Federal Acquisition Subject Matter Expert

Federal Acquisition Subject Matter Expert

The Position:

We are seeking motivated, detail-oriented professionals with experience in federal acquisition, defined contribution retirement plans, and recordkeeping services to support the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board’s modernization and recompete of its recordkeeping services. The Acquisition Subject Matter Expert will provide specialized expertise throughout the acquisition lifecycle, including requirements development, acquisition planning, procurement document preparation, evaluation of sourcing alternatives, and transition planning. This position requires strong analytical and written communication skills, close attention to detail, and the ability to translate complex technical and operational requirements into clear acquisition documentation and actionable recommendations. A successful candidate will collaborate with agency leaders, industry experts, and cross-functional teams to support a complex, long-term acquisition serving the nation’s largest defined contribution retirement plan. Responsibilities for the role will include:

• Provide strategic and technical acquisition support for the planning, solicitation, award, and transition of complex recordkeeping services.
• Support the development and refinement of acquisition requirements, desired outcomes, evaluation considerations, and procurement strategies.
• Draft and review technical and nontechnical acquisition documentation, including Requests for Information, Requests for Quotes, Requests for Proposals, Statements of Objectives, and related acquisition materials.
• Develop complete, accurate, and well organized acquisition packages in coordination with agency stakeholders and subject matter experts.
• Review alternative acquisition and sourcing approaches and recommend strategies that appropriately balance cost, performance, risk, schedule, and technical requirements.
• Conduct market research on defined contribution plan administration, recordkeeping services, commercial practices, potential sourcing models, and industry capabilities.
• Translate complex recordkeeping, operational, financial, and technical concepts into clear and understandable acquisition documentation.
• Facilitate requirements development sessions and coordinate input from agency leadership, contracting personnel, technical teams, and industry subject matter experts.
• Review acquisition materials for consistency, completeness, compliance, and alignment with the agency’s strategic objectives.
• Track acquisition activities, dependencies, risks, milestones, decisions, and required deliverables throughout the procurement lifecycle.
• Collaborate with cost modeling, integration, retirement plan administration, and research teams to incorporate their findings into acquisition planning and documentation.

The Ideal Candidate: 

At Censeo, we are looking for unique candidates whose passion and enthusiasm will help shape Censeo’s client insights and workplace culture. Our staff have a wide range of backgrounds, areas of expertise, personality types, and favorite breakfast foods. Our client and cultural successes are rooted in our team’s innovation, creative problem solving, and collaboration. The unique perspective that you bring and the way you tackle problems are much more important to us than what’s printed on your diploma. Some of the core qualifications for the role include:

Required:

• Master’s Degree or Bachelor's Degree in business administration, acquisition management, finance, public administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in recordkeeping, plan administration, acquisition support, or a related field within the defined contribution industry.
• Demonstrated experience developing and reviewing technical and nontechnical procurement documentation in a defined contribution or recordkeeping environment.
• Proven experience preparing comprehensive acquisition packages and associated documentation, including RFPs, RFQs, RFIs, Statements of Objectives, and related materials.
• Experience supporting acquisition activities from initial planning and requirements development through solicitation, evaluation, award, and transition.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate alternative approaches and recommend acquisition strategies based on cost, performance, risk, and schedule.
• Experience with contract development and execution.
• Ability to understand complex technical and operational concepts and communicate them clearly through written documentation, graphics, and presentations.
• Excellent written English, close attention to detail, and strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office.

Preferred:

• Experience supporting the acquisition of large, complex recordkeeping or plan administration services.
• Experience with defined contribution recordkeeping transitions or managed service procurements.
• Experience supporting federal acquisition planning and developing documentation consistent with federal procurement processes.
• Experience facilitating requirements development sessions involving acquisition, technical, financial, operational, and executive stakeholders.
• Familiarity with commercial defined contribution industry practices, sourcing models, pricing structures, and service delivery approaches.

The Company:

Censeo Consulting Group is a top Washington D.C. based management consulting firm dedicated to helping public sector and non-profit clients build operational excellence, deliver better outcomes, and lower cost. We take a personalized approach to strategic consulting to solve our clients’ most complex problems and build operational excellence that transforms their organizations, allowing them to better deliver on their public and social missions. 

At Censeo, our award-winning culture means you’ll join a tight-knit community of 80 brilliant and passionate colleagues. We are advocates for a better functioning public sector, and we’re also good friends who know the names of each other’s dogs. Our philosophy is horizontal, not hierarchical, and our open-door policy encourages a culture of entrepreneurship at all levels. We share successes, make decisions together, and foster an environment for those with passion and initiative to lead. Our colleagues bring their own unique personalities to work every day and use them to help shape our growing firm in ways that reach far beyond client projects. 

The Location :

Censeo Consulting Group is based in Washington D.C., a fantastic city for working professionals. We work in a hybrid setting with flexibility to work from home and work in our office conveniently located in the heart of downtown, just a few blocks away from the White House. And with many of our clients also based in D.C., we have the luxury of leaving for a meeting and being back in the office in time for post-work happy hours, team dinners, and game nights.

The Fine Print:

• The salary range for this role is $120,000 - $150,000 depending on experience
• Expected travel 0-10%; may increase based on business needs 
• This is an exempt, full-time position but open to part-time/contracted arrangements
• This role is subject to a hybrid work schedule in the Washington D.C. 
• Essential Physical Functions
  • Sitting: Particularly for sustained periods of time
  • Light Carrying: Physically transporting items weighing less than 15 pounds from one location to another

Censeo offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including paid vacation and sick leave, flexible and remote work opportunities, and tuition and training reimbursement. More information on our benefits and perks can be found at

Censeo is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal opportunity to all applicants and employees in full compliance with all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, gender, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other class protected by applicable state or federal law. 

Join Our Award-Winning Culture!
Our passion wins awards. But don’t just take it from us… 

• 2024 Vault #41 Consulting 50 North America
• 2024 Vault #7 Best Consulting Firm for Hours in the Office
• 2023 Vault #9 Best Consulting Firm for Work/Life Balance 
• 2023 Vault #23 Best Consulting Firm for Overall Diversity
• 2023 Management Consulted #3 Best Boutique Firms in Washington DC
• 2022 Vault #41 Best Overall Consulting Firm to Work For
• 2020 Vault #21 Best Boutique Consulting Firm 
• 2019 Ivy Exec #7 Best Boutique Consulting Firm 
• 2018 Consulting Magazine Best Small Firms to Work For  
• 2017 Vault #12 Best Boutique Consulting Firm 
• 2016 Forbes Best Management Consulting Firms in America 
• 2015 Washington Business Journal’s Philanthropy List 

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