Program Specialist

Transportation Security Administration•Herndon, VA

13d

About The Position

The Program Specialist is located in the Operational Planning and Deployments Branch (OPDB), Operations Planning & Coordination Division (OPCD), Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS), Law Enforcement (LE), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The branch detects, deters, and defeats criminal, terrorist, and hostile activities targeting the nation’s transportation systems. The position supports risk mitigation in commercial aviation by coordinating domestic and international law enforcement missions in accordance with risk-based protocols and administrative requirements. Duties are stated at the highest band level. The role involves selecting, building, staffing, and adjusting missions; processing complex international personnel and mission revisions; coordinating with OPDB units on requirements, visas, and partner notifications; and analyzing information from multiple sources to meet operational objectives. The Program Specialist also participates in special projects, ensures training manuals and standard operating procedures are technically accurate and complete, and writes internal procedures for OPDB support functions. The position has qualifications at multiple pay bands. Applicants may qualify through experience, education, or a combination, depending on the band. Federal employment conditions include U.S. citizenship or national status, a minimum age of 18, Selective Service registration where applicable, and successful completion of a background investigation. The posting describes a federal benefits package, with eligibility dependent on position type.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship or U.S. national status.
Must be at least 18 years old at the time of application.
Must complete a favorable background investigation.
Selective Service registration is required where applicable.
For SV-F: three years of progressively responsible general experience, including one year equivalent to SV-E or GS-4, demonstrating the ability to analyze problems, gather information and recommend solutions; plan and organize work; and communicate effectively orally and in writing; or a qualifying bachelor's or higher degree; or an allowable combination of education and experience.
For SV-G: one year of specialized experience at SV-F or GS-9, including experience with flight scheduling systems for planning and scheduling personnel for worldwide travel, office automation systems, computer applications, and database management programs such as Microsoft Office Excel, PowerPoint, and Word; customer service to internal and external stakeholders to maintain mission staffing and resources as priorities or availability change; and interpreting guidance, fact-finding, and evaluating circumstances to maintain operational priorities, including under short notice or complicating factors. Qualifying graduate education or an education-and-experience combination may substitute as described in the announcement.
For SV-H: one year of specialized experience at SV-G or GS-11, including use of Mission Scheduling Notification System (MSNS) applications to instruct others, recommend process and procedure changes, or develop requirements for IT system development and modernization; customer service to internal and external stakeholders to maintain mission staffing and resource requirements as priorities or availability change; and selecting and interpreting guidance, conducting fact-finding, and evaluating circumstances to maintain operational priorities, including under short notice or complicating factors.
Experience credit is based on a 40-hour workweek; part-time experience is credited proportionally, and no additional credit is given for overtime.
Applicants using education to meet qualification requirements must submit transcripts or an itemized list of college courses by the vacancy announcement closing date; selected applicants must provide a transcript or degree certification.
Applicants must meet qualification requirements by the vacancy announcement closing date.
Current or former political appointees within the last five years must disclose that status to Human Resources.

Responsibilities

Select, build, staff, and adjust domestic and international LE/FAMS missions in a timely manner, following risk-based protocols and administrative requirements.
Process complex international personnel and mission revisions through applicable databases and scheduling systems in response to field office conflicts, airline operational changes, or evolving threats.
Coordinate with other OPDB units to ensure compliance with alternate requirements, visa processing, and notification of international partners.
Verify information across multiple sources and evaluate completed mission changes for accuracy.
Meet deadlines and adjust strategies to achieve operational objectives.
Monitor, analyze, evaluate, and operationalize information from sources including airline schedules, field office availability, and travel policies.
Participate in special project assignments to meet operational needs and mission objectives.
Ensure the technical accuracy and completeness of training manuals and standard operating procedures.
Write internal procedural documents and standard operating procedures for OPDB support role functions, as applicable.