Defense Acquisition SME and Acquisition Transformation Strategist

KBR Careers; Eglin Air Force Base (FL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K plan with company match

Medical/Dental/Vision insurance

Paid time off

Flexible work schedule

Job summary

KBR Careers seeks a Defense Acquisition SME and Transformation Strategist to support Air Force armament modernization and governance reforms. The role bridges strategy and execution, interacts with senior leaders, and drives organizational change to improve acquisition performance.

Responsibilities include developing transformation roadmaps, dashboards, and decision-support artifacts; coordinating across SPOs and departments; and leading cross-functional teams in a complex defense program

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in a related discipline.
• 10+ years of DoD acquisition experience or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of the DoD Adaptive Acquisition Framework and weapon system programs.
• Experience leading organizational changes and digital transformation initiatives.
• Experience working with senior Government leaders and executive decision-making.
• Ability to develop and implement governance structures and decision forums.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; briefing and white papers.
• Active DoD Secret clearance required.

Responsibilities

• Lead acquisition transformation and digital modernization initiatives across the Armament Directorate and its SPOs.
• Develop governance frameworks, business processes, and operating instructions.
• Translate strategic direction into actionable organizational improvements and dashboards.
• Deliver executive briefings and decision-support products for senior Government leaders.
• Support governance forums, leadership engagements, and strategic planning.

Skills

Acquisition governance

Cross-functional leadership

Executive briefing

Data-driven decision-making

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, or related discipline

Job description

Title

Defense Acquisition SME and Acquisition Transformation Strategist

Belong. Connect. Grow. with KBR!

KBR’s National Security Solutions team provides high-end engineering and advanced technology solutions to our customers in the intelligence and national security communities. In this position, your work will have a profound impact on the country’s most critical role – protecting our national security.

Why Join Us?

• Innovative Projects: KBR’s work is at the forefront of engineering, logistics, operations, science, program management, mission IT and cybersecurity solutions.
• Collaborative Environment: Be part of a dynamic team that thrives on collaboration and innovation, fostering a supportive and intellectually stimulating workplace.
• Impactful Work: Your contributions will be pivotal in designing and optimizing defense systems that ensure national security and shape the future of space defense.

Position Summary

KBR is seeking a highly experienced Defense Acquisitions program management professional to support Directorate-level acquisition transformation and digital modernization initiatives within the Air Force's Armament Directorate. This is a highly visible role for a proactive leader who can bridge strategy and execution, drive organizational change, and help shape the future of Air Force weapons acquisition. Working directly with senior Directorate leadership, the selected candidate will help develop and implement changes that improve acquisition execution, including organizational design, governance frameworks, business processes, and decision support capabilities. This role requires daily interaction with senior leaders across the Armament Directorate, Department of War, and the Department of the Air Force to maintain detailed awareness of higher headquarters initiatives and translate strategic direction into actionable organizational improvements. Role has flexibility to be enduring or transition to Senior-level Acquisition SME supporting next generation air-to-air and air-to-ground weapon development programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as key member of a high-performing acquisition transformation team working directly with Armament Directorate senior leadership to maintain comprehensive awareness of Department of War and Department of the Air Force acquisition transformation initiatives.
• Participate in cross-Department acquisition forums, working groups, and senior leader engagements; assess the potential impact of emerging policies, guidance, and best practices; and translate those initiatives into Directorate communications, implementation strategies, action plans, and organizational improvements that enable System Program Offices to execute more effectively.
• Lead acquisition transformation and digital modernization initiatives across the Armament Directorate and its System Program Offices (SPOs), improving how acquisition teams plan, execute, and deliver weapon system capabilities.
• Partner with Directorate and SPO leadership to identify organizational, governance, and process improvements that increase speed, effectiveness, and data-driven decision-making throughout the acquisition lifecycle.
• Develop, document, implement, and institutionalize organizational structures, governance frameworks, business processes, operating instructions, and decision forums that improve acquisition execution at both the enterprise and program levels.
• Drive adoption of modern acquisition practices, digital tools, integrated data environments, and innovative business processes that enable SPO personnel to perform their day-to-day responsibilities more efficiently and effectively.
• Develop acquisition strategies, organizational implementation plans, and transformation roadmaps that align Directorate objectives with Department of the Air Force priorities and emerging acquisition initiatives.
• Integrate complex technical, cost, schedule, manufacturing, contracting, test, and operational data into executive dashboards, scorecards, metrics, and decision-support products that improve leadership insight and acquisition decision-making.
• Lead strategic communications activities, including development of leadership messaging, executive summaries, talking points, briefing materials, and recurring organizational communications that support acquisition transformation initiatives.
• Develop and deliver executive briefings, technical assessments, and decision-support products for senior Government leaders supporting acquisition strategy, governance, and organizational decision-making.
• Support major governance forums, leadership engagements, organizational reviews, site visits, and strategic planning activities while identifying programmatic risks, integration challenges, and opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Research acquisition reform initiatives, organizational models, digital capabilities, and best practices across the Department of Defense, industry, and other Government organizations, recommending innovative approaches that improve acquisition outcomes.

Work Environment

• Location: On-site (Eglin AFB, FL)
• Travel Requirements: Low, 10-15%
• Working Hours: Standard – Core hours 0900 - 1500

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Systems Engineering, Organizational Management, Program Management, Public Administration, Operations Management, or a related discipline.
• 10+ years of experience supporting or leading Department of Defense acquisition organizations, including System Program Offices, Program Executive Offices, Headquarters staffs, FFRDCs, UARCs, or defense industry organizations.
• Strong understanding of the DoD Adaptive Acquisition Framework, acquisition policy, and the execution of weapon system acquisition programs.
• Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, or improving acquisition governance, organizational structures, business processes, operating instructions, or digital transformation initiatives.
• Experience working directly with senior Government leaders to develop implementation strategies, evaluate courses of action, and support executive decision-making.
• Demonstrated ability to identify organizational challenges, conduct analysis, develop actionable recommendations, and lead implementation of process improvements.
• Experience integrating technical, cost, schedule, contracting, manufacturing, test, and operational information into executive-level decision support products, dashboards, and briefings.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated experience preparing executive correspondence, white papers, decision memoranda, strategic communications, and senior leader briefings.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and coordinate activities across multiple organizations and stakeholders.
• Active DoD Secret clearance required.

Desired

• Prior experience supporting weapons, munitions, missile, or air defense programs
• Experience supporting Headquarters Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, or other Service headquarters organizations.
• Experience designing, implementing, or improving governance structures, decision forums, or organizational operating models within a complex acquisition organization.
• Experience supporting digital engineering, digital acquisition, model-based systems engineering, data analytics, business intelligence, or enterprise digital transformation initiatives.
• Experience developing executive dashboards, performance metrics, scorecards, and data visualization tools.
• Experience facilitating executive-level governance forums, strategic planning sessions, or organizational change initiatives.
• Master’s degree in Business, Engineering, Program Management, or related field
• PMP certification or similar professional credential
• TS/SCI eligibility preferred

KBR Benefits

KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together.

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

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