Senior Acquisition Consultant

US101 Guidehouse Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 98,000 - 163,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance

Mobility Stipend

Job summary

Guidehouse is seeking a Senior Acquisition Consultant in Washington, DC, to act as a strategic advisor and team lead within the Department of State’s IT Acquisitions Office. You will oversee roughly 20 enterprise software and hardware licensing agreements and manage the full federal lifecycle from requirements through post‑award management.

You will guide a cross‑functional team of 9 and ensure compliance with FAR, DOSAM, SEWP/GSA, and internal standards.

Qualifications

• ACTIVE and MAINTAINED SECRET clearance.
• Bachelor's degree.
• 5+ years leading or supporting multi-disciplinary teams or in management consulting.
• Ability to work onsite in Washington, DC 2-3 days per week.

Responsibilities

• Develop acquisition strategy and package development for RFIs, RFQs, SOWs, APs, IGCEs, JEF0/J&A, bid sheets, and materials for IT enterprise agreements.
• Ensure compliance with FAR, DOSAM, SEWP/GSA policies, small business requirements, and internal standards.
• Maintain master acquisitions schedule tracking expiring agreements, performance periods, renewals, timelines, and milestones.
• Lead discussions with OEMs, resellers, and SMEs on pricing, terms, discounts, and BPA structures.
• Facilitate meetings with CORs, Global Acquisitions, OEMs, and resellers to manage portfolio activities and brief leadership on risks and next steps.
• Coordinate with CIO offices, Legal, OSDBU, Finance, and customer bureaus to align requirements and streamline procurement.
• Prepare executive communications, talking points, and presentations for CORs and Division leadership.
• Design and implement innovative processes and operating models to address procurement challenges.

Skills

Team leadership

Acquisition planning

FAR compliance

Stakeholder engagement

Federal procurement

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Job Family: Operational Effectiveness Consulting. Travel Required: None. Clearance Required: Active Secret.

The Senior Acquisition Consultant acts as a strategic advisor and team lead within the Department of State’s IT Acquisitions Office, overseeing approximately 20 enterprise software and hardware licensing agreements. This role manages the full federal acquisition lifecycle, supporting Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs) from requirements gathering through post-award management. The consultant leads a cross-functional team of 9 (analysts, SMEs, and program support staff) to develop comprehensive acquisition packages and ensures compliance with federal regulations and internal standards. The Senior Acquisition Consultant ensures acquisition packages meet FAR, State policy, Small Business requirements, and internal quality standards, while also supporting strategic planning, operational governance, financial tracking, and stakeholder communications across the Division.

Responsibilities

• Acquisition Strategy & Package Development – Support the development of acquisition package including Requests for Information (RFIs), Requests for Quotes (RFQs), Statements of Work (SOWs), Acquisition Plans (AP), Independent Government Cost Estimates (IGCEs), Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition (JEFO/J&A), bid sheets, and supporting materials for federal IT enterprise agreements.
• Ensure compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Department of State Acquisition Manual (DOSAM), NASA Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP)/ General Services Administration (GSA) policies, small business requirements, and internal quality standards.
• Maintain a master acquisitions schedule that tracks expiring agreements, periods of performance, renewal windows, package timelines, and milestones across the enterprise portfolio.
• Develop acquisition strategies in collaboration with CORs across contract vehicles, including SEWP and GSA, and contract types, including Firm‑Fixed‑Price (FFP), Time‑and‑Materials (T&M), Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs), and Delivery Orders (DOs).
• Lead discussions with information technology software and hardware original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), resellers, and subject‑matter experts regarding pricing, terms and conditions, catalog discounts, BPA structures, and acquisition strategies.
• Program Office Support & Stakeholder Engagement – Facilitate weekly or bimonthly meetings with CORs, Global Acquisitions representatives, OEMs, and resellers to manage portfolio activities and brief leadership on risks, decisions, and next steps.
• Coordinate with Chief Information Officer (CIO) offices, Legal, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), Finance, and customer bureaus to align requirements and streamline procurement activities.
• Prepare executive communications, talking points, whitepapers, and presentations for Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs) and Division leadership.
• Lead the design and implementation of innovative processes, operating models, and strategic initiatives that address complex procurement challenges and advance mission objectives.
• Oversee and support the analysts in managing office funding budgets, submitting funding requests, tracking and analyzing sales and operational reports, and coordinating reporting to other offices.
• Team Leadership & Operational Support – Oversee team operations, including coaching, workload management, and quality assurance.
• Support program leadership with weekly reports, burn‑rate analyses, dashboards, deliverable trackers, and executive briefings.
• Collaborate with vehicle managers and Guidehouse leadership on daily operations, resource planning, progress reporting, and project financials.
• Mentor junior consultants and contribute to business development and integrated solution delivery.

What You Will Need

• An ACTIVE and MAINTAINED "SECRET" Federal or DoD security clearance
• Bachelor's degree
• FIVE (5) years or more of experience leading or supporting multi‑disciplinary teams or in management consulting
• Ability to work onsite in Washington, DC 2‑3 days per week

What Would Be Nice To Have

• Prior experience with the Department of State Project Management Professional (PMP) or equivalent project/program management certification
• Experience leading or supporting multi‑disciplinary teams or in management consulting
• Project/program management experience within large, diverse organizations
• Strong risk identification, issue escalation, and problem‑solving skills
• Excellent attention to detail, organizational, and prioritization skills
• Familiarity with core acquisition documentation
• In‑depth knowledge of federal procurement processes and acquisition package requirements

The annual salary range for this position is $98,000.00-$163,000.00. Compensation decisions depend on a wide range of factors, including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, security clearances, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs.

What We Offer

• Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Personal and Family Sick Time & Company Paid Holidays
• Position may be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus
• Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Basic Life & Supplemental Life
• Health Savings Account, Dental/Vision & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Short‑Term & Long‑Term Disability
• Student Loan PayDown Tuition Reimbursement, Personal Development & Learning Opportunities
• Skills Development & Certifications
• Employee Referral Program
• Corporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach
• Emergency Back‑Up Childcare Program
• Mobility Stipend

Guidehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer–Protected Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.

Guidehouse will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law or ordinance including the Fair Chance Ordinance of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

About Guidehouse

Guidehouse is a global AI‑led professional services firm delivering advisory, technology, and managed services to the commercial and government sectors. With an integrated business technology approach, Guidehouse drives efficiency and resilience in the healthcare, financial services, energy, infrastructure, and national security markets. Built to help clients across industries outwit complexity, the firm brings together approximately 18,000 professionals to achieve lasting impact and shape a meaningful future. guidehouse.com