Ascension LLC is seeking an experienced Program Manager with federal acquisition expertise to lead and oversee contractor support services for the United States Air Force 18th Contracting Squadron (18 CONS).

The Program Manager serves as the primary contractor interface with the Government Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and is responsible for managing contractor personnel supporting the acquisition lifecycle. The individual selected for this role will ensure that contract support services are delivered in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Air Force acquisition guidance, and organizational policies.

This role is critical to the success of the engagement because the 18 CONS relies on contractor support personnel to assist with a wide range of acquisition activities supporting the mission of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base. These activities include market research, acquisition planning, solicitation development, evaluation support, contract administration, and contract closeout.

The ideal candidate will bring:

• Deep understanding of the federal acquisition lifecycle
• Experience managing contract specialists and acquisition teams
• Ability to work effectively with Government stakeholders
• Strong organizational leadership to ensure timely and compliant delivery of acquisition documentation and support services.

Candidates should be mission-driven professionals who are detail-oriented, proactive, and capable of managing complex workloads in a distributed, remote work environment.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Program Manager provides overall leadership and management for Ascension’s acquisition support services contract supporting the 18th Contracting Squadron. The Program Manager ensures that contractor personnel provide high-quality acquisition support aligned with Air Force contracting policies and procedures.

This individual manages staffing, workload distribution, quality assurance, and performance monitoring across all contractor personnel assigned to the contract. The Program Manager works closely with the Government COR and CO to coordinate work assignments, resolve performance issues, and ensure contract deliverables are completed accurately and on schedule.

The role requires an individual who is:

• Highly organized and results-oriented
• Comfortable working in dynamic acquisition environments
• Skilled at anticipating issues and proactively resolving problems
• Able to translate contracting requirements into clear work assignments and deliverables
• Effective at managing remote teams supporting mission-critical government operations.

The Program Manager must demonstrate strong knowledge of the federal acquisition lifecycle, including pre-award and post-award contracting processes, as well as experience ensuring contractor work complies with applicable acquisition regulations and policies.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

The Program Manager performs a wide range of management and oversight functions to ensure effective delivery of acquisition support services.

Responsibilities include:

• Serve as the primary point of contact between Ascension and the Government Contracting Officer and COR.
• Receive and review work assignments from Government contracting officials and coordinate task execution.
• Assign acquisition tasks to contractor personnel based on expertise, workload, and priority.
• Monitor contractor performance to ensure deliverables are completed accurately and within required timelines.
• Ensure compliance with FAR, DFARS, Air Force policies, and applicable contracting guidance.
• Oversee development of acquisition documentation, including:
  • Market research reports
  • Acquisition plans
  • Solicitation documents (RFQ, RFP, IFB)
  • Source selection documentation
  • Contract award documentation
  • Contract modification packages
  • Contract closeout documentation.
• Coordinate and participate in meetings with Government contracting staff to review workload, acquisition planning efforts, and contract status.
• Provide status reporting on contractor activities, deliverables, and performance metrics.
• Identify risks or delivery issues affecting contracting activities and develop mitigation strategies.
• Review contractor work products for quality, completeness, and regulatory compliance.
• Support proposal evaluation and cost/price analysis activities when requested by Government contracting officials.
• Monitor contractor personnel workload distribution and ensure adequate staffing levels.
• Maintain effective communication across contractor and Government teams to support mission execution.