Senior/Expert Leadership and Interpersonal Skills

What is FAC-P/PM Certification?

The quality and effectiveness of the federal acquisition process depends on the development of a capable and competent workforce. Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Letter 05-01 Section 8(c) charged the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI) to develop-and the Chief Acquisition Officers Council (CAOC) to approve-a Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers (FAC-P/PM) with the expressed intent to improve the competence of the federal acquisition workforce.

What is the Learning Tree FAC-P/PM Level III Curriculum?

Learning Tree designed and developed a comprehensive curriculum specifically based on the FAI competency standards. All the content within the Level III curriculum has been designed exclusively for the Senior/Expert federal acquisition workforce and has been validated by a team of former federal executives. This advisory board provided guidance and counsel throughout the curriculum development process to ensure the content addressed the unique challenges of complex federal acquisitions.

The curriculum consists of the following courses:

• Course U152, Senior/Expert Program Management-Learn to simplify the complexity of the Integrated Master Plan, Integrated Master Schedule, and Systems Engineering Lifecycle.
• Course U153, Senior/Expert Acquisition Management-Learn to evaluate complex acquisitions, identify potential performance issues, and establish a process to mitigate risk.
• Course U154, Senior/Expert Business Management for Government Applications-Learn to reduce program complexity by instituting advanced measurements of technical performance, schedule performance, and cost performance.
• Course U155, Senior/Expert Leadership and Interpersonal Skills-Learn to develop advanced leadership skills to facilitate organizational change and lead successful negotiations with internal and external stakeholders.

What is this course about?

In this course, you gain the senior/expert acquisition knowledge and skills to advance towards becoming Level III FAC-P/PM certified.

Through peer collaboration, expert facilitation and a complex acquisition simulation, you develop the critical acumen, terminology, tools and techniques to effectively manage large, complex acquisitions. You also create a personal strategy and implementation plan to improve your project performance and consider specific recommendations for acquisition reform within your organization and agency.

What background knowledge and experience would help me in obtaining FAC-P/PM Level III Certification?

Candidates are required to possess at least four years of program and project management experience within the federal sector. This experience should include managing and evaluating agency acquisition investment performance, developing and managing a program budget, building and presenting a successful business case, reporting program results, strategic planning, and communicating strategy with internal and external stakeholders.

Confirm your specific certification requirements with your agency's Acquisition Career Manager or Chief Acquisition Officer, as they vary between agencies.

Will this course address the importance of negotiating with technical experts?

Yes. As most programs at this level have complex systems engineering components, it is prudent to address the human conflicts that arise throughout the systems engineering lifecycle, as well as, raise awareness to the behavioural qualities of technical experts in order to better prepare for negotiation and the ability to influence decision making.

Does this course focus on the application of leadership theory and principles?

Yes. There are various levels of learning that the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI) has recognized. Otherwise known as Bloom's Taxonomy, the 6 levels are Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. This senior/expert level is reserved for the latter cognitive domains of Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. Therefore, this course primarily focuses on applying advanced leadership disciplines to ultimately help mitigate risks associated with complex acquisitions.

How much time is devoted to each topic?

Is this course lecture-based?

No, this course is not lecture-based. Learning Tree has invested extensively in an acquisition simulation that extends through all four courses of the Senior/Expert FAC-P/PM program.

Through an immersive case study, interactive discussion, self-assessment, and role-play participants gain practical experience applying and refining leadership principles, techniques, and best practices.

Does this course address the steps necessary to anchor positive change through leadership?

Yes. Every organization should strive to be a Learning Organization. As a senior/expert leader within your organization, it is critical for you to embrace change, lead by example, and inspire your colleagues to lead with you. To this end, this course offers progressive steps for planting the seeds of change in order to mitigate the fear and anxiety often felt by an organization's workforce.

How will my skills and competence improve after investing in this Senior/Expert Leadership & Interpersonal Skills course?

Participants who complete this course increase their ability to effectively perform the following key aspects related to successful acquisition management:

• Adopt advanced leadership traits that inspire loyalty and enthusiasm among team members to execute your vision
• Understand the critical variance between management and leadership
• Explore strategic thinking techniques in solving complex organizational issues
• Establish external awareness of federal and industry best practices to improve organizational performance
• Brief the executive branch, Congress and industry with greater self-confidence and effectiveness that inspires trust

What other related Learning Tree courses will help me maintain certification?

To maintain the mandated 80 continuous learning points (CLP) every two years, Learning Tree offers a comprehensive library of complementary courses in the areas of Management and Communication, Business Analysis, Project Management, SharePoint, and many other management and technology-related fields to maintain your Clinger-Cohen competencies. For additional information on these and other Learning Tree courses, please visit our Web site: http://www.learningtree.com.