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Supervisory Program Manager (Director) - DIRECT HIRE

Department of Transportation
Federal Transit Administration

Summary

Incumbent serves as a Director in the Office of Program Oversight (TPO) in the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Manages and supervises a team responsible for designing and operating the nationwide program oversight of recipients of federal transit funding and works with the Associate Administrator to address the full range of delegated executive responsibilities for program, budget, administrative and personnel activities.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—This position may be eligible for situational telework. Telework approval will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$165,386 - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Promotion potential
15
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Travel Required
25% or less - Some travel may be required.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
Yes
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes - The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
FTA.TPO-2027-0002
Control number
889855100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This position will be filled using Direct Hire Authority; traditional rating and ranking, Veterans' Preference, and the 'Rule of Many' do not apply. Applications will be accepted from any U.S. Citizen. Due to the potential of a high volume of applicants, not all applicants may receive consideration. A writing sample/assessment may be required during or after the interview

Duties

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As a Supervisory Program Manager (Director), you will:

  • Provide senior leadership for a portfolio of nationwide, public transit industry-wide oversight program areas involving the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VI, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise programs. 
  • Leverage data analysis to identify, analyze, and clarify complex, critical, and controversial issues and support and defend data-driven decision making.
  • Manage office operations and provides the office with strategic leadership and direction.
  • Execute administrative functions such as developing and managing office budgets, providing employee supervision, and evaluating employee performance.

The Ideal candidate is a hands-on senior supervisory manager with experience developing and managing public transit programs as well as a full understanding of large-scale program oversight of federal transit and/or public transit governance, operations, or planning, and analysis of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VI, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise programs. The ideal candidate also has strong analytical, strategic planning, stakeholder collaboration, and communication skills.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Be a U.S. citizen or National and meet specialized experience to qualify
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date
  • Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
  • Direct Hire Authority/SME will be used to fill this position

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.  A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A background security investigation is required for all selected individuals. Appointment will be subject to the applicant’s successful completion of the security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
  • WRITING SAMPLE: A writing sample/assessment may be required during or after the interview.
  • PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Applicants may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • SUPERVISORY PROBATIONARY PERIOD: New supervisors must complete a 1-year probationary period (unless already completed).

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the Grade 15, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equal or equivalent to the GS-14, it must include:

  • Experience with the application and/or oversight of Americans with Disabilities Act requirements within the context of public transit.
  • Experience communicating effectively, both orally and in writing, with internal and external stakeholders; persuading, presenting, and defending programs, and preparing and executing briefings (formal and informal/ad hoc) to executive leaders on key topics.
  • Experience managing and directing one or more major programs; analyzing and utilizing data to support and defend decision-making.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs):  Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

  • Communication - Expresses information orally and in writing to individuals and groups effectively, factoring in the audience and nature of the information (e.g., technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately; and writes in a clear, concise, organized and convincing manner for the intended audience.
  • Program Management – Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing programs and resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance.
  • Managing Human Resources- Plans, distributes, coordinates, and monitors work assignments of others; evaluates work performance and provides feedback to others on their performance; ensures that staff are appropriately selected, utilized, and developed, and that they are treated in a fair and equitable manner.
  • Strategic Thinking - Formulates effective strategies consistent with the business and competitive strategy of the organization and the priorities of the office. Examines policy issues and strategic planning with a long-term perspective. Determines objectives and sets priorities; Assesses varying consequences and impacts with the office and likely consequences of alternative determinations and formally proposes potential courses of action and optimum solutions.
  • Public Transit Industry Compliance - This competency involves applying federal program requirements to public transit policy, operations, and planning frameworks, assessing public transit system compliance with program requirements, identifying regulatory risks related to the public transit industry, and ensuring alignment with federal mandates.


For all types of consideration, experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social).  Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.  You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation 

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

A writing sample/assessment may be required during or after the interview

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE: Please be clear and specific when describing your experience, as HR evaluates applications strictly on the facts provided and will not make assumptions. To receive full credit, your narrative responses must be written in paragraph format and explicitly match your resume. Begin each response by listing the exact position title, organization, employment dates (MM/YYYY–MM/YYYY), full- or part-time status, average weekly hours, and federal series/grade (if applicable). Within the body of the paragraph, clearly describe your specific duties, actions taken, tools used, and measurable outcomes. HR will cross-check these details against your resume; if your resume does not fully support every claim and timeframe, the experience will not be considered for credit, which may result in an ineligible determination.

All applicants:  Your application will be reviewed in two phases determine how you move forward in the hiring process.  Phase I: Your resume will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. ONLY two (2) pages of your resume will be reviewed. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) will not be reviewed.  Applicants passing “Phase I” will move on to the “Phase II” of the assessment process where your application will be reviewed and rated based on the KSAs/Competencies listed in the vacancy announcement by a Subject Matter Expert (SME).


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Federal Transit Administration

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is focused on what matters most: prioritizing the safety of our transportation systems, modernizing our aging infrastructure, unleashing American innovation, and maximizing efficiency by removing bureaucratic red tape. We are looking for mission-driven professionals ready to deliver real results with discipline, urgency, and accountability to support American families, workers, and businesses.

As we usher in a Golden Age of Transportation, DOT values a results-oriented, high-performing workforce dedicated to continuous improvement, operational excellence, and a safe, collaborative environment. If you want to build big, beautiful infrastructure, scale transformative technologies, and achieve results that will serve our nation for generations to come, please consider joining the DOT family.

Did You Know? The Department of Transportation is consistently ranked as one of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government!

Agency contact information

Automated Staffing Office
Phone
000-000-0000
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
TRANSJOBS@dot.gov
Address
DOT, FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States

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