Program Manager / Senior Contract Specialist

Parra Consulting Group, Inc. .•Gaithersburg, MD

9d•Onsite

About The Position

Parra Consulting Group (PCG) is seeking a Program Manager / Senior Contract Specialist to lead a team of Contract Specialists delivering full-lifecycle acquisition support to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office of Acquisition Services (OAS), Office of Safety, Security and Asset Management (OSSAM). This is a Key Personnel role serving as PCG's single point of accountability for contract performance, workforce management, and deliverables.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required.
7+ years of experience in program management, contracting, or acquisition planning (or a combination thereof).
FAC-C certification, current or previous (minimum 5 years), or civilian equivalent.
Minimum of 5 years in a supervisory or program management role overseeing acquisition or contracting staff.
Comprehensive knowledge of the federal acquisition lifecycle and applicable regulations, including FAR Parts 8, 10, 13, 14, 15, and 16, and HHSAR.
Direct experience with federal contract writing and reporting systems (e.g., ICE, PIEE/WAWF/IPP, CPARS, JAM, EDA, Beta.sam.gov, GSA eBuy) or analogous systems (e.g., CMS, PD2/SPS, SeaPort NxG).
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to lead client meetings, brief leadership, and manage CO/COR relationships.
Proven ability to lead a team in a high-operational-tempo environment while managing multiple, unevenly distributed priorities.

Nice To Haves

ICE (Integrated Contracts Expert) experience preferred.
DAWIA Contracting Professional certification (or equivalent) strongly preferred.
CFCM/CPCM (NCMA) credentials a plus.

Responsibilities

Serve as PCG's single point of accountability for contract performance, workforce management, deliverables, and issue resolution across the OSSAM, NIOSH/WTCHP, and Additional Support workstreams.
Direct and prioritize the work of assigned Contract Specialists; manage staffing assignments, workload distribution, and cross-training to eliminate single points of failure.
Serve as the primary liaison to the Government Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), maintaining a single point of contact during core hours and remaining reachable for urgent matters outside core hours.
Conduct peer review of all work products prior to submission to the CO/COR, ensuring completeness, accuracy, and regulatory compliance (FAR, HHSAR, CDC local policy).
Oversee the full acquisition lifecycle for assigned requirements — pre-award market research and solicitation development through post-award administration, modifications, option exercises, and closeout.
Prepare and submit required deliverables on schedule, including weekly status reports, bi-weekly Teams update meetings, monthly progress reports, and Monthly Contractor Activity/Expense Reports.
Manage quality assurance, including checklist-based contract file review and written corrective action plans for any valid customer complaint within 48 hours.
Serve as PCG's CPARS point of contact, proactively engaging with the COR on performance assessment inputs throughout the period of performance.
Maintain staffing continuity, including a bench of pre-vetted, certified acquisition professionals available for rapid deployment to meet the QASP standard of less than a two-week staffing gap.
Track and implement evolving acquisition regulations, including the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFAR/FAR 2.0), and ensure all contract files and solicitations remain current.
Coordinate directly with OAS leadership, the CO, and the COR to resolve issues and maintain continuous compliance with contract requirements.
Obtain Contracting Officer written consent prior to any replacement of Key Personnel, in accordance with HHSAR 352.237-75.
Perform other related acquisition management duties as required in support of mission operations, continuity, and contract requirements, as directed by the Government CO/COR.