THE BIGGER PICTURE AND BEYOND


Making decisions, according to Omar Siaje, sometimes means it’s important to pause, tap into all available resources and consider the bigger picture—because decisions made now will affect how things are done in the future.


"In my role as an assistant program manager, I make decisions on a daily basis and seek out information from my subject matter experts to help me make those decisions," Siaje said. “I support and manage efforts for initial development, prototype development, test- ing, production, logistic product development, fielding and disposal, while vigorously managing costs, schedules and performance.” While he takes pride in that, he added, “I take even greater pride in improving a process or function or helping others improve their acquisition programs.”


OMAR SIAJE


COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Program Executive Office Combat Support and Combat Service Support, Product Manager Force Projection, Product Manager Petro- leum and Water Systems (PAWS)


TITLE: Assistant product manager YEARS OF SERVICE IN WORKFORCE: 18


DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Advanced in program management and life-cycle logistics


EDUCATION: MBA, business adminis- tration and management, Wayne State University; B.S. in management informa- tion systems, Wayne State University; A.S. in technical design, Henry Ford College


AWARDS: Commander’s Award for Civilian Service (twice); Bayonet Award


Siaje is based at the Program Executive Office for Combat Support and Combat Service Support (PEO CS&CSS) in Warren, Michigan. Most of his friends have jobs in the automobile industry, and when he describes his role to them, they’re surprised at the similarities between how their business operates and how Army acquisition operates.


While their jobs are similar, he said, they often don’t realize that “military hardware and software usually find their way into the auto industry—like sensors, GPS, night vision and sonar ranging have all improved designs for the auto industry even though they were first developed for a military application.”


“A very close friend of mine got a job as an [acquisition] engineering intern and suggested that I apply. Approximately a year later I was hired as a supply intern,” he said. “My first few years were spent managing inventory levels, buying and repairing spare parts… and learning how the Army works. My next assignment was as an integrated logistics manager.” Te job was eye-opening. “I was a witness to a completely different side of the business.”


Siaje said a few years later he transitioned into program management and has been there ever since. “Te work in a PM [product manager] office is ever evolving and there are new challenges that arise every day, which makes working in program management very exciting,” he said.


“The work in a PM office is ever evolving and there are new challenges that arise every day, which makes working in program management very exciting.”


66 Army AL&T Magazine Fall 2022


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