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Technical Advisor SME
Q2Impact is looking for a Senior Technical Advisor Subject Matter Expert (SME) to provide consulting support to the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Budget and Planning (BP). This role is critical to ensuring that the evaluation reflects the realities of federal budget formulation, strategic planning, and performance management while delivering practical, evidence-based recommendations to senior Department leadership.
As a named Key Personnel resource for a federal contract, if contract is awarded, you will bring deep expertise in federal budget and planning processes, guide the technical quality of major deliverables, and translate complex evaluation findings into actionable recommendations that support Department priorities.
What You Will Be Doing:
Advising the evaluation team on BP's mission, organizational processes, and key decision points to establish the evaluation's purpose, scope, and questions.
Shaping the evaluation methodology to reflect federal budget formulation, strategic planning, and performance management practices, including International Cooperative Administrative Support Services (ICASS) standards where applicable.
Identifying the documents, data systems, and stakeholders required to support a comprehensive evaluation while facilitating engagement with senior BP and bureau officials.
Interpreting evaluation findings against federal budget and performance requirements, including OMB Circular A-11, the GPRA Modernization Act, the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act, and applicable Department of State policies.
Reviewing the work plan, evaluation plan, preliminary findings, and draft and final reports to ensure technical accuracy, analytical rigor, and alignment with contract requirements.
Translating complex evaluation results into actionable budget, planning, and management recommendations for senior Department leadership.
Authoring the executive summary and recommendations while ensuring that findings are clear, evidence-based, and relevant to BP's decision-making needs.
Presenting preliminary findings and final evaluation results alongside the project team to BP leadership and other senior stakeholders.
Safeguarding evaluator independence by identifying and disclosing any prior involvement with the programs under review in accordance with applicable requirements.
Collaborating with the Program/Project Manager and serving as the senior technical counterpart to the BP Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and program offices.
What You Will Need:
US Citizenship with active Secret clearance and ability to maintain it.
Master's degree in public administration, public policy, economics, finance, accounting, business administration, or a closely related field.
10+ years of directly relevant experience in federal budget formulation, budget execution, strategic planning, performance management, or related BP program areas.
Knowledge of International Cooperative Administrative Support Services (ICASS) cost distribution, service standards, and post-level administrative support budgeting.
Demonstrating at least five years of experience at the federal agency level, preferably with the U.S. Department of State or the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Producing or reviewing agency budget justifications, strategic plans, performance plans, performance reports, or comparable federal planning and budget documents.
Applying expert knowledge of the federal budget cycle, including budget formulation, OMB passback, appropriations, apportionment, and budget execution.
Understanding OMB Circular A-11, including Part 6 on strategic plans and performance reporting; the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010; and the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018.
Translating technical evaluation findings into practical recommendations that support executive-level budget, planning, and management decisions.
Communicating complex technical issues and evaluation results clearly and persuasively in writing and in presentations to senior government officials.
Maintaining an active SECRET personnel security clearance adjudicated by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), or reciprocally accepted, with clearance verification by the Q2Impact Facility Security Officer (FSO) in DISS before quote submission.
Ability to commute to Harry S. Truman Building, located at 2201 C St NW, Washington, DC 20520 as needed for a 12 month period of performance (11/26 through 11/27)
If You Have This, It's a Plus
Bringing prior experience with the Department of State's Bureau of Budget and Planning, predecessor resource-management functions, the Office of Foreign Assistance (F), or OMB as a budget examiner supporting the State Department or international affairs (Function 150) accounts.
Understanding the Department of State's budget process, including bureau resource requests, the Congressional Budget Justification, the Joint Strategic Plan, and Functional and Joint Regional Bureau Strategies.
Demonstrating experience with security assistance budgeting, including Foreign Military Financing (FMF), International Military Education and Training (IMET), Peacekeeping Operations (PKO), International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INCLE), and Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs (NADR).
Authoring or reviewing federal performance evaluations, Government Accountability Office (GAO) or Office of Inspector General (OIG)-style reviews, program assessments, or comparable independent evaluations.
Holding recognized professional credentials, such as Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM) or Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM), or demonstrating completion of relevant federal budget, performance management, or evaluation training.
What's In It For You
Influencing a high-visibility federal evaluation that informs budget formulation, strategic planning, and performance management at the Department of State.
Applying your expertise directly to a mission-critical engagement where analytical rigor and actionable recommendations matter.
Engaging with senior Department leadership and experienced federal program stakeholders.
Leveraging your knowledge of federal resource management to strengthen the quality, relevance, and impact of evaluation findings.
Serving in a senior technical leadership capacity as a named Key Personnel resource on a federal contract.