Lead Program Support Specialist / Program Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

The Lead Program Support Specialist/Program Manager provides hands-on program, administrative, operational, project, and event support to the Federal Highway Administration's Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC). The position serves as the working lead for the program support function and performs the full range of Program Support Specialist duties while coordinating personnel, work priorities, schedules, quality, reporting, continuity, and communications with FHWA.

The position supports TFHRC senior staff, Office Directors, research personnel, and other stakeholders across daily operations, executive support, correspondence, records management, procurement, travel, meetings and events, laboratory tours, property and inventory management, and fleet activities.

Primary Responsibilities

• Serve as the Lead Program Support Specialist and Program Manager for day-to-day contract execution.
  Coordinate staff schedules, work assignments, priorities, workloads, leave, and coverage with FHWA points of contact.
• Maintain communication with the FHWA Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) regarding staffing, schedules, performance, risks, and operational requirements.
• Monitor work quality and ensure accurate, timely completion of assigned activities with minimal Government oversight.
• Mentor and support program staff and maintain cross-training and continuity of operations.
• Coordinate with FHWA leadership regarding assignments, schedules, workload, potential problems, and corrective actions.
• Prepare and support required monthly progress and financial reporting.
• Support senior staff and Office Directors with calendar management, appointments, meetings, schedules, correspondence, reports, briefing materials, and special assignments.
• Research, compile, analyze, and summarize information from management systems, files, databases, and other sources.
• Coordinate controlled correspondence with senior staff, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders.
• Review and proofread executive and operational correspondence for format, grammar, spelling, punctuation, completeness, and compliance with applicable procedures.
• Coordinate meetings and prepare agendas, presentations, meeting minutes, action items, and follow-up documentation.
• Support timekeeping, data entry, database maintenance, records management, file establishment, file disposition, and administrative tracking.
• Prepare, route, submit, monitor, and track procurement requests, purchase-waiver approvals, and closeout memoranda.
• Coordinate official travel, including transportation, lodging, rental vehicles, travel authorizations, vouchers, advances, and itineraries.
• Plan and coordinate laboratory tours, meetings, special events, stakeholder engagements, and other TFHRC activities.
• Support planning and execution of the Transportation Research Board (TRB)/FHWA Annual Meeting, including attendee tracking, equipment lists, meeting-space coordination, calendars, shuttle schedules, and onsite support.
• Support inventory and supply management, Government property tracking, and periodic inventory assessments.
• Support Government vehicle/fleet activities, including GSA coordination, maintenance, licensing and registration, mileage reporting, fuel reporting, and required fleet documentation.
• Identify process improvements and more efficient methods for accomplishing administrative and operational requirements.
• Prepare correspondence, reports, technical papers, tables, charts, graphs, presentations, and Government forms.
• Assist with employee security documentation, onboarding, badging, system access, and personnel replacement activities.
• Maintain confidentiality and appropriately safeguard Government, proprietary, and sensitive information.

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Minimum four years of experience performing office administration duties independently and without day-to-day direction.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent assignments and changing priorities with minimal supervision.
• Accurate typing speed of at least 35 words per minute.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• High proficiency in grammar, spelling, punctuation, proofreading, and preparation of standard and executive-level documents.
• Demonstrated experience communicating professionally with personnel at all organizational levels.
• Strong organizational, customer-service, problem-solving, critical-thinking, and business-judgment skills.
• Ability to work independently, exercise discretion, protect confidential information, and produce accurate work under deadlines.
• Familiarity with the Government Style Manual.
• Ability to work onsite at TFHRC in McLean, Virginia.
• Ability to satisfy USDOT/FHWA personnel-security and badging requirements.
• Valid state-issued driver's license for duties requiring operation of Government-owned vehicles.

Required Technical/Software Capabilities

Demonstrated proficiency or working knowledge, as applicable, with:

• Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, and SharePoint
• Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, Google Meet, and Google Workspace
• Adobe Acrobat
• SQL
• Web browsers and web-based business applications
• Virtual meeting and conference applications
• Automated travel-management systems
• Time and attendance systems
• Administrative tracking and data-entry systems

The position must also be capable of independently navigating FHWA/DOT operational systems with little to no Government assistance, including E2 Travel, EDMS, PRISM, CASTLE, and Delphi.

Location

Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, McLean, VA.

Work Arrangement

Primarily onsite; occasional telework may be authorized by FHWA.

Security

Must successfully complete required USDOT/FHWA background investigation, badging, and system-access requirements.