Program Manager

$160,000 to $163,104

The Program Manager for the Office of Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) is located in the Special Programs Division/Special Program for Embassy Augmentation and Response (SPD/SPEAR) and is responsible for planning and facilitating a comprehensive program of antiterrorism seminars, training courses, and consultations for senior foreign law enforcement officials for an assigned country or region of the world. Programs range in scope and complexity according to the subject matter and the sophistication level of audience being served; projects developed and coordinated by the incumbent in this position often times require interaction with the most senior members of the foreign and domestic law enforcement and security community in the United States and throughout the world. This position reports to a SPEAR Regional Section Chief. The Program Manager may oversee subordinate Resident and Deputy Resident Program Managers and/or the Mentor to ensure proper prioritizing, planning, and scheduling of work activities. Additionally, he/she: oversees and reviews operations; coordinates resources to include planning and coordinating budgets; reviews measures of office productivity; monitors issues of professional responsibility; conducts liaison with host nation officials; communicates problems/delays and potential solutions to ATA management and the concerned U.S. Embassy; and provides advice to, and when necessary, acts for and represents senior ATA management.

Major Duties:

• Oversees the development, design, and implementation of comprehensive, country-specific and/or regional, antiterrorism assistance programs; coordinates with the various ATA divisions and other offices to identify requirements; identifies needed training activities and equipment;
• Conceptualizes the desired outcomes of a program in light of the overall pertinent country and regional policy goals;
• May oversee an ATA team assigned in a Partner Nation (PN) to ensure antiterrorism assistance is delivered efficiently, meets the needs of the PN, ATA, Department of State (DOS), and Federal Statutes and laws; responsible for the management of personnel, budgets and resources, to include auditing, of countries that maintain an ATA sponsored training camp; has overall oversight for in-country staff human resource and administrative issues; reviews work for quality, quantity, timeliness, and adherence to laws and ATA policies and procedures; evaluates in-country staff's performance and provides feedback; identifies performance issues and takes remedial actions when necessary; recognizes and recommends rewards for good performance;
• Regularly audits country expenses, cash accounts, and ATA expenses;
• Assists in identifying and developing new antiterrorism requirements, training trends, and recurring training needs;
• Plays a direct role in security contingency planning, working closely with the US Embassy Regional Security Office, other US Embassy agencies and DoS bureaus to identify potential security threats to ATA personnel while in-country;
• As designated by the Section Chief, serves as alternate Program Manager for another country/region;
• Works within ATA guidelines and direction to prioritize categories of budget expenditures, prioritize allocation of funds during and at the end of the fiscal year and provides justification, if necessary, for retention of funds;
• Under the direction of the Section Chief or delegate, coordinates activities of other ATA USG contractors to ensure ATA and DOS goals and objectives are accomplished;
• Identifies staffing requirements and works with TMD management and ATA contract providers to fill those staffing requirements; prepares position descriptions and provides justification for new positions;
• Prepares written and oral briefings, assessments and status reports about all aspects of programs for presentation to Congress, all levels of ATA, the Department of State, US Embassy personnel and other USG agencies involved in antiterrorism assistance;
• Ensures all sensitive or otherwise important issues are documented according to ATA/SPD/SPEAR and DOS policy and procedures;
• Effectively communicates at all levels of ATA/SPD/SPEAR and the DOS regarding assigned programs;
• Maintains open communication, while utilizing sound discretion practices, with the Regional Security Office and other US Embassy entities affected by the programs;
• Monitors any political, social, cultural, or economic issues in the US and aboard involving the PN that would affect or influence the in-country program;
• Reviews and drafts cables, correspondence, and reports; reviews inspection, investigative, and administrative files; ensures the timely and correct completion and submission of forms and reports required by ATA/SPD/SPEAR or higher authority; and ensures compliance with all internal control systems;
• Cooperates with and assists representatives from other ATA and DOS components, as well as, other federal, state, local and/or international agencies and non-government agencies;
• Initiates and maintains relevant and necessary contacts; resolves problems or conflicts to ensure maximum impact and results and keeps the Section Chief informed as appropriate;
• Furthers ATA/SPD/SPEAR's goals and objectives with respect to interaction with other agencies in one or more of the following areas: policy, strategy, budgetary, planning, coordination or operations, and/or intelligence coordination; and develops and maintains effective working relations and building partnerships with other agencies, ATA/SPD/SPEAR employees and all levels of management;
• Interacts and consults, utilizing sound discretion, with PN officials, preferably in the primary language of the PN; must be able to identify and discuss, from a strategic perspective, all matters and issues involving the in country program;
• Effectively communicates ATA/SPD/SPEAR, DOS, and US Embassy guidance and policies in a manner that positively promotes the ATA programs;
• Safeguards all sensitive and classified materials and equipment in accordance with Federal, DOS and ATA/SPD/SPEAR laws and policies;
• Prepares annual program budget and ensures US Government funds are expended judiciously and in accordance with USG and DOS regulations and policies; secures financing for various components of the program within budgetary limitations that take into consideration the overall ATA mission;
• Reviews and recommends approval of expenses with final approval by a Government-hired Full-Time Employee (FTE), ensures assigned accounts contain sufficient funds to meet expenses, identifies expenses requiring justification and works with ATA/SPD/SPEAR team to provide justification for expenditures;
• Regularly audits all assigned USG expenses and ATA/SPD/SPEAR-issued equipment as required by law or policy;
• Works with other ATA personnel to secure venues and instructional providers based on existing contracts and agreements or initiate new contracting vehicles in accordance with program needs and within Department of State and Federal guidelines;
• Works within ATA/SPD/SPEAR guidelines and direction to prioritize categories of budget expenditures, prioritize allocation of funds during and at the end of the fiscal year and provides justification if necessary, for retention of funds;
• Evaluates training and consultative projects subsequent to their completion in order to determine if desired outcomes were achieved in terms of content quality and overall student satisfaction;
• Prepares written and oral briefings, assessments, and status reports about all aspects of the assigned regional program for presentation to Congress, all levels of ATA, the Department of State, US Embassy and other USG agencies involved in antiterrorism assistance;
• Maintains extensive senior level contacts in Federal, state and local law enforcement circles;
• Effectively communicates at all levels of ATA and the DOS regarding assigned regional programs;
• Performs a variety of administrative duties to include assistance in overall Branch budget monitoring and preparation, production and delivery of ad hoc presentations, coordination of administrative escort and/or interpretation issues during program delivery and resolution of student related issues.