Summary
Lead proactive counterintelligence and security activities across the United States government, integrating the instruments of national power to detect, report, deter, disrupt, investigate, exploit, and defeat foreign intelligence threats.
This job is open to
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarification from the agency
Open to current and former Federal employees with competitive or excepted status; and all U.S. Citizens. Former members of the Peace Corps may be considered for ODNI employment only if five full years have elapsed since separation from the Peace Corps.
Duties
The Mission Capabilities Directorate (MCD) drives enterprise technical and information sharing solutions, prioritizes and manages requirements in support of whole of government counterintelligence and security mission partners. MCD identifies mission gaps, builds capabilities through full lifecycle program development, drives data analytics and technical innovation, delivers threat RFIs/assessments, coordinates interagency partners, and ensures legal/policy/civil liberties compliance. MCD is seeking an outstanding IT Program Manager to join our team of mission focused leaders who identify and develop in demand solutions and integrated capabilities on behalf of the Counterintelligence and Security community to more effectively help them execute their duties. The IT Program Manager for Scattered Castles & IC Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIF) will be responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and operation of these systems, ensuring alignment with NCSC strategic objectives and IC wide priorities. This role requires deep familiarity with IT competencies and program management, outstanding communication and briefing skills, senior level management capabilities, and the ability to negotiate interagency agreements for data and information sharing. The IT Program Manager for Scattered Castles & IC SCIF oversees these mission critical, Intelligence Communitywide systems that directly enable national security operations in support of Trusted Workforce 2.0 and Security Reform initiatives. For Scattered Castles, this position provides interagency oversight for system budget, scope, and timelines, and serves as Chair of the Scattered Castles Executive Steering Group. For IC SCIF, this position provides program management oversight ensuring the repository supports IC wide physical security requirements and SCIF accreditation processes in accordance with ICD 705. Primary Responsibilities: Program Leadership & Strategic Alignment
Ensure alignment of Scattered Castles and IC SCIF initiatives with NCSC strategic and IC-wide objectives.
Provide leadership and oversight to complex IT projects with ill-defined requirements, ambiguity, parallel tasks, multiple dependencies, high risks, and multiple interfaces.
Lead interagency collaboration and chair the Scattered Castles Executive Steering Group to drive consensus and mission outcomes across IC, DoW, and executive agency stakeholders Requirements Management & Stakeholder Engagement.
Lead the definition and review of customer and stakeholder requirements across the IC, DoW, and participating agencies.
Manage expectations of senior level customers and ensure delivery of quality products and services that support 24/7 global mission operations.
Negotiate interagency agreements for data and information sharing to enhance system integration and mission effectiveness Project Planning & Execution.
Ensure project plans, roadmaps, and schedules are developed and followed throughout the system lifecycle.
Lead and guide the resolution of issues in project plans and schedules based on a clear understanding of customer requirements and information on project cost, schedule, quality, and performance; provide expert oversight of cost and resource estimates; participate in budget planning activities and develop cost estimating strategies for future projects.
Oversee development and maintenance of appropriate project documentation for this IC-mandated authoritative system Budget & Resource Management.
Provide expert oversight of cost and resource estimates for Scattered Castles and IC SCIF programs.
Participate in budget planning activities and develop cost estimating strategies for future projects.
Monitor and control program expenditures to ensure fiscal responsibility for this enterprise-scale system Performance Monitoring & Quality Assurance Provide leadership, guidance, and oversight to project implementation and quality assurance by evaluating and monitoring cost, schedule, and performance.
Assess variances from the plan and oversee execution of necessary corrective actions.
Lead project performance reviews and control gates, gather critical information, and make authoritative decisions about required next steps Team Leadership & Continuous Improvement Oversee the work of team members and monitor work activities to ensure counterintelligence and security policies and procedures are followed.
Provide assistance to team members and communicate needs and requirements to the project team Lead examination of project successes and failures and develop solutions to improve products and services Drive innovation to enhance system capabilities supporting Continuous Evaluation, insider threat detection, and logical access control.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- Must be a U.S. Citizen residing in the United States
- Appointment is subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance based on an SBI with eligibility for sensitive compartmented information (SCI)
- Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
- A two-year trial period is required for all new permanent appointments to the ODNI.
Qualifications
Mandatory Requirements:
IT Competencies: Strong familiarity with IT program management principles, system development lifecycles, enterprise architecture, and 24/7 mission-critical system operations
Communication & Briefing: Outstanding written and oral communication skills with ability to brief senior leadership and interagency stakeholders across IC, DoW, and executive agencies
Project Management: Demonstrated experience managing complex IT projects with multiple dependencies, risks, and interfaces
Interagency Collaboration: Proven ability to negotiate and establish interagency agreements for data and information sharing
Budget Management: Experience with IT budget planning, cost estimation, and resource allocation for enterprise-scale systems
Leadership: Ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive consensus in ambiguous environments with diverse stakeholder communities
Expert ability to quickly identify and apply new technologies, methodologies, and technical languages.
Security Clearance: Active TS/SCI clearance with ability to obtain additional accesses as required
Desired Requirements:
Personnel Security Systems Experience: Familiarity with Scattered Castles, personnel security databases, clearance verification systems, or related IC security systems
IC/DoD Experience: Prior experience working within the Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, or supporting IC/DoD missions
Continuous Evaluation & Insider Threat: Knowledge of CE programs, insider threat frameworks, or counterintelligence operations
Program Management Certification: PMP, PgMP, or equivalent certification
Agile/DevSecOps: Experience with Agile methodologies and DevSecOps practices for mission-critical systems
Stakeholder Management: Experience chairing executive steering groups or governance bodies with IC-wide participation
Policy Knowledge: Understanding of ICPG 704.5, ICD 704, SEAD-3, and other personnel security policies
Enterprise Integration: Experience with web services, API integration, and system interoperability
Change Management: Experience leading organizational change and system modernization efforts
FREE RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS
All applicants must answer the following four short, free response essay questions. The responses cannot exceed 200 words per question. By submitting your responses to the following questions, you certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]).
- How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
- In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
- How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
- How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.
Education
Bachelor's degree
Additional information
JOB INTERVIEW TRAVEL
Candidates from outside the Washington Metropolitan Area (WMA) may be selected for a telephone, teleconference, or in-person interview.
SALARY DETERMINATION
The ODNI uses a rank-in-person system in which rank is attached to GS employees on the basis of individual qualifications, experience, and performance. Individuals whose current GS grade is equivalent to the grade of the advertised position will retain their current grade and step. Individuals who transfer to the ODNI from a non-GS pay scale will have base pay converted to the appropriate GS grade and step as determined by the Chief of Human Resource Management.
In some cases when a current federal civilian employee applies for an ODNI position that is a lower grade than his or her personal grade, the candidate's personal grade will be downgraded to the grade of the advertised ODNI position and pay will be set at the step that is closest to, and not less than, the employee's current annual base rate of pay, not to exceed the maximum step rate of the GS grade to which assigned.
RELOCATION EXPENSES
For new ODNI employees, reimbursement for relocation is discretionary based on availability of funds.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
The ODNI provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Reasonable Accommodations Office Representative by email at DNI_COO_HRM_RA_ALL@odni.gov, by telephone at (703)275-3900 or by FAX at (703)275-1277. Your request for reasonable accommodations will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION TO THE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION EMAIL ADDRESS. THIS EMAIL IS FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS ONLY.
The ODNI is an equal opportunity employer and abides by applicable employment laws and regulations.
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.
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.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you are among the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.
Required Documents
A complete application package must include:
a. RESUME: Resumes must be no longer than two (2) pages in length. Resumes longer than two (2) pages will be removed from consideration. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the vacancy announcement, particularly the MDRs, and construct their resume to highlight their most significant experience and qualifications relevant to this job opportunity. You must ensure the resume contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position: job title; name of employer; beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format), and hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. Additionally, include a detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills and responsibilities, to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable), and series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position).
b. ESSAY QUESTION RESPONSES: The responses cannot exceed 200 words per question (please see questions in the Requirements section above). By submitting your responses to these questions, you certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]).
c. COVER LETTER: Applicants must submit a professional narrative as a supplement to the resume to elaborate on their qualifications and previous work performed.
d. CURRENT SF-50: Federal Government employees must provide your official most recent SF-50 (i.e., dated within the last 52 weeks from the closing date of this vacancy announcement). An SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, is used to verify current federal status, position, title, grade, and organization of record. If your SF-50(s) does not provide the information needed to make a final determination for qualification, you will be found ineligible for the position.
e. POSITION NUMBER: Reference the announcement number in the subject line on each document submitted.
Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
We encourage you to read the entire announcement prior to submitting your application.
In order to be considered, you must apply via USAJOBS. The ODNI will not accept emailed applications. Your application must be received by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Applications received after the closing date will NOT be eligible for consideration. All attachments should be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format.
Do not include the following types of information in your profile or resume:
- Classified or government sensitive information
- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Photos of yourself
- Personal information such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
- Encrypted and digitally signed documents
Next steps
Once you successfully complete the application process, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt email. Please note that the acknowledgement email does not ensure completion of your application. You must ensure that you submit all required documentation.
The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 60 days of the closing date of this announcement. Due to the large number of applications received, applicants will be contacted ONLY if they have been selected for an interview.