kelly siffin, director of acquisition crane division naval surface warfare center

Kelly Siffin,

Director of Acquisition

Crane Division

Naval Surface Warfare Center

A Navy Base in Indiana?

25 MILES SOUTHWEST

OF BLOOMINGTON, IN

POOPs

• Scientists & Engineers: about 1000• Other Professionals: about 150• Technicians: over 800• Administrative: over 600

Crane’s Workforce: 3232 people

POOPs

• Crane’s Mission– Provide responsive acquisition, engineering,

logistics, and maintenance – for the Fleet’s weapon and electronic systems,

ordnance, and associated equipment and components,

– accomplished in partnership with industry, academia, and government.

POOPs

• “…So that students can understand the various facets of a particular field as well as to help them decide if the field is what they want…”

• “...Career opportunities for college graduates for which I will later be recruiting…”

• “...Entry-level requirements and what my recruiters look for in candidates…”

• “…Training and typical assignments within the first 3 to 5 years…”

• “…Typical paths into management…

• “…Some detail on day-to-day activities and responsibilities…”

POOPs

• Career opportunities for college graduates…– “Contract Specialist”– Negotiate and Administer Contracts– Baccalaureate Degree with at least 24 credit

hours in business is required by law.

POOPs

• Facets of the field…– A Sort of “Project Management”

• Technical, Schedule, Cost Management

– Strategic and Financial Analysis– Written and Oral Presentation of Proposals– Negotiation and Bargaining

And emailing, and meeting and typing, and copying, and filling out forms, and babysitting...

POOPs

• What my recruiters look for in candidates…– Analytical skills of a Kelley School graduate– Writing skills of an Arts & Sciences graduate– Law & policy skills of a SPEA / Law graduate– Logical and technological skills of an engineer– Shrewdness of a used car salesman

– ……but I can’t afford this person...but I can’t afford this person...

POOPs

• What my recruiters look for in candidates…– Degree and credit hours in business– Ability to write and speak well– Analytical capability with

• finances,

• rules,

• regulations

POOPs

• What my recruiters look for in candidates…

• Ct = (Ced + Cee + Ca)E– Ct is the value of your total contribution to the

organization, which is equal to...• Ced, the value of your education, plus

• Cee, the value of your experience, plus

• Ca, the value of your aptitude, multiplied by

• E - your EFFORT!» Professor James Colvard, IU SPEA

POOPs

• Typical assignments in the first 3 to 5 years– 16 weeks mandatory training (segmented into

blocks of 2 to 4 weeks)– OJT - pairing with “journeyman”– Web-based training– Specialized developmental assignments

• “rotation” through departments

• research projects & staff assignments

POOPs

• Typical assignments in the first 3 to 5 years– Work on an increasingly independent basis– Direct and independent customer interface as

capability is demonstrated and opportunities become available.

– Assigned “team leadership” (quasi-supervisory) role and/or sole management of a program area

POOPs

• Paths to Management…– Competence

– People Person

– Conformance while maintaining individual strengths

– Tough but fair

– Loyalty

– Willingness to travel

– Willingness to accept change

– Superior communication skills

– Few or no surprises… Keep your boss’s boss off your boss’s back

POOPs

• Most federal career opportunities are advertised at:

• http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/

POOPs

• Salaries for federal career opportunities are published at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) web site:

• http://www.opm.gov/