9959 Career Guide
9959: Acquisition Professional Manager
Career transition guide for Marine Corps Acquisition Professional Manager (9959)
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Top civilian roles for 9959 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Program Manager
Skills to develop:
Acquisition Specialist
Skills to develop:
Logistics Manager
Skills to develop:
Management Consultant
Skills to develop:
Financial Analyst
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 9959 training built — and where they transfer.
Resource Optimization
As an Acquisition Professional Manager, you were responsible for ensuring programs stayed within budget. This required you to constantly analyze resource allocation, identify potential cost savings, and make strategic decisions to maximize efficiency without compromising project goals.
This translates directly to your ability to effectively manage and allocate resources in a civilian setting, ensuring projects are completed efficiently and within budgetary constraints. You're adept at identifying opportunities for cost reduction and making data-driven decisions to optimize resource utilization.
System Modeling
You managed complex equipment/weapon systems acquisition programs from concept to deployment. This required you to develop and utilize system models to understand the interconnectedness of various components, predict potential challenges, and ensure seamless integration of all elements.
In civilian roles, your experience in system modeling means you can understand and manage complex processes, anticipate potential problems, and ensure all components work together effectively. You're skilled at creating models that help visualize and manage complicated systems.
Rapid Prioritization
With responsibility for program initiation, cost analysis, system development, and more, you had to quickly assess competing priorities and make informed decisions about where to focus your attention and resources to meet deadlines and achieve program objectives.
Your ability to rapidly prioritize tasks and make critical decisions under pressure is a valuable asset in the civilian world. You can quickly assess situations, identify the most important tasks, and allocate resources accordingly to ensure deadlines are met and objectives are achieved.
After-Action Analysis
You were responsible for ensuring the systems fielded are logistically supportable. This involved continually evaluating the performance of systems, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing changes to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve outcomes.
Your skill in after-action analysis translates to a strong ability to evaluate project outcomes, identify areas for improvement, and implement changes to optimize future performance. You're adept at learning from experience and using that knowledge to drive continuous improvement.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Management Consultant
SOC 13-1111You've been responsible for managing complex projects from beginning to end, and are skilled in cost analysis, system development, and program management. Your experience leading acquisition programs and optimizing resource allocation translates directly into the skills needed to help businesses improve their operations and achieve their goals.
Business Process Analyst
SOC 13-1111You've been involved in the entire systems acquisition process, from concept exploration to deployment. You possess an ability to understand complex systems and processes, identify inefficiencies, and implement improvements. As a Business Process Analyst, you can leverage these skills to help companies streamline their operations and improve their bottom line.
Sustainability Manager
SOC 11-9199You've been responsible for life-cycle system support management. That means you understand the long-term impact of decisions and are skilled at optimizing resources over the entire life-cycle of a project. You can use these skills to help organizations reduce their environmental footprint and achieve their sustainability goals.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Courses and On-the-Job Training
Topics Covered
- •DoD Acquisition Regulations and Policies
- •Program Management Fundamentals
- •Cost Estimation and Analysis
- •Systems Engineering Management
- •Contract Management
- •Risk Management
- •Life Cycle Logistics
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
While experienced in acquisition program management, study the PMI PMBOK guide, particularly around stakeholder management, communications planning, and specific project management tools and techniques not explicitly used in the military acquisition process.
Focus on the legal and regulatory aspects of federal contracting covered in the CFCM exam, as well as specific clauses and regulations not encountered in their specific military acquisition roles.
Expand knowledge in areas such as strategic sourcing, negotiation, and supplier relationship management, which may be less emphasized in the military acquisition process.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Defense Acquisition Management System (DAMS) | Project Management Software (e.g., Microsoft Project, Jira) |
| Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) | Market Research and Needs Analysis Platforms |
| Total Force Structure Management System (TFSMS) | Workforce Planning and Resource Management Software |
| Automated Cost Estimating Integrated Tools (ACEIT) | Cost Estimation and Budgeting Software (e.g., Deltek, Oracle Primavera) |
| Marine Corps Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution System (PPBES) | Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle ERP Cloud) |
| Logistics Management Information System (LIMS) | Supply Chain Management (SCM) software (e.g., Blue Yonder, Kinaxis) |
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