Program Manager

Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Trade, Trade Transformation Office (TTO), Client Services Division, located in Washington, DC or Ashburn, VA.

Additional selections may be made to include other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.

Duties

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In this position, you will serve as second line supervisor for client representatives that serve as the escalation point for complex system problems that the client is not able to resolve. You will support senior leadership by planning, evaluating, integrating, and coordinating initiatives within Office of Trade (OT).

This position starts at a salary of $169,279.00 (GS-15, Step 1) to $197,200.00 (GS-15, Step 10)

Typical duties include:

• Collaborating with CBP, partner government agencies, and the trade community to implement the most effective software solutions;
• Directing Office of Trade program staff and ensuring actions are consistent with overall Office of Trade direction;
• Representing CBP at industry conferences, local port association meetings, and other public forums on international trade and customs automated systems and developing and presenting updates on new and existing trade systems functionality to a variety of stakeholders.

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-15 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

• Supporting senior leadership by planning, evaluating, integrating, and coordinating major program initiatives, staff actions, policy activities, and operational priorities across organizational components within established timelines, milestones, and resource parameters.
• Resolving complex system integration and implementation issues by analyzing program requirements, identifying operational gaps, coordinating stakeholder input, and recommending system or process modifications aligned with measurable program objectives.
• Assuring integration of automated system initiatives with broader import, export, cargo processing, or operational business processes by mapping requirements, validating dependencies, coordinating deployment activities, and supporting effective program execution.
• Providing automated system user support by identifying, documenting, escalating, and coordinating resolution of complex system issues affecting internal users, external stakeholders, program offices, and operational business processes.
• Serving as a liaison with technical teams, program offices, senior officials, and system users by coordinating software deployments, addressing implementation challenges, managing procedural changes, and communicating priorities across cross-functional stakeholders.

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 10/30/2026.

Education

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

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.

Supervisory Probationary Period: You may be required to serve an 18 month probationary period upon appointment.

Leadership Training: All newly appointed GS-15s are required to complete mandatory training. The training will be scheduled by the Office of Training and Development within the first 90 days of appointment. The duration of the training will include 5 weeks (CBP LI) of in residence training in Harpers Ferry, WV. Note: This training may be waived if previously completed.

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.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.