Root Cause Analysis Expert

Overview

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) delivers high-impact, technical solutions to complex national security issues. With over 50 years of business expertise and consistent growth, we are known for continuous innovation for our government customers, in both the US and abroad.

Our exceptionally talented team is highly collaborative in spirit and practice, producing Results that Matter. Come work with the best! We offer opportunity, unique challenges, and clear-sighted commitment to the mission.

SPA: Objective. Responsive. Trusted.

The Joint, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Interagency Division provides expert support services to a range of customers spanning across the Department of Defense, Federal Civilian, and international markets. JOID provides a diverse portfolio of analytical and programmatic capabilities to help our customers make informed decisions on their most challenging issues.

The Acquisition and Technology Analysis Group within JOID specializes in the application of multi-disciplinary analytic skills to support multiple clients within the Department of Defense (DoD). These clients include the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD(A&S)), DARPA, the Joint Staff, and USINDOPACOM. SPA provides critical decision support to enabling and executing a strategy of technological superiority and enabling the delivery and sustainment of secure, resilient, and preeminent capabilities to the war-fighter quickly and cost effectively. Our team of experienced military, technical, and operations research analysts is skilled in evaluating military problems, identifying the driving factors, devising innovative approaches, collecting applicable data, developing necessary software tools, and performing thorough and timely assessments to inform technology and acquisition governance decisions to ensure U.S. military forces retain military superiority in the future.

We have a near-term need for a Root Cause Analysis Expert to provide on-site support out of Alexandria, VA.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will provide Assessment and Root Cause (ARC) Analyses of DoD programs identified for assessment by leadership. They will support decision making by senior leaders, conduct analyses and evaluations of programs within the Adaptive Acquisition Framework from cost, schedule, contracts, execution, and performance bases.

Their subject matter expertise will support leadership insight and forums, such as Defense Acquisition Executive Summary Reviews, Deputy's Management Action Group, Capability Portfolio Reviews, and Integrated Acquisition Portfolio Reviews. They will leverage acquisition data analytics products to provide program summary assessments (PSAs), contract performance assessments (CPAs), and funding assessments (FAs) of acquisition programs. Identify and document potential areas of emerging program and portfolio risk.

They will communicate analysis results through metrics and briefing materials to provide API and senior leaders with early insight into program and portfolio performance concerns and risks and to support participation in stakeholder engagements inside and outside DoD. They will be responsible for understanding the implications of congressional directives, draft OSD policies, and DoD-level acquisition initiatives as they relate to cost, schedule, and performance, and review, and validate statutory and regulatory programmatic documentation. Annually, they will perform detailed program analyses of up to four acquisition programs, providing detailed reports. Successful candidates will assess all aspects of a program's cost, schedule, and performance information; identify root causes for under-performance, cost overruns, and delays; and draft succinct and compelling products for senior leadership.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's Degree and 10 years of experience conducting performance assessments of major defense acquisition programs (MDAPs)

• Demonstrated experience identifying and documenting potential areas of emerging program and portfolio risk though the analysis and evaluation of cost, schedule, contracts, execution, and performance bases

• Experience providing products and support to senior-level government officials and forums, including Defense Acquisition Executive Summary Reviews, Deputy's Management Action Group, Capability Portfolio Reviews, and Integrated Acquisition Portfolio Reviews

• Understanding of DoD Adaptive Acquisition Framework, acquisition policies, and acquisition guidebooks

• Active DoD Secret Clearance

Desired:

• 5+ years of experience as a Federal or Defense Program or Project Manager responsible for program meeting cost, schedule, and performance parameters

• Experience leveraging government-provided acquisition data analytics products to provide program summary assessments (PSAs), contract performance assessments (CPAs), and funding assessments (FAs) of acquisition programs

Options