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Correctional Program Administrator (Administrator, Correctional Programs Branch)

Department of Justice
Justice, Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
08/13/2025 to 09/04/2025
Salary
$167,603 to - $195,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
Washington, DC
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - Travel may be required for training and/or work related issues.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Reimbursement is authorized for travel and transportation for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
15
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
CO-2025-0243
Control number
843330000

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

• BOP Employees nationwide. • DOJ Surplus and Displaced (CTAP) Employees in the local commuting area. • Division: Correctional Programs Branch, Correctional Programs Division, Central Office, Washington, D.C. • Duty Location: Central Office, Washington, D.C.

Duties

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Responsible for providing direction, guidance and coordination of all activities on a national level with regard to Unit Management, Case Management, Security Designation and Custody Classification, Pretrial Detention, Victim/Witness Program, Inmate Performance Pay and the Central Inmate Monitoring System.

Works in close liaison with the United States District Courts, the District of Columbia Superior Court, all BOP institutions, the United States Parole Commission, United States Attorneys, other divisions of the Department of Justice and various other governmental and nongovernmental agencies.

Provides services and direction to institution staff. Involved in a wide range of activities pertaining to the management of inmates committed to the custody of the Attorney General and under the care of the Federal Prison System.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is Required.
  • See Special Conditions of Employment Section.

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP eligibility, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: Click Here

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements:

Education:

There is no substitution of education for specialized experience for this position.

Experience:

You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is directly related experience that included substantial involvement with a correctional program and provided a thorough knowledge of correctional techniques, or experience in meeting and dealing with people that demonstrated the ability to work effectively with inmates and associates in a correctional environment.

Experience must have also demonstrated the ability to perform supervisory or administrative duties successfully. This includes (1) understanding the problems of custody, treatment, training, and release of inmates of penal or correctional institutions; (2) a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of an institution's internal policies, programs, regulations, and procedures; and (3) training subordinates, coordinating and directing activities and functions, evaluating performance of operations and the effectiveness of programs, and maintaining high standards or work objectives. This experience must have been gained in an administrative position, or in other positions that included the successful direction, or assistance in the direction of, an entire correctional program or a major phase of such a program.

Some examples of this qualifying experience are:

  • Experience that demonstrates knowledge of a variety of institutions, inmate populations and the resulting problems presented by the various combinations in order to effectively carry out primary responsibilities of directing and evaluating operating programs field institutions.
  • Experience in analyzing information and providing recommendations in regards to the formulation, establishment or modification of agency/organization wide programs objectives, plans, and/or policies relating to Correctional Programs.
  • Experience in providing direction, guidance, and coordination of activities related to Correctional Programs such as Unit Management, Case Management, Security Designation and Custody Classification, Pretrial Detention, Victim/Witness Program, Inmate Performance Pay, and the Central Inmate Monitoring System.
  • Experience in developing policy, evaluating and providing guidance and training for correctional programs in correctional facilities.

If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities.

**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**

Education

See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable.

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here.

Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

Additional information

This position IS NOT included in the bargaining unit.

The representative rate for this position is $184,363 per annum ($88.34 per hour).

Special Conditions of Employment Section:

Initial appointment to a supervisory/managerial position requires a one-year probationary period.

The incumbent is subject to geographic relocation to meet the needs of the agency.

Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a urinalysis, physical, and background investigation.  All applicants are subject to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit checks.

The addresses listed on the USAJOBS account/resume must be the primary residence at the time of application.  You may be required to provide proof of residence.

Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate.

Although competitive and non-competitive applications are being accepted, the selecting official may elect to have only one group reviewed.

NOTE: Telework in accordance with agency policy.

Current Federal Law Enforcement Employees:

This is a secondary law enforcement coverage position. Individuals that DO NOT have three years of law enforcement coverage gained in a primary law enforcement position by the closing date of the vacancy announcement, will not be eligible for this position.

A prerequisite of the secondary law enforcement position is the completion of the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II".  If you have not completed the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II", you are ineligible for secondary law enforcement position(s) and coverage but may still be considered for a non-law enforcement position.

If you are not a current Bureau of Prisons employee, you must submit training records demonstrating you have completed the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II" to your hiring Human Resource office prior to appointment. 

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.

If your composite score exceeds the average score for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your online assessment questionnaire responses and utilized to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement.  If you rate yourself higher than what is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

There are several parts of the application process that affect the overall evaluation of your application:

  • Your resume, which is part of your USAJOBS profile;
  • Your responses to the eligibility questions;
  • Your responses to the online assessment questionnaire;
  • Your supporting documentation, if required.

Time-in-Grade:  Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements for consideration.  You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

What Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are Required for this Position?

The following Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's) are required:

  • Ability to communicate in writing.
  • Ability to communicate orally.
  • Ability to analyze information and make recommendations, particularly in regards to the formulation of policy, plans and/or programs.
  • Ability to supervise and develop the potential of subordinates.
  • Knowledge of the policy, directives and regulations of the Federal Prison System, governing control of institutional operations and security.
  • Knowledge of the criminal justice and/or legal issues, correctional theories, techniques and practices.

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