Lead Program Support Specialist
About the role
Join our team as a Lead Program Support Specialist/Program Manager and support the Federal Highway Administration's Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) by keeping day-to-day operations, staffing, and special events running smoothly. You will coordinate a small onsite support team, manage schedules and correspondence for senior leadership, and oversee event logistics for major stakeholder engagements, ensuring uninterrupted, high-quality administrative support for a nationally recognized research center. FWI is expanding rapidly and has been recognized as a 2024 and 2025 Top Workplace by the Washington Post, offering excellent growth opportunities in a collaborative environment. Position is contingent upon contract award.
Responsibilities
- Coordinate work assignments, schedules, and priorities for the onsite program support team, and monitor timekeeping and leave requests.
- Mentor and develop team members, resolving day-to-day performance or workflow issues as they arise.
- Manage senior staff calendars, coordinate high-profile meetings and briefings, and prepare leadership materials for special events and facility tours.
- Proofread and quality-check outgoing correspondence, reports, and briefing papers before they go to leadership for signature.
- Track inventory and government property, coordinate procurement requests, and manage travel arrangements for staff.
- Plan and support logistics for special events and conferences, including the annual TRB/FHWA meeting — from attendee tracking to shuttle scheduling to onsite support.
- Submit monthly progress reports and serve as the day-to-day point of contact with government leadership on staffing and workload matters.
Qualifications
Required:
- High school diploma or GED.
- 4+ years of experience performing office administration duties independently, without day-to-day direction.
- Ability to type accurately at 35+ words per minute.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace; ability to quickly learn federal systems such as travel, records, and procurement platforms.
- Strong written communication skills, including proofreading and executive-level document preparation.
- Must be willing to undergo a federal background investigation (SF-85P and fingerprinting) and obtain a facility ID badge.
Preferred:
- Prior experience supporting a federal research facility or transportation agency.
- Prior team-lead or supervisory experience in an administrative environment.
- Experience with federal travel, records, or procurement systems.
- Valid state driver's license.
Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Long-term and Short-term Disability Insurance
- Life Insurance
- 401(k) Plan
- Holiday Pay
- Paid Time Off
Schedule
On‑site, full‑time position Monday through Friday with core hours of 7:30 am to 6:00 pm at the Turner‑Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, VA.