Senior Small Business Advisor
About This Position
This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources, headquartered in Washington, District of Columbia.
Qualifications
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR You must possess the Basic Requirement and Specialized Experience Requirement below to be qualified for this position. Basic Requirement You must possess the items listed below: 1. At least 1 year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position. and
- A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. Exceptions: Employees in Business Opportunity Specialist, GS-1101 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 2, 2013.
This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met. However, employees will have to meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements in order to qualify for Business Opportunity Specialist, GS-1101 positions within the Office of Field Operations with the Small Business Administration by January 2, 2018. Minimum Qualifications: You must have one year specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position.
To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following: Designing and implementing enterprise-wide acquisition strategies that embed small business participation across the full procurement lifecycle --resulting in increased competition, improved outcomes, and alignment with mission priorities. Advising senior leaders (SES, HCA, political appointees) on complex acquisition and small business matters, shaping decisions that impact multi-billion-dollar portfolios and multi-agency operations. Utilizing procurement data (e.g., FPDS, SAM, internal dashboards) to drive strategic insights, measure performance, and identify gaps, resulting in improved small business utilization and compliance outcomes.
Assessing, expanding, and strengthening the industrial base, including targeted outreach to under served and Tribal communities --reducing barriers to entry and increasing supplier diversity and readiness. Providing oversight of acquisition programs, subcontracting plans, and compliance reviews, ensuring alignment with statutory requirements while mitigating programmatic and reputational risk Documenting experience: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience.
In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume.
Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational application questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. In accordance with Office of Personnel Management policy, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable, however, when documented by satisfactory evidence, such as a signed memorandum from the employee's supervisor or an SF-50 or SF-52 documenting an official detail or other official assignment.
The documentation must indicate whether the duties were performed full time or, if part time, the "percentage of times" the other duties were performed. It is expected that this documentation is included in the employee's official personnel record. In order to receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your official position, you must provide a copy of the appropriate documentation of such experience as indicated above.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through national Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to gain employment.
You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience so it can be fully credited. OPM Qualification General Policies Website
Major Duties
WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING DAY TO DAY As a Senior Small Business Advisor, you will use your knowledge and experience to optimize business results and customer experience by: Serve as a Department-level authority on laws, Executive Orders, and regulations affecting small business acquisition policy, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and HHS Acquisition Regulation (HHSAR). Advise OA and OSDBU leadership on the small business implications of proposed acquisition policy changes, legislative updates, and Federal initiatives. Oversee Department-wide analysis of small business performance metrics drawn from FPDS-NG, SAM.gov, USA Spending, and the HHS Small Business Customer Experience (SBCX) platform.
Represent OSDBU at various outreach events, meetings, councils and interagency working groups to promote HHS best practices and strengthen alignment with Federal acquisition priorities. Participate in Procurement Management Reviews (PMRs) and internal audits addressing small business coordination and subcontracting performance. Collaborate with the Office of Acquisitions (OA), HHS contracting offices, and program leaders to resolve complex or precedent-setting small business policy issues.
Draft official responses to oversight inquiries, Inspector General reviews, and Government Accountability Office (GAO) audits.
Education
Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov.
Note: Applications can be accepted from students who expect to complete qualifying education within 9 months from the date of application. Education was completed successfully before the applicant can be appointed.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this announcement. Evaluation will be based on your application materials (such as your resume and supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and the results of all required assessments. Resume Requirement Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages in length.
Basic Qualification Question As part of the application process, you must answer a question addressing whether you meet the Basic Requirement for this position, as described in this announcement. Minimum Qualification Question As part of the application process, you must answer a minimum qualification question addressing whether you meet the Specialized Experience required for this position, as described in this announcement.
Your response must be supported by the experience documented in your resume. If your resume does not demonstrate the required Specialized Experience, you may be found not qualified. Assessment Process SME Resume Review Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine whether you meet the required Specialized Experience.
SME Structured Interview You may be invited to participate in a structured interview with one or more Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to assess the required competencies for the position. Applicants who successfully pass the assessment(s) may be referred to the Hiring Manager for consideration.
You must complete all required steps in the process, including submitting an application and resume and participating in the structured interview, to be considered for this position. Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s) at HHS.
Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS. In accordance with Executive Order 12564 of September 14, 1986, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is A Drug-Free Federal Workplace. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by Federal employees is inconsistent not only with the law-abiding behavior expected of all citizens, but also with the special trust placed in such employees as servants of the public.
For PHS Commissioned Corps (CC) Officers: PHS Commissioned Corps (CC) Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the commissioned Corps may apply online to this announcement. Candidates will be referred as CC personnel and not as candidates for conversion to a permanent career or career-conditional appointment. For Competitive Merit Promotion and Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) Applicants: The highest rated candidates will be referred to the hiring agency.
For Noncompetitive Applicants: All qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring agency.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics): Acquisition Strategy Compliance Oral Communication Organizational Awareness Planning and Evaluating To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12947183
Additional Information
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon multiple factors, including funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives may require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years.
Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives may include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc. Bargaining Unit Position: No Research position: No Drug Screening Required: No Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans - https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/ Special Hiring Authorities for Military Spouses - https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/military-spouses/ People With Disabilities (Schedule A) - https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Individuals_with_Disabilities Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP/ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an CTAP/ICTAP eligible see http://opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap.
To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85.0 or above on the rating criteria for this position. Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
Resumes must not exceed two (2) pages in length. Application requirements are clearly stated in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Failure to submit a resume and any other required documentation identified in this announcement will result in removal from further consideration. *To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account.
Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. *Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. *It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account at https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link, and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application.
Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account at https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement.
You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/23/2026.
Required Documents
Package which includes: Resume must not exceed two (2) pages and must support responses to the online application. Failure to submit a resume and all required documentation identified in this announcement may result in removal from further consideration. Use of the USAJOBS Resume Builder is encouraged to ensure all required information is included.
Resumes must include duties, accomplishments, related skills, and start and end dates (month/day/year) for each position. Full-time employment will be assumed unless otherwise indicated; part-time experience will be prorated. Incomplete information may affect eligibility or rating.
A complete online application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12947183) SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) - documentation supporting eligibility. If submitting a copy of your SF-50, or equivalent, submit one that shows the effective date of your current position, the full performance level, career or career conditional tenure and status in the competitive service. Other required supporting documents.
Other Supporting Documents: (Only Submit if applicable to you.) College transcripts, if qualifying all or in part based on education CTAP RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate, notice of disability annuity termination, or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement SF-50, showing positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to be placed through RPL, etc Latest performance appraisal including rating Documentation from your agency showing current promotion potential PHS Commissioned Corps (CC) Officers must provide a copy of your current personnel order or other supporting documentation to be referred as CC. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) documentation, if applicable. For more information, please go to https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/ Documentation supporting eligibility for non-competitive appointment, (severely disabled, eligible veterans, certain military spouses, etc.) For ReΜsumeΜ Tips visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YX7o1PBoFk For Application Tips visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqYkibnuiJU For additional information about USAJOBS visit the Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/ Official documents are not required at this time; copies are sufficient; may be requested upon selection