Centers of Excellence - Modernization Lead (IT Specialist)

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Centers of Excellence is hiring for GS-14-15 - Modernization Lead (IT Specialist). This is an opportunity to make a huge difference in the lives of the public and other federal agencies. This page contains information related to the role as well as a link to submit your application. Check out Join TTS Hiring Process to learn more about the application process. Please note we will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis so we encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible for consideration.

Role Summary:

Modernization Lead (IT Specialist) - GS-14-15

As part of GSA’s Technology Transformation Services, the Centers of Excellence (CoE) initiative accelerates IT modernization at federal agencies by leveraging private sector innovation and government services while centralizing best practices and expertise for holistic transformation. The Centers of Excellence work primarily in six focus areas: Infrastructure Optimization, Cloud Adoption, Data & Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Contact Centers, and Customer Experience. Our complementary work in strategic communications, change management, and performance management ensures these innovations can be successful and sustainable. We also work with partner agencies to enhance their ability to innovate so they can continuously modernize as opportunities and challenges emerge over time.

As a Modernization Lead at CoE, you will

help our agency partner make sense of the complex digital landscape and how technology and process modernization can benefit their programs and users.
establish and maintain trusted relationships with our agency partners, and set up engagements to be successful.
coordinate cross-functional teams to deliver user-centered solutions to complex problems.
help our agency partners to develop their own capacity for continuous innovation.

Your expertise will help ensure the success of our government partners as they meet technology modernization challenges head on. As a Modernization Lead you will act as subject matter expert in one of the following focus areas:

Cloud Adoption & Infrastructure Optimization
Data & Analytics
Artificial Intelligence
Contact Centers
Customer Experience
Innovation Adoption
Acquisition

Key Objectives

Practice and enthusiastically share project management and agile methodologies throughout all stages of the project lifecycle.
Deliver educational workshops to accelerate learning and adoption of agile principles and practices.
Inspire honesty and integrity through open communication and liberal knowledge sharing across multi-disciplinary teams.
Create compelling case studies on how users are benefiting from the CoE projects, providing a special focus on lessons learned.
Capture specific capabilities (e.g. strategies, roadmaps, playbooks) to document best practices across government.

Key objective #2: Practice an exceptional customer experience with all partners, providing a unique, tailored partner experience and solutions

Explain products or services to people who have varying levels of technical knowledge — always meet the agency partner where they’re at.
Empathetically guide our agency partners through requirements, standards, guidelines, administration priorities, compliance and security processes.
Skillfully map specific inquiries to product capabilities, identifying the product that best meets the agency partner’s needs.
Serve as a liaison between the stakeholders and the project teams, delivering feedback to the team, enabling them to make necessary changes to product performance or presentations.
Support a safe, inclusive workplace and a positive team culture where all team members value diversity and individual differences.

Key objective #3: Lead in your focus area(s)

While the entire team will have and continually enhance core expertise in technology and organizational modernization, each team member will also further hone one or more Focus Area that contribute to the collective cross-functional capabilities of the CoE team.

Center of Excellence Focus Areas

Data & Analytics: Lead a customized Data and Analytics strategy service that enables optimal access to a partner agency data. Drive agency-wide and multi-agency IT modernization initiatives in the areas of data management, analytics, and data visualization. Advise senior executives on data management best practices, maturing organizational analytics portfolios, and on new developments and advanced techniques in data science.

Lead and develop pilots, prototypes, and minimum viable products to demonstrate analytic products and solutions for customers.
Serve as a data and analytics subject matter expert through consulting with customers to determine requirements, explore solutions, and deliver high business impact solutions in an iterative, agile process.
Artificial Intelligence: incorporate machine learning, neural networks, intelligent process design and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to develop AI solutions that address unique business challenges agency-wide.
Drive agency-wide and multi-agency IT modernization initiatives in the areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Neural Networks and Deep Learning.
Advise agency executives on AI best practices, maturing organizational AI portfolios, and developments and advanced techniques in the area of AI.
Lead and develop pilots, prototypes, and minimum viable products to demonstrate AI products and solutions for customers
Serve as an AI subject matter expert through regular customer consultancy to determine requirements, explore solutions and deliver high business impact AI solutions in an iterative, agile process.

Cloud Adoption & Infrastructure Optimization: Facilitates successful adoption of cloud services and other modern technologies by analyzing partner agencies’ existing infrastructure and designing the right modernization path.

Analyze applications, systems, evaluate alternatives and design and document solutions, and potential problems with migration activities.
Work with a Data Center Optimization team to migrate infrastructure and systems into a new data center, hosting, or co-location facility.
Assist agency partners through the change management process of cloud adoption with the specific ability to work through human capital planning challenges.

Contact Center: Help federal agencies develop and execute contact center and customer experience modernization strategies incorporating leading technology and best practices to ensure solutions can meet their current and future needs in an efficient, sustainable, agile, and adaptable manner.

Architect an enterprise-level customer experience technology solution using user story definition, holistic journey mapping, and data modeling, while also incorporating standard operating procedures and best-practice methodologies.
Collect and analyze current contact center operations, data, and reports to develop future-state recommendations for optimization and transformation.
Partner with agency program leads to drive alignment and integration of new contact center technology and integration with other third-party or internal applications.
Incorporate knowledge management and customer relationship management system best practices to improve the agent experience and the agency’s overall customer experience.

Customer Experience: lead the effort to help partner agencies develop a deep understanding of their customers and their customers’ needs.

Lead cross-functional teams that define problems and provide solutions for all phases of the customer experience lifecycle.
Navigate complex organizational relationships to bring stakeholders together around common goals and priorities.
Design, conduct and perform usability testing, and other forms of research with customers. Lead design workshops, contextual inquiry, diary studies, and stakeholder interviews.
Lead design activities such as journey mapping, experience prototyping, and the development of service blueprints.
Organize complex information and communicate structure with wireframes, sitemaps, and process flows.
Share your customer experience knowledge with stakeholders, agency staff, and CoE teammates.
Champion customers and protect their interests.
Create compelling case studies that detail how customer needs have been addressed.
Analyze customer experience approaches (e.g. strategies, roadmaps, playbooks) that represent best practices in the federal government.

Innovation Adoption: Lead a cross-functional practice combining change management, learning & development, internal communications and other disciplines designed to increase individual, team, and organizational behavior shifts.

Manage innovation adoption work for partner agencies, including change leadership & management; process, program, and performance improvement; and modernization impacts on the workforce.
Develop and promote innovation adoption practices, through partner work, support of a community of practice, learning & development, and reference materials.
Help CoE ensure that our modernization projects are successful and sustainable.
Serve on the cross-functional Innovation Adoption Team, engaging with peers on all seven innovation adoption functions. Each member of the team will specialize in at least one of the following functional areas:
Learning & Development, from workforce development to skills development, help ensure that people update their skills and expand their capabilities
Strategic Internal Communications, from communications strategy to channels to messaging, help us ensure that people receive the information and inspiration they need and have the opportunity to contribute their own insights and experiences
Organizational Performance Management & Improvement, from the organization to teams to individuals, help set clear, shared goals and can demonstrate progress and results through data and evidence
Technology Management, from product management to Agile workstyles, help us position our partners for more modern digital operations

Innovation & Intrapreneurship, from design thinking to lean start up practices, help us position partners to deliver better products and services.

Organizational Development, from role definition organizational network analysis, help our partners understand how best to organize and grow their capacity for modern work
Acquisitions: Accelerate IT modernization across Government in order to improve the public experience and increase operational efficiency using modern best practices of procuring teams and tools effectively achieve the mission of the CoE and our Agency Partners.
Develops acquisition strategies to enhance Centers of Excellence Program operations.
Develops acquisition strategies to provide the best value for the customer and to sustain modernization projects.
Develops and implements modernization plans for customer agencies that engage with the Centers of Excellence in order to improve their overall procurement process, the tools used, and other acquisition-related operations.
Oversees the development and execution of Interagency Agreements with customer agencies for Centers of Excellence
Serves as a senior expert procurement analyst responsible for developing, implementing, and recommending contracting strategies, procedures, and guidance.

Client Services: Provides comprehensive program and project management services to multiple, concurrent CoE engagements using diverse project management tools and industry best practices.

Collaborates with the CoE agreements team and clients to administer the IAA for each assigned engagement, including initial development, modifications,and closeout
Prepares high quality project artifacts to support kickoff, regular status updates, client executive and CoE leadership briefings, and agreed-upon deliverables
Develops and maintains detailed project plans and schedules in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
Develops and maintains risk register, including risk anticipation, identification, mitigation and reporting
Manages engagement financials, including CoE spend plan development and EAC variance tracking and mitigation.
Serves as COR for Industry Partner (IP) contracts and performs all attendant functions, including but not limited to administration of GSA and client onboarding, awareness of IP spend planning and status, tracking of IP deliverables, and coordination with the client, CoE Acquisition team and appropriate GSA Acquisition Region for kickoff, modifications and closeout.

Differences between GS14 and GS15 grade levels

The General Schedule (GS) is the predominant pay scale for federal employees. The system consists of 15 grades, from GS-1, the lowest level, to GS-15, the highest level. There are also 10 steps within each grade.

Grade GS-14	Grade GS-15
The employee independently plans, develops, and executes important programs with minimal supervision and review.	The employee independently plans, develops and executes large scale programs that lead to new ways of working and/or innovative approaches.
Performs assignments of exceptional breadth and intensity of effort often bringing the employee face-to-face with undefined factors and conditions which must be resolved in order to define the nature and scope of the work.	Performs work under general administrative direction, with very wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, work of outstanding difficulty and responsibility along special technical or administrative lines which has demonstrated leadership and exceptional attainments.
May serve as a leader and mentor for more junior members on a team.	Leads cross functional teams and develops guidelines for future use. Interfaces regularly with high-level stakeholders.
The employee is required to continuously exercise broad latitude to determine the intent of applicable guidance; to develop guidance for the specific area of work; and formulate interpretations that may take the form of policy statements and guidelines.	Work consists of broad functions and processes such as: planning and leading efforts to address issues in areas where precedents do not exist; and establishing new concepts and approaches. Assignments are characterized by: exceptional breadth and intensity of effort; and often involving several activities being pursued concurrently or sequentially with the support of others within or outside the agency.
Supervision and review of work is extremely minimal. Performs work with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, work of exceptional difficulty and responsibility along special technical or administrative lines which has demonstrated leadership and unusual attainments.	The employee decides what needs to be done by conducting extensive investigation and analysis of largely undefined factors and conditions to determine the nature and scope of problems and to devise solutions. The employee makes continuing efforts to develop new concepts, theories, or programs, or to solve problems that have previously resisted solutions.
	The supervisor provides administrative and policy direction in terms of broadly defined missions or functions.

Basic information

Location: Washington, DC; San Francisco, CA; Chicago, IL; New York, NY; Virtual (100% Remote)

Salary Range: The salary range for this position is:

GS-14, Step 1 - $108,885 to GS-14, Step 10 - $172,500
GS-15, Step 1 - $128,078 to GS-15 Step 10 - $172,500

Your salary, including base and locality, will be determined upon selection, dependent on your actual duty location.

You can find more information about this in the compensation and benefits section on our site.

For specific details on locality pay, please visit OPM’s Salaries & Wages page or for a salary calculator OPM’s 2021 General Schedule (GS) Salary Calculator.

Please note the maximum salary available for the GS pay system is $172,500

Note: You may not be eligible for the maximum salary as it is locality dependent. Please refer to the maximum pay for your locality.

Who May Apply: All United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Islands)

Travel requirement: Occasional travel may be required up to 10%-20% per year

Security clearance: Public trust. Background investigation required.

Work schedule: Full time.

Appointment type: This is a term limited appointment with the ability to extend for a total of eight years.

Employee benefits: Learn more about the benefits we offer.

Health insurance (choose from a wide range of plans)
Life insurance coverage with several options
Sick leave and vacation time, including 10 paid holidays per year
Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401(k) plan)
Flexible work schedules and telework
Transit and child care subsidies
Training and development
Flexible spending accounts
Long-term care insurance
Training and development
Direct Deposit of salary check to financial organization required.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Have IT-related experience demonstrating EACH of the four competencies listed below:

Attention to Detail - This skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant keeps abreast of latest technology, information, research, etc., to maintain knowledge in field of expertise (for example, reads trade journals, participates in professional/technical associations, maintains credentials).
Customer Service - skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant promotes or develops and maintains good working relationships with key individuals or groups.
Oral Communication - This skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant serves on panels, committees, or task forces as a representative for the organization on technical or professional issues.
Problem Solving - This skill is generally demonstrated by assignments where the applicant monitors current trends or events (for example, technological, economic, political, social, educational, or employment trends or events) and applies the information as appropriate; AND

GS-14 LEVEL SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the Basic Requirements listed above, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is:

Experience collaborating on vision, direction, roadmap or supporting the identification of user needs for a project, product, platform, or service.
Experience with iterative or agile methodologies.
Experience working on cross-functional teams.
Experience incorporating input from senior stakeholders.

GS-15 LEVEL SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the Basic Requirements listed above, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is:

Experience leading vision, direction, roadmap or leading the identification of user needs for a project, product, platform, or service.
Experience providing project or product leadership.
Experience with iterative or agile methodologies.
Experience leading cross-functional teams.
Experience collaborating with senior or executive stakeholders.

Provide as much detail as possible on your resume so that we can evaluate your previous experience. Follow our guidance on creating a federal style resume.

Qualification determinations can’t be made when resumes don’t include the required information. Failure to provide required information may result in disqualification.

For each job on your resume, provide:

The exact dates you held each job (from month/year to month/year or “present”)
Number of hours per week you worked (if part time)

How To Apply

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