Job DescriptionThe Senior Project Support Specialist serves as a strategic Executive Operations partner within the Science Mission Directorate Front Office, providing executive-level administrative, operational, and project support to the Deputy Associate Administrator of Programs (DAAP) and collaborating closely with Associate Administrators, Deputy Associate Administrators, Program Officers, Executive Administrators, and senior leadership across SMD.
This position is responsible for ensuring seamless executive operations through proactive planning, complex calendar management, executive communications, meeting coordination, travel management, leadership engagement, and cross-organizational collaboration. The successful candidate will anticipate leadership needs, independently manage competing priorities, exercise exceptional judgment, and support high-visibility initiatives that directly contribute to the effectiveness of NASA's Science Mission Directorate leadership.
Responsibilities- Provide executive-level operational and administrative support to the Deputy Associate Administrator of Programs and other senior Science Mission Directorate leadership as required.
- Manage highly complex executive calendars by anticipating scheduling conflicts, balancing competing priorities, and aligning leadership engagements with Directorate objectives.
- Coordinate executive domestic and international travel, invitational travel, conference travel, launch travel, travel authorizations, vouchers, country clearances, passport documentation, Advanced Travel Notification Forms (ATNF), and associated compliance requirements.
- Prepare executive briefing books, leadership correspondence, reports, presentations, decision packages, and organizational communications.
- Coordinate executive-level meetings, leadership forums, retreats, reviews, workshops, and special events, including agenda development, logistics, room scheduling, audiovisual coordination, virtual meeting support, attendee management, and follow-up actions.
- Track executive action items, suspense dates, leadership commitments, and organizational deliverables to ensure timely completion and operational continuity.
- Coordinate Directorate Front Office activities and serve as a central point of contact for leadership engagements and executive operations.
- Maintain executive distribution lists, organizational records, leadership trackers, attendance rosters, briefing materials, Quad Charts, executive highlights, and situational awareness products.
- Coordinate visitor requests, security access, executive protocol, and support for distinguished visitors and external stakeholders.
- Support onboarding activities, leadership transitions, and organizational continuity initiatives.
- Coordinate activities across NASA Headquarters organizations, NASA Centers, Federal agencies, academic institutions, commercial partners, and international organizations.
- Monitor emerging priorities and provide leadership with timely updates regarding organizational impacts and strategic initiatives.
- Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), workflow documentation, and executive office processes that improve operational efficiency.
- Identify opportunities to streamline administrative operations, improve customer service, and enhance executive support processes.
- Handle highly sensitive, confidential, and pre-decisional information with the highest level of professionalism, discretion, and integrity.
- Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.
Requirements- Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple priorities within a fast-paced executive environment.
- Extensive experience supporting senior executives, Associate Administrators, Deputy Associate Administrators, Directors, or equivalent executive leadership.
- Exceptional organizational, planning, and project coordination skills.
- Proven ability to anticipate executive needs and proactively resolve issues before escalation.
- Strong critical thinking, sound judgment, and decision-making abilities.
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage effectively at all organizational levels.
- Experience preparing executive correspondence, presentations, reports, briefing materials, and leadership communications.
- Experience coordinating executive meetings, conferences, leadership forums, workshops, and high-visibility events.
- Experience coordinating complex domestic and international executive travel.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, including Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
- Experience maintaining executive dashboards, tracking systems, organizational records, and action-item management tools.
- Ability to exercise discretion while handling sensitive, confidential, and pre-decisional information.
- Familiarity with NASA Headquarters administrative systems, organizational structure, and executive operations strongly preferred.
- Individual must meet government NAC and citizenship/permanent residency requirements for access to NASA GSFC. Extensive background investigation will be performed as a requirement of the job.
Education and Experience- Bachelor's degree plus 8 years of related professional experience; or
- 11 years of related professional experience in lieu of degree.
- Experience supporting NASA Headquarters senior leadership or comparable Federal executive organizations is strongly preferred.
Location- 4-5 Days Onsite
- NASA Headquarters - 300 E Street SW, Washington, DC
We invest in the lives of our employees, both in and out of the workplace, by providing competitive pay and benefits packages. Benefits offered may include health care, dental, vision, life insurance; 401(k); education assistance; paid time off including PTO, holidays, and any other paid leave required by law. The salary offered will depend on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience, skills, education, geographic location, internal equity, business needs, and other factors permitted by law. Posted pay ranges are a general guideline only and are not a guarantee of compensation or salary.
