Lead Program Support Specialist

FedWriters, Inc.•McLean, IL

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Join our team as a Lead Program Support Specialist/Program Manager and support the Federal Highway Administration's Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) by keeping day-to-day operations, staffing, and special events running smoothly. You will coordinate a small onsite support team, manage schedules and correspondence for senior leadership, and oversee event logistics for major stakeholder engagements, ensuring uninterrupted, high-quality administrative support for a nationally recognized research center. FWI is expanding rapidly and has been recognized as a 2024 and 2025 Top Workplace by the Washington Post, offering excellent growth opportunities in a collaborative environment. Position is contingent upon contract award.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
4+ years of experience performing office administration duties independently, without day-to-day direction.
Ability to type accurately at 35+ words per minute.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace; ability to quickly learn federal systems such as travel, records, and procurement platforms.
Strong written communication skills, including proofreading and executive-level document preparation.
Must be willing to undergo a federal background investigation (SF-85P and fingerprinting) and obtain a facility ID badge.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience supporting a federal research facility or transportation agency.
Prior team-lead or supervisory experience in an administrative environment.
Experience with federal travel, records, or procurement systems.
Valid state driver's license.

Responsibilities

Coordinate work assignments, schedules, and priorities for the onsite program support team, and monitor timekeeping and leave requests.
Mentor and develop team members, resolving day-to-day performance or workflow issues as they arise.
Manage senior staff calendars, coordinate high-profile meetings and briefings, and prepare leadership materials for special events and facility tours.
Proofread and quality-check outgoing correspondence, reports, and briefing papers before they go to leadership for signature.
Track inventory and government property, coordinate procurement requests, and manage travel arrangements for staff.
Plan and support logistics for special events and conferences, including the annual TRB/FHWA meeting — from attendee tracking to shuttle scheduling to onsite support.
Submit monthly progress reports and serve as the day-to-day point of contact with government leadership on staffing and workload matters.