Summary As a Program Specialist within the NASA Headquarters Office of the Chief Financial Officer, you will serve as the Agency lead for enterprise-wide conference operations. You will direct coordination, executive reporting, quality control, and compliance oversight; adjudicate high-cost travel and conference requests; lead cross-Center subject matter expert teams; and brief the NASA Administrator and executive counterparts on spending, performance, and federal mandates. Responsibilities Provide leadership for the coordination, oversight, and reporting of conference attendance, sponsorships, expenditures, and compliance metrics across the Agency. Develop and deliver high-level reports and strategic briefings on conference activities, expenditures, and outcomes to senior Agency leadership and executive stakeholders. Lead cross-functional teams of subject matter experts across NASA Centers to evaluate, develop, and implement enterprise-wide improvements to conference management processes. Design and enforce quality control frameworks that monitor conference spending, mitigate financial risk, and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. Translate Congressional mandates, Office of Management and Budget memorandums, and federal guidelines into enterprise-wide NASA conference and travel directives. Review and adjudicate high-cost or sensitive conference requests for alignment with the Federal Travel Regulation, NASA Procedural Requirements, and Agency targets. Exercise final adjudicative authority and execute conditional approvals for exceptional and premium-class travel authorizations supporting NASA mission requirements. Apply data analytics to measure return on investment of conference operations and integrate conference tracking tools with NASA travel and business systems. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work. To qualify for GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level: Coordinating program activities involving external engagements across multiple organizational units, supporting effective resource management, compliance with applicable requirements, and timely performance reporting. Assisting in the development and implementation of oversight frameworks to monitor travel and conference-related activities, supporting compliance, accountability, and management of federal resources. Reviewing and evaluating travel and conference authorization requests and applying statutory, regulatory, and policy guidance to ensure compliance and appropriate disposition of actions across organizations. Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job. NASA prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tool in drafting application and assessment responses. Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of AI tools during the application process. Education Additional Information Additional selections may be made for similar positions across NASA within the local commuting area(s) of the location(s) identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) within NASA. CTAP/ICTAP will be cleared for any additional selection from this announcement. If you are applying for a GS-12 or higher level and are a current federal employee, you must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible for this position. To be eligible, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks in a position no more than 1 grade lower than the advertised position. (Please submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. If your eligibility for both merit promotion and/or time-in-grade cannot be determined, your application will be rated ineligible.) Note: Time-in-grade requirements also apply to applicants who have held a non-temporary, competitive service GS position in the past year. If you have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must: - Indicate your eligibility when applying for a position. The questionnaire asks you to identify your ICTAP/CTAP eligibility. - Be well qualified for this position to receive consideration. Candidates rated in the 'Best Qualified' category are considered well-qualified. Please see 'How You Will Be Evaluated' for more information. - Submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP as indicated in 'Required Documents' For additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, click here - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ictap. Qualified NASA term employees who have term conversion eligibility (Term Appointments | NASA) under the NASA Flexibility Act of 2004 will be referred and considered equally with other NASA permanent employees under internal competitive placement procedures. Per Executive Order 14343, this position is not part of a bargaining unit. Probationary Period You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
