Lead Program Support Specialist

Description

Potomac Haven is a purpose-driven professional services firm that is committed to providing program support services for a range of diverse federal program missions. Our focus extends across the intersections of national security, public health and safety, transportation, healthcare and financial services programs. We are hiring a Lead Program Support Specialist  to deliver mission support services to the  Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) and its staff which to enhance partnerships with industry stakeholders, increase visibility of the facility’s research activities, and deliver comprehensive logistical coordination for onsite events that show key projects and innovations. 

The contractor Lead Program Support Specialist Requirements is required to: 

• Coordinate contractor employee schedules and work priorities with each office’s assigned point of contact, and monitoring staff time sheets and leave requests; 
• Communicating schedules to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR); 
• Serve as the primary point of contact for office support, delivering responsive customer service and maintaining professional, courteous interactions with all internal and external customers and stakeholders. 
• Apply critical thinking and sound judgment to analyze, troubleshoot, and execute assigned program support tasks independently and effectively. 
• Execute tasks and deliverables with minimal oversight, adapting quickly to changes in priorities, new assignments, or shifting responsibilities as needed. 
• Proactively identify, initiate, and track required assignments within the scope of this task order to ensure all program objectives are achieved. 
• Prepare and deliver high-quality work products that meet project requirements and standards, ensuring that submissions are accurate and require minimal government review or revision. 
• Coordinate, manage, and prioritize multiple concurrent assignments throughout the workday to ensure the timely delivery of all program support services. 

High-level Operational Support Tasks – Assisting Senior Staff/Office Directors with core tasks involving managing high-level operations, overseeing critical projects and events, coordinating cross-functional initiatives, representing the organization to industry and public stakeholders, and ensuring alignment of resources with priorities. 

• Managing designated senior staff/office directors’ calendars and schedules; coordinating and prioritizing appointments as well as on site/off site meetings. Scheduling and coordinating special events handling logistics, stakeholder coordination, and leadership briefing materials to ensure seamless, high profile engagements. 
• Searching for, compiling, and summarizing information from management systems, files and other documents as requested by senior staff/office directors in order to reply to correspondence, prepare reports, and briefing papers. 
• Coordinating with a range of stakeholders to include senior staff/office directors, subject matter experts, and other program support specialists to respond to controlled correspondence in a timely manner.  
• Providing expert proofreading for outgoing correspondence to ensure proper format and conformance with procedural instructions, screening for grammar, spelling errors, punctuation and content, prior to material being presented for leadership signature. Reviewing package content to ensure that all necessary incoming and background material is attached to the file.
• Replying to general inquiries that do not require the technical knowledge of senior level staff, or programs under the control of the requesting office.  Replies may consist of letters of acknowledgement, acceptance of invitations and cancellations. Following up on routine correspondence of a non-technical nature on behalf of the office. 

Daily Operational Support – Contractor personnel must assist TFHRC Leadership and staff with daily operational requirements including: schedule and meeting coordination, oversight of time reporting systems, records management, monitoring and tracking procurement request, travel logistics and resource inventory management. Creating reports and communicating findings to TFHRC Leadership to secure resources and document discrepancies.  

• Performing assigned program support tasks, including coordinating meetings, presentation materials, meeting minutes and follow-up actions.  
• Providing documentation support such as timekeeping; data entry and database maintenance; manage assigned office files; establish new files and dispose of old files or records when no longer needed.   
• Preparing, submitting, routing and monitoring procurement requests; preparing purchase waiver approvals and closeout memos. 
• Making travel arrangements for personnel as requested to include hotel and rental car reservations; plane and train tickets; travel advances; travel authorization requests; travel vouchers and itineraries. Identifying and recommending improvements to processes or more efficient ways to accomplish tasks. 
• Preparing/typing correspondence, reports, records and technical papers. This may include tables, charts, graphs, and presentations as well as various government forms such as requisition forms. 
• Performing specific tasks for special projects; TFHRC programs; and RD&T Offices as requested. 

Project & Event Management – The contractor’s staff must serve as a liaison for coordinating logistics for meetings, facility tours, and special events; representing the organization professionally to the public and distinguished guests; and supporting engineering teams on-site at industry conferences and events to ensure events run seamlessly.   

• Planning, scheduling, and facilitating laboratory tours and special events handling logistics and stakeholder coordination;
• Providing program support to the Transportation Research Board (TRB)/ FHWA Annual Meeting; 
• Attending planning and briefing meetings; 
• Creating and maintaining a tracking spreadsheet of FHWA attendees and equipment list; 
• Developing a transportation shuttle schedule for staff and distribute information on the shuttle schedule; 
• Working with FHWA staff to schedule meeting space for the TRB annual meeting, including but not limited to preparing the final calendar of events for review by the TPF Program Coordinator and relevant points of contact;
• Attending TRB annual meeting to assist FHWA staff as needed.

Property Inventory Assistance – Conduct routine inventory assessments; tracking government property (laptops, monitors, printers, and other designated equipment) and sharing findings with the Accountable Property Officer. Contractor personnel may be required to conduct the following list of activities: 

• Perform inventory and supply tracking and management to ensure resource availability; and provide complex property management requirement for a research facility.   
• Fleet Management - Perform various responsibilities driving Government owned vehicle, submit periodic reports to General Services Administration (GSA), coordination of services and purchases with GSA (GOVs Maintenance, licensing/registration, mileage reporting, fuel reports, E-85 special reporting).

Requirements

The lead program support specialist must have knowledge and demonstrated experience in the administrative area. Additionally, the individual must have demonstrated knowledge of Federal Government office policies, processes and procedures, and the ability to quickly grasp newly assigned processes and procedures, to include performing complex administrative, clerical and related duties in support of a specific Government team, event, or individual.  The lead program support specialist must possesses strong written and oral communication skills, able to apply sound business judgment, and has the ability to be resourceful, creative, and a problem solver. 

The lead program support specialist must have a thorough knowledge of correspondence protocol, to include both utilizing correspondence software tools, and hard copy correspondence packages. The individual must be able to work independently in the absence of specific instructions on a number of tasks with a high degree of speed using organizational skills, and perform these duties with demonstrated ability to maintain effective relations with clients and staff (on-site and remote), exercise confidentiality, discretion, and demonstrate strong customer service skills. Office front desk support may also be required of the lead program support specialist. Additionally, is flexible in adapting to deadlines and changing priorities. 

Minimum/General Experience: 

• Four years of experience performing office administration duties without day-to-day direction; 
• Accurate typing of at least 35 wpm; 
• Proficient in the use of current Microsoft and Google products such as PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Google Docs, Google Meets, Calendar, Slides and Sheets, Outlook, Skype, Access, SQL, SharePoint, current web browsers (i.e. Internet Explorer, Edge, Google Chrome, etc.), Adobe Acrobat, and scheduling/navigating conference applications (i.e. Adobe Connect, PolyCom VTC), automated administrative tracking management systems (i.e. travel management, time and attendance), and other work-related data entry systems; 
• Working knowledge of the following systems - E2 Travel, EDMS, Prism, Castle, Delphi 
• Highly proficient in grammar, spelling punctuation, and preparation of standard/ executive level office documents; 
• Familiarity with the Government Style Manual; and 
• Demonstrated experience communicating with individuals at all levels, both orally and in writing. 

Minimum Education: 

• High School Graduate or GED 

Benefits

• Potomac Haven covers 70% of our full time employees health insurance premiums (medical, dental, vision) through CareFirst, a Blue Cross Blue Shield health plan
• Simple IRA and corporate match
• Company-paid accidental death and life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, employee assistance program
• Three weeks of paid leave + federal holidays 
• Educational, training, and certification assistance
• Spot bonuses