meet one of the following requirements to be considered for this position: A.

Certification: Possess a valid level III Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) or FAC-C (Professional) or level III Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification or DAWIA Professional.

OR B.

Training: Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for level III Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) (NASA-FAC-C-Curriculum-Table.pdf), and at least 4 years of experience in contracting or related positions.

At least one 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.

To be hired for this position, you must possess a valid level III Federal Acquisition Certification-Contracting (FAC-C) or FAC-C (Professional) or level III Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification or DAWIA Professional or must have already completed all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for level III FAC-C and/or FAC-C Professional.

If you are currently certified, you may be asked to provide evidence of continuous learning to verify your existing certification.

If you are not currently certified, you must apply for certification within 30 days after your start date in this position. List your FAC-C or DAWIA certification level and date of certification.

If you are not currently certified, but have completed the mandatory procurement training, list the training that you have completed to date.

Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience.

Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job.

NASA prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tool in drafting application and assessment responses.

Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process.

The ideal candidate has experience recommending, developing, and implementing policies and procedures to procure supplies, services, for construction or research and development projects using formal advertising or negotiation procedures to evaluate contract price proposals and policies.

Major Duties:

• Serves as a Lead Contract Specialist responsible for a variety of contracts, including complex grant portfolios.
• Provides expert guidance, oversight and leadership to Contract Specialists and procurement internal and external customers at all levels of leadership within industry, NASA, and other government agencies.
• Administers a portfolio of contracts and grants, overseeing multiple concurrent award and post-award actions.
• Evaluates and reallocates assignments within the branch as needed to meet workload demands, timely completion, and to optimize team performance.
• Ensures each employee has an integral role in developing the final product.
• Assists in the planning and management of the award and administration process.
• Serves as a contracts and grants lifecycle Subject Matter Expert (SME) at various interagency meetings and working groups.