Program Manager (IS-0340-13) - Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Description

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation, as required.
• Complete a Probationary Period if applicable. 
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States.  Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 
• Required to file a Confidential Statement of Employment and Financial Interests (SI Form 1085) 

OVERVIEW

MAJOR DUTIES

• Facilitates the day-to-day running of assigned ADS/SciX and Director’s Office projects as follows: Works with Project Scientists and Project Engineers to provide direction to project staff to ensure tasks, procurements, and actions progress as planned. Maintains and tracks action and risk registers. Works with project staff and subcontractors to update and status the project schedule. Organizes and runs project meetings and manages preparations for milestone reviews. Acts as the point of contact and manager of contracts with industry subcontractors. Schedules and runs progress meetings with industry subcontractors as needed. Coordinates with SAO administrative and management staff to ensure assigned projects are effectively supported. 
• Develops multi-year budgets, including expenditures and labor cost projections, and provides budgets, projections and other data for reviews as required.
• Manages short- and long-range planning activities, initiates a comprehensive evaluation system for review and analysis of proposed costs, project development and performance.
• Oversees and authorizes contract purchase requisitions and ensures that all expenditures are allocated to appropriate fund categories; tracks expenditures versus plan and analyzes and reports variances; and oversees preparation of monthly and quarterly reports.
• As the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR), I serve as the SAO/project representative in the management of subcontracts. I work with subcontractors and SAO contracts’ management staff to ensure subcontracts are executed on schedule, invoices are submitted on time, and subcontractors are paid expeditiously.
• Provides oversight and coordination of Earned Value Management (EVM) activities, including supporting EVM specialists, assembling data, and preparing variance analyses of EVM-related reports.
• Develops and implements a product release plan, managing change control of the project deliverables.
• Gives presentations or briefings on all aspects of the project.
• Participates in regular information sessions to plan and maintain productive interaction with staff and senior PM to ensure that technical progress is aligned with the project budget and schedule.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.  

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Knowledge and skill to successfully create and submit funding proposals, including researching costs, planning expense and labor profiles and coordinating proposal production and submission.
• Mastery of advanced management and organizational principles and practices along with a comprehensive knowledge of planning, programming, and budgeting regulations, guidelines and process, and thorough knowledge of the strategies, techniques, and processes used to plan, develop, and control project schedule and track project milestones, activities, and deliverables, including timeframes and assigned resources.
• Expert knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools for managing project resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance (utilizing, but not limited to Smartsheet and/or MS Project).
• Ability to formulate, monitor and analyze detailed, complex multi-year budgets for large programs, to project expenditures and labor profiles for future years, to adapt budgets to changes in funding, and to generate reports.
• Knowledge of the principles and methods for evaluating program or organizational performance using financial and nonfinancial measures, including identification of evaluation factors (for example, workload, personnel requirements), metrics, and outcomes.
• Ability to lead and manage a team for maximum effectiveness, give direction to support staff, to mentor and advise staff, and to resolve conflicts.