Federal Acquisition Subject Matter Expert

Job Description

Job Description

Here at Appian, our values of Intensity and Excellence define who we are. We set high standards and live up to them, ensuring that everything we do is done with care and quality. We approach every challenge with ambition and commitment, holding ourselves and each other accountable to achieve the best results. When you join Appian, you'll be part of a passionate team dedicated to accomplishing hard things, together.

Appian is actively seeking a Federal Acquisition Subject Matter Expert to serve as the strategic bridge between the complex world of U.S. Federal procurement and Appian's Government Acquisition Management suite. This role will act as the voice of the acquisition workforce, helping guide product strategy, requirements, and innovation in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. This is not just about maintaining software. This role will help define the future of how the Federal government, particularly the Department of War, executes its mission through superior acquisition technology.

This role is based at our headquarters in McLean, Virginia. Appian was built on a culture of in-person collaboration, which we believe is a key driver of our mission to be the best. Employees hired for this position are expected to be in the office five days a week to foster that culture and ensure we continue to thrive through shared ideas and teamwork.

In this role, you will:

• Act as the primary functional owner for Appian's Government Acquisition Management suite, identifying opportunities to evolve product capabilities to better serve Federal and Department of War acquisition professionals.

• Partner with Product Managers and Engineers to translate FAR/DFARS regulations and Federal Civilian and DOW acquisition workflows into clear, high-impact software requirements.

• Influence the product roadmap by identifying emerging trends, regulatory changes, and modernization opportunities within federal procurement.

• Provide expert-level perspective during design reviews, workflow validation, and acceptance testing to ensure solutions meet the standards required for mission-critical federal contracts.

• Represent Appian as a thought leader in the acquisition community through webinars, podcasts, speaking engagements, and industry events such as NCMA and ACT-IAC.

• Collaborate with Sales and Marketing teams to demonstrate the practical, real-world value of Appian's platform to senior government, military, and civilian leadership.

• Serve as a trusted internal advisor on acquisition policy, contracting workflows, user pain points, and opportunities to apply modern technology and AI to federal acquisition and contract management.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of federal contracting experience, including 7+ years serving as a Contracting Officer within the Department of War.

• Recent DoD 1102 experience with a strong understanding of mission-first procurement environments and the pressure of operating with a warrant.

• Expert-level mastery of FAR and DFARS, including experience with DoD-unique procurement requirements.

• Proven ability to translate complex acquisition rules, policies, and workflows into practical guidance for technical and non-technical audiences.

• Experience serving in a thought leadership capacity, including delivering presentations, writing articles, participating in panels, or speaking at industry events.

• Strong executive presence and ability to communicate with Product, Engineering, Sales, senior military leaders, civilian executives, and acquisition professionals.

• High technical curiosity and comfort learning how software platforms transform complex data and workflows into actionable procurement intelligence.

• Understanding of how AI can be applied to federal acquisition, procurement modernization, or contract management.

• Bachelor's Degree required.

• DoD Contracting Professional Certification required, or previous DAWIA Level II/III certification with recent relevant experience.

• Familiarity with software development lifecycles or Agile methodologies is a plus.

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Tools and Resources

• Training and Development: During onboarding, we focus on equipping new hires with the skills and knowledge for success through department-specific training. Continuous learning is a central focus at Appian, with dedicated mentorship and the First-Friend program being widely utilized resources for new hires.
• Growth Opportunities: Appian provides a diverse array of growth and development opportunities, including our leadership program tailored for new and aspiring managers, a comprehensive library of specialized department training through Appian University, skills based training, and tuition reimbursement for those aiming to advance their education. This commitment ensures that employees have access to a holistic range of development opportunities.
• Community: We'll immerse you into our community rooted in respect starting on day one. Appian fosters inclusivity through our 8 employee-led affinity groups. These groups help employees build stronger internal and external networks by planning social, educational, and outreach activities to connect with Appianites and larger initiatives throughout the company.

Benefits

Appian offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, wellbeing, and financial future. Benefits may include health coverage, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free mental health support, life and disability insurance, an Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), a retirement/pension plan, wellness dollars, tuition reimbursement, family-forming benefits and more. Benefits vary by country—please ask your Talent Acquisition contact for details specific to the location you are applying to.

About Appian

Appian provides process automation technology. We automate complex processes in large enterprises and governments. Our platform is known for its unique reliability and scale. We've been automating processes for 25 years and understand enterprise operations like no one else. For more information, visit appian.com. [Nasdaq: APPN]

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Appian is an equal opportunity employer that strives to attract and retain the best talent. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Appian provides reasonable accommodations to applicants in accordance with all applicable laws. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at View email address on ziprecruiter.com. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.

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