Position Summary
The Program Support Specialist provides full-time administrative, operational, project, event, records, procurement, travel, property, and customer-service support to the Federal Highway Administration's Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC).
The position supports TFHRC leadership, Office Directors, research personnel, and other stakeholders with daily office operations and specialized program-support activities. The Program Support Specialist works independently and collaboratively with the Lead Program Support Specialist/Program Manager and maintains cross-training across assigned functions to ensure continuous support.
Primary Responsibilities
- Provide responsive day-to-day administrative and program support to TFHRC leadership, staff, research offices, and internal and external stakeholders.
- Serve as a primary point of contact for assigned office-support activities and provide professional customer service.
- Coordinate calendars, appointments, meetings, schedules, and onsite/offsite activities.
- Prepare meeting materials, presentations, meeting minutes, action items, and follow-up documentation.
- Perform data entry and database maintenance and maintain administrative tracking systems.
- Establish, organize, maintain, retrieve, and dispose of office files and records in accordance with applicable requirements.
- Prepare, type, format, edit, and proofread correspondence, reports, records, technical papers, tables, charts, graphs, presentations, and Government forms.
- Research, compile, and summarize information from management systems, files, and other documentation.
- Assist with controlled correspondence and routine responses to internal and external stakeholders.
- Prepare, submit, route, monitor, and track procurement requests.
- Support preparation of purchase-waiver approvals and procurement closeout memoranda.
- Coordinate Government travel arrangements, including lodging, rental vehicles, air and rail transportation, travel authorizations, travel advances, vouchers, and itineraries.
- Support laboratory tours, meetings, special events, conferences, and other TFHRC activities.
- Assist with the TRB/FHWA Annual Meeting, including attendee tracking, equipment lists, meeting-space coordination, event calendars, transportation/shuttle schedules, and onsite event support.
- Perform inventory and supply tracking and assist with management of Government property, including laptops, monitors, printers, and other designated equipment.
- Assist with fleet-management activities, including Government-owned vehicle operations, maintenance coordination, licensing and registration, mileage reporting, fuel reporting, and GSA coordination.
- Monitor multiple concurrent assignments and independently prioritize work to meet established deadlines.
- Identify process improvements and more efficient approaches for accomplishing assigned work.
- Cross-train with the Lead Program Support Specialist/Program Manager to maintain continuity of critical TFHRC operations.
- Complete required FHWA/DOT training and comply with applicable security, records-management, confidentiality, and operational requirements.
Required Qualifications
- High School Diploma or GED.
- Minimum one to two years of relevant administrative or program-support experience.
- Good written and oral communication skills.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
- Proven ability to produce accurate, high-quality work under deadlines.
- Strong customer-service skills.
- Ability to adapt to changing priorities and assignments.
- Ability to manage multiple concurrent administrative and operational requirements.
- Ability to work onsite at TFHRC in McLean, Virginia.
- Ability to satisfy USDOT/FHWA personnel-security and badging requirements.
- Valid state-issued driver's license for duties requiring operation of Government-owned vehicles.
Required Technical/Software Capabilities
Working knowledge and proficiency, as applicable, with:
- Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, and SharePoint
Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, Google Meet, and Google Workspace - SQL
- Web browsers
- Time and attendance systems
- Administrative tracking and data-entry applications
The position must also be capable of independently navigating FHWA/DOT operational systems with little to no Government assistance, including E2 Travel, EDMS, PRISM, CASTLE, and Delphi.
Location
Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, McLean, VA.
Work Arrangement
Primarily onsite; occasional telework may be authorized by FHWA.
Security
Must successfully complete required USDOT/FHWA background investigation, badging, and system-access requirements.
