Elijah D. Nicholson
North Charleston,SC
Summary
Captain Elijah D. Nicholson is a seasoned Acquisition Professional and proven leader with over eight years of experience in the United States Air Force. His expertise encompasses the full spectrum of acquisition activities, from strategic planning and requirements development to contract negotiation, award, administration, and closeout. He has consistently demonstrated the ability to manage complex, multi-million dollar portfolios, lead diverse teams, and deliver mission-critical capabilities in both garrison and deployed environments. Captain Nicholson possesses a strong understanding of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), various contract vehicles, and financial management principles. He is a skilled communicator and collaborator, adept at building strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Operations Officer
United States Air Force
11.2024 - Current
- Leads daily operations for a team of 67 military and civilian personnel managing a $339M contract portfolio supporting three Wings and 90,000 total force personnel
- Serves as a liaison for customer outreach and education, developing and implementing contracting strategies, processes, and procedures
- Shapes squadron strategic outlook, incorporating lessons learned and best practices for continuous process improvement
Director of Operations & Administrative Contracting Officer
United States Air Force
10.2023 - 04.2024
- Dual-hatted as Director of Operations for a 10-member squadron and Administrative Contracting Officer, managing a $132 million portfolio for Base Operations Support (BOS), Dining Facility, Installation Support Services, and Engineering Support Services, including Warm Base BOS at Al Jaber Air Base.
Officer in Charge
United States Air Force
01.2023 - 10.2024
- Guided a 23-member flight, overseeing 2,000 contract actions within Joint Base Charleston's $134 million annual portfolio supporting 40 C-17s and 75,000 personnel across 67 joint units.
- Directed strategic acquisition, administration, and closure of base service contracts.
- Served as a business leader in procurement, proposal assessment, negotiation, and issue resolution.
- Trained and deployed members globally as Contingency Contracting Officers for joint combat operations.
Executive Officer
United States Air Force
04.2022 - 01.2023
- Led administrative support team for a 6-squadron, 610-person work force and $35 million budget.
- Set and maintained standards for information management, provided oversight of leadership schedules, workload, and office practices.
Director of Operations & Infrastructure Flight Commander
United States Air Force
10.2021 - 04.2022
- Managed a 6-member team in executing 25 construction contracts valued at $24 million during Operations INHERENT RESOLVE and ENDURING SENTINEL.
- Collaborated with host nation foreign military nationals to foster operational working relationship to support local contractors' and subcontractors' base access.
Officer in Charge
United States Air Force
10.2020 - 10.2021
- Led a 12-member flight in administering a portfolio of 53 projects valued at $27.1 million.
- Responsible for acquisition strategy, negotiations, award and post-award administration of contracts in construction and civil engineering services.
- Reviewed purchase requests, specifications, statements of work, etc. for contractual accuracy/effectiveness.
Contracts Manager
United States Air Force
08.2019 - 10.2020
- Provided business leadership, awarded and administered supply, construction and service contracts totaling over $7 million.
- Led negotiation teams to achieve desired technical solutions at the best value to the Government.
Program Manager, Foreign Military Sales
United States Air Force
07.2017 - 08.2019
- Managed a $1.2B FMS portfolio supporting CENTCOM objectives
- Coordinated acquisition support for weapon system sales and facilitated timely delivery of critical equipment
- Led the acquisition of seven AC-208 aircraft and a best-value logistics/sustainment package totaling $84.5M, significantly enhancing the Afghan Air Force's light attack combat capability.
Education
Master of Arts - Organizational Management
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ12-2024
Bachelor of Science - Management
United States Air Force Academy
Colorado Springs, CO05-2017
Skills
- Resource allocation
- Acquisition Strategy Development
- Contract Negotiation, Award, Administration, and Termination
- Requirements Definition and Management
- Cost/Price Analysis
- Risk Management and Mitigation
- Stakeholder Engagement and Communication
- Team Leadership and Development
- Contingency Contracting and Deployment Operations
- Foreign Military Sales (FMS)
- Process Improvement and Implementation
Certification
- DAWIA Acquisition Program Manager Level II
- Certified Acquisition Professional – Contracting
- Contracting Officer Warrant - $5 million
Timeline
Operations Officer
United States Air Force
11.2024 - Current
Director of Operations & Administrative Contracting Officer
United States Air Force
10.2023 - 04.2024
Officer in Charge
United States Air Force
01.2023 - 10.2024
Executive Officer
United States Air Force
04.2022 - 01.2023
Director of Operations & Infrastructure Flight Commander
United States Air Force
10.2021 - 04.2022
Officer in Charge
United States Air Force
10.2020 - 10.2021
Contracts Manager
United States Air Force
08.2019 - 10.2020
Program Manager, Foreign Military Sales
United States Air Force
07.2017 - 08.2019
Master of Arts - Organizational Management
University of Arizona
Bachelor of Science - Management
United States Air Force Academy
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