Program Manager

Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters, Strategic Planning and Analysis Directorate, located in Washington, D.C. Additional selections may be made to include other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.

Duties

• In this position, you will provide expert support and guidance to senior leadership by independently gathering, analyzing, and synthesizing critical information, managing key stakeholder relationships, and leading large-scale projects that advance organizational programs and operations. The work has a direct and substantial impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of operations and on advancing the agency's mission by enhancing decision-making, improving collaboration, and ensuring programs are aligned with strategic goals and policy requirements. This position starts at a salary of $143,913.00 (GS-14, Step 1) to $187,093.00 (GS-14, Step 10). As a Program Manager, you will be responsible for a broad range of program activities, including developing directorate-wide coordination strategies and complex business operational products, and advising leadership on best-practice methods to maximize knowledge sharing. Typical duties will include: Ensuring leadership is fully prepared for decision-making by developing executive decision-support products and reviewing important and sensitive matters for accuracy and compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies. Proactively identifying operational challenges, conflicting priorities, program shortcomings, and risks while leading corrective and preventive actions and maintaining accessible program and administrative reference materials to streamline processes and ensure consistent application of requirements. Serving as a critical liaison across divisions and external stakeholders by managing interdependencies, facilitating collaboration, resolving conflicts, and aligning stakeholders on common goals. Directing, implementing, coordinating, and overseeing large-scale, long-term projects focused on information and knowledge sharing, including planning, budgeting, progress tracking, reporting, and applying project management methodologies to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance service delivery. Playing a key role in strategic planning and forecasting by analyzing trends, applying program management policies to define goals and metrics, recommending program improvements, developing high-level executive briefings, and advising leadership on policy changes and implementation strategies. GS Salary: Visit this link to view the locality pay tables by geographic area. If you do not see your geographic area listed, select the "Rest of United States" pay table. Some positions fall under a special pay rate depending on the series, grade level and location of the position. Please visit this link to view special pay rate charts.

Qualifications

Experience: You qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Providing high level program management support to senior leadership that includes independently reviewing and synthesizing complex information, preparing executive level reports, presentations, and talking points, and ensuring that decision making materials and actions comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and organizational requirements. Leading or managing large, complex, and long-term projects or programs that span organizational boundaries, including developing comprehensive project plans, managing substantial budgets, tracking milestones and deliverables, coordinating with diverse stakeholders, managing risks, and achieving defined management objectives. Identifying and analyzing operational challenges, conflicting priorities, program shortcomings, and high-risk areas through monitoring program data and stakeholder feedback; designing and implementing corrective and preventive strategies; and establishing or refining program documentation and streamlined processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Applying federal and DHS program management principles, strategic planning and forecasting techniques, and performance measurement methods to review and document process requirements, formulate program goals, develop metrics and quality factors, evaluate results, and recommend process improvements that enhance service delivery, reduce costs, and advance USBP and CBP missions. Developing and delivering high level briefings, visual products, and written materials for executive audiences on program status, strategic direction, and policy changes; and providing authoritative advisory services on the interpretation and application of mission related laws, policies, regulations, and precedents, including recommending implementation strategies that minimize disruption and ensure compliance. NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional resume requirements. 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. You must: Meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process; and Meet all applicable Time in Grade requirements (current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band in the federal service) by 09/15/2026. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information on the preemployment process, review the following link: Applicant Resources | CBP Careers Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions: Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government Probationary Period: All employees new to the federal government must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of his/her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period. Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP eligible. View information about CTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement. To be considered well qualified under CTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. CBP employees demonstrate the highest level of commitment to protect and serve the United States of America and to exemplify the CBP Core Values of Vigilance, Service to Country and Integrity. Learn more about CBP's mission, core values and careers at https://www.cbp.gov/about

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below) All pre-employment processes will be conducted in English You may be required to pass a background investigation CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures. As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link. DHS uses E-Verify, an internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities. Bargaining Unit: This position is not covered under the bargaining unit. This vacancy has a local commuting area requirement, as defined below: The area surrounding the duty station by which people reasonably travel back and forth from home to work; Or The employee's permanent duty station is located within the reasonable travel area surrounding the duty station of this vacancy; Or if applicable For employees who are detailed or temporarily promoted for more than 1 year to another duty location, the detailed or temporary duty location is considered to be the duty location of record for commuting area purposes. For employees detailed or temporarily promoted for less than one year, the permanent duty location is considered the duty location of record for commuting area purposes.

Education

Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/15/2026 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement 09/15/2026. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Action of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future application you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: USA Hire Assessments. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on How to See your Application and Job Status. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, your online questionnaire, and any supporting documents by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on 09/15/2026. Do not submit documents as a PDF Portfolios. It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information visit, DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components 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 [email protected]. View common definitions of terms in this announcement.