Overview

The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) directs the worldwide overseas building program for the U.S. Department of State. Working with other offices and bureaus, foreign affairs agencies, and Congress, OBO sets worldwide priorities for the design, construction, acquisition, maintenance, use, and sale of real properties and the use of sales proceeds. As the single real property manager for the U.S. government's diplomatic facilities overseas, OBO's portfolio spans 285 worldwide missions and over 80,000,000 square feet of functioning property. OBO's primary mission is to provide safe, secure, and functional facilities that represent the U.S. government to the host nation and support the Department's staff as they work to achieve U.S. foreign policy objectives abroad.

The Program Development, Coordination, and Support Directorate (PDCS) is responsible for the design, coordination, and management of OBO's construction and renovation programs.

The Office of Design and Engineering (DE) provides expertise in architecture; landscape architecture; space programming; space planning; interior design; graphic design; sustainability; civil structure, seismic, blast, geotechnical, electrical, and mechanical engineering; energy; telecommunications; and security. Working with Planning and Real Estate, DE develops and updates the Space Requirements Programs (SRP). DE directs design coordination of OBO's building program, managing designs from planning through construction. DE monitors the performance of the architecture-engineering contractors hired to execute OBO's projects. The office serves as the building code official, confirms the technical adequacy of construction documents, and issues building permits. The Energy group (NRG) provides multidisciplinary expertise for high performance buildings, planning, design, engineering, construction, utility management, and maintenance of OBO projects.

This position is in the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, Program Development, Coordination and Support Directorate, Office of Design and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Division (OBO/PDCS/DE/ME).

Responsibilities

• Analyzes ways of improving program effectiveness; and analyzes program functions to determine whether the management systems in place efficiently accomplish the objectives sought and whether they provided the controls necessary for sound process management.
• Collaborates with management to develop long-range management plans for the efficient and effective operation of assigned programs.
• Develops and recommends guidelines, policies, and procedures internal to DE, and coordinates input and clearances from other DE offices, offices outside of DE, and offices outside of the Bureau.
• Monitors progress and prepares reports on the status of projects/program funding; updates project/program spend plans based on input from project team members, financial analyst for other internal divisions and review/analysis for data from financial data bases; prepares reports reflecting the status of funding versus approved funding targets and remaining funding requirements for upcoming activities; and analyzes any risks to a project's/program’s funding plan and recommends potential corrective actions;
• Keeps the Division Chief, Office Director, and project managers informed of any unusual or significant problems encountered or expected and of the progress and significant developments on special projects.
• Creates and/or updates projects' approved scopes, schedules, and budgets based on approved Project Change Requests (PCRs), working in concert with the Cost Management Office (OBO/PDCS/COST), Financial Management (OBO/COMP/FM) Office, and other project team members to develop Project Authorization Documents (PADs).
• Performs quality assurance on Current Working Estimates (CWEs) submitted by COST; ensures all required funding is available among function codes, and that Construction, Design, and Contingency rates are correct; ensures appropriate Value Added Tax (VAT) rate was applied, and correct function codes are used, noting any exceptions.
• Plans, controls, coordinates, and performs quality assurance on actions taken by other divisions when submitting funding request for Congressional approval; conducts quality assurance on schedules, space requirements, and budget information before submitting packet to OBO/COMP/FM for inclusion in fiscal year budget plan, Congressional approval, and Division reallocation of funding.
• Develops plans, procedures, and instructions for formulating annual and multi-year budget estimates for assigned programs, which may include operations and maintenance, capital fund program of new construction, and major rehabilitation of owned and leased buildings. Conduct and lead meetings on spending matters, as appropriate.
• Creates and submits allotments to post and creates requisitions for domestic task orders in the Ariba system. Monitors the execution of obligations and expenditures for projects and various programs to ensure that funds are properly allocated in consonance with design, construction, and furnishing schedules as well as any operational and maintenance schedules and to determine of funds are being obligated as forecasted.
• Prepares and analyzes a variety of reports related to the status of funds to include commitments, obligations and liquidations, travel, staffing levels, and other workload indicators. These reports include the weekly Procurement Report, monthly Program Performance Review (PPR), annual Budget Submission, and Financial Plan to Congress.
• Responsible for periodic reporting requirements as tasked by COMP/FM, serving as the primary liaison between COMP/FM and DE. The reporting requirements include the Quarterly Real Property Data Call, and bi-annual Unliquidated Obligations report.
• Updating delegated tasks to ensure progress to deadlines; keeping projects on schedule; updating schedules; and management of administrative details.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and five (5) years of related experience
• Required to be a United States citizen.
• Mastery of basic concepts, principles, and practices of a Financial Analyst that enables the incumbent to understand the wide range of State Department office duties.
• Knowledge and skill in applying analytical/evaluative methodologies and techniques of program analysis to issues or studies concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations.
• Ability to apply and adapt accepted research and qualitative and quantitative analytical techniques such as literature search, data collection and management, development and administration of questionnaires, flowcharting of work processes, graphing, calculation of means, modes, standard deviations, and similar statistical measures.
• Exercise appropriate management controls over entrusted assets and operations in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Knowledge of pertinent laws, regulations, policies, and precedents, which affect the use of program and related support resources in areas studied.
• Skill in oral and written communications techniques to develop expert assessments and recommendations on a broad range of architectural, engineering, and contract specification issues, communicate and exchange complex technical information with both technical and non-technical personnel, and prepare and present briefings to senior management officials on complex and/or controversial engineering or acquisition management issues.
• Proficiency in the use of computers (PCs) using Windows NT with MS Internet Explorer, MS Outlook, and MS Professional Office Suite for Windows or equivalent office suite. Specifically, the contractor must be proficient in the basic and advanced functions of MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and have some familiarity with MS Access and MS Project and other database and project scheduling software.
• Ability to respond quickly and effectively to changing situations and circumstances where a high degree of personal innovation and adaptability.