OMB seeks IT buying expert

The Office of Management and Budget is looking for an IT category management specialist to support its governmentwide policy to help streamline the federal government's $50 billion annual IT spending.

OMB's category management initiative includes 10 "super categories" of commonly purchased goods and services, each run by individual managers with particular expertise in that area. OMB named managers for those super categories in February.

In June, Mary Davie, GSA's assistant commissioner for integrated technology services, temporarily took on the role of IT category manager after former HP executive Kim Luke, who had been serving in that position since February, stepped down.

The listing on USAJobs.gov indicates that the IT category management specialist position pays $92,145 to $119,794 a year. It's a two- to four-year "term position," with the two-year extension dependent on management needs.

According to the listing, which closes Sept. 11, the specialist reports to the deputy administrator for federal procurement policy and works closely with the U.S. CIO to support governmentwide category management. The specialist should also be able to reap indirect improvements such as better performance management, increased availability of data, fewer transactions and a more efficient IT acquisition environment.

Candidates should be experts in supporting implementation of the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act and able to spot opportunities for collaborating more widely and reducing duplication, particularly by using improved acquisition techniques and managing software licensing.