Contingency Communications Support Specialist

Maryland Court Reporters; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 122,000 - 139,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. House of Representatives seeks a Contingency Communications Support Specialist to provide primary IT and voice communications support for contingency programs. The role includes COMSEC custody, safeguarding material, and maintaining records to ensure readiness for operations.

Candidate must hold a Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility, and be able to work on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Location is in Washington, DC within the CAO Office.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• 4-6 years of direct work experience or equivalent work experience in knowledge of KMI system operations and maintenance, HAIPs devices, and communicating with senior officials.
• Ability to communicate effectively to senior officials in the Legislative Branch and follow instructions.
• Knowledge of application software installation and use, and Microsoft Office Suite.

Responsibilities

• Protects COMSEC material and manages access per NSA/CSS policies.
• Receives, inventories, safeguards, and accounts for COMSEC material.
• Supports Continuity of Operations and Continuity of Government exercises.

Skills

Communication

IT support

Contingency planning

Security clearance

KMI operations

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

HAIPE devices

COMSEC procedures

Windows server

Office 365

Adobe Acrobat

Job description

Contingency Communications Support Specialist

Salary Range: 122,345.00 - 138,998.00

Closing Date:10/14/2026

Job Summary:

The Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) provides operations support services and business solutions to the community of 10,000 House Members, Officers and staff. The CAO organization comprises more than 650 technical and administrative staff working in a variety of areas, including information technology, finance, budget management, human resources, payroll, child care, food and vending, procurement, logistics and administrative counsel.

This position is located in the Immediate Office, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), U.S. House of Representatives (House). Within the CAO Immediate Office, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BC/DR) provides contingency planning and operations support, as well as improvements and enhancements to technical infrastructure, systems, information security, emergency communications, and business continuity capabilities of the House.

This position serves as the Contingency Communications Support Specialist in the Operations directorate. Key responsibilities include providing primary IT and voice communications support (operational and sustainment) for the House Contingency Communications Programs; serving as Communications Security (COMSEC) custodian for the receipt, custody, issue, safeguarding, accounting, and when necessary, destruction of COMSEC material for the House COMSEC account, including maintaining responsibility for maintenance of up-to-date records and the submission of all required accounting reports; upkeeping and maintaining classified voice and data communications equipment; providing exercise support, and training; updating technical data and documentation; providing general communications troubleshooting and repair; and acting as a senior level technical consultant and as a lead subject matter expert in integrated voice and data (IV&D) technology.

Responsibilities also include ensuring the readiness of BC/DR capabilities, on-campus and alternate location information technology issues; participating in meetings and developing briefings, reports, operational plans; coordinating BC/DR activities on and off campus; providing technical solutions for continuity events where computers, mobile devices, and networks (wired/wireless) may be utilized by House Members and staff on and off campus; and maintaining detailed knowledge of software and hardware network operating systems, Internet services, multi-media and messaging software used in the House.

Grade level at time of appointment is determined by experience and designated level of responsibility.

This position does not have day-to-day supervisory/managerial responsibilities.

This position has access to Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

**Must have an Active Top Secret Clearance with SCI eligibility**

**Must be able to accommodate on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week shifts**

Primary Duties/Responsibilities:

• Protects COMSEC material and limits access to individuals with requisite clearance(s) and a valid need to know. The COMSEC custodian will be familiar with the procedures for handling COMSEC material as outlined in National Security Agency (NSA)/Central Security Services (CSS) Policy 3-16 “Control of Communications Security Material” and will need to keep informed of any new requirements or modifications to be serviced by the House’s COMSEC account.
• Receives, inventories, receipts for and ensures the safeguarding and accounting of all COMSEC material issued to the House’s COMSEC account and performs routine COMSEC destructions as required.
• Participates in Continuity of Operations and Continuity of Government exercises to support House readiness.
• Activates, deactivates, and maintains other contingency communications equipment such as Iridium phones, GETS/WPS Information Distribution System (GWIDS) program, and House priority telecommunications services.
• Develops and maintains checklists for proper contingency communications equipment use and maintenance.
• Maintains KMI operations materials in accordance with NSA regulations and agency or institutional policy with respect to COMSEC.
• Trains, supports, and assists users with keying material and COMSEC equipment acquisition, installation, keying, and maintenance as required.
• Supports the operation, integration, and readiness of emergency notification alerting systems to ensure timely and accurate dissemination of critical alerts to House stakeholders.
• Ensures contingency communications systems are routinely tested, maintained, and aligned with continuity and emergency response operation elements of the House business units.
• Provides technical guidance on IT and telecommunications systems, supporting the deployment and operation of advanced secure communications equipment, and ensuring the security and reliability of communications for senior leadership.
• Develops and maintains Primary Alternate Contingency and Emergency (PACE) communications plans for mission critical IV&D operations.
• Designs, configures, tests, and maintains UHF/VHF/HF radio systems including associated RF network components to include templates, talk-groups, and channel plans ensuring standardization across operational units.
• Assists in writing and organizing technical procedures, operations plans, and standard operating procedures in a joint environment with Legislative community stakeholders.
• Configures, installs, and troubleshoots software applications on workstations, servers, and mobile devices.
• Provides technical support to BC/DR customers using a variety of systems and software tools approved by the House.
• Evaluates, implements, and maintains contingency communications technology to support the House.
• Participates in systems analyses and feasibility studies on the communications infrastructure.
• May develop and test prototype configurations and communication interfaces.
• In coordination with the other personnel, represents CAO in House-wide and external meetings on contingency communications programs as needed.
• Performs other official duties and special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.

4-6 years of direct work experience or equivalent work experience in:

• Knowledge of and skill with Key Management Interface (KMI) system operations and maintenance.
• Knowledge of programing High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryptor (HAIPE) devices.
• Ability to recognize and deal with politically sensitive issues in both technical and legislative environments.
• Ability to communicate effectively to senior officials in the Legislative Branch (both orally and in writing) as well as the ability to follow oral and written instructions.
• Knowledge of application software installation and use.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Office 365 Services and Adobe Acrobat.
• Knowledge of Windows server and workstation operating systems software.
• Knowledge and experience to provide technical solutions for House integrated systems.
• All employees within CAO are expected to demonstrate the following general competencies: Accountability, Adaptability, Collaboration, Communication, Customer Orientation, Knowledge of Relevant Policies, Procedures, and Processes, Priority Management, and Problem Resolution.

Preferred Qualifications:

• IT Certifications (CompTIA A+, CompTIA Secuirty+ , etc)
• KMI Training Certification

Security Requirement:

• Must successfully complete a criminal history records check.
• Employee may be subject to drug testing in accordance with CAO Drug Free Workplace Plan.
• Must have and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with SCI eligibility.
• This position requires unescorted access to secure offsite locations which require an identification badge. In order to be approved for the applicable badge, you must be a U.S. citizen.

Other Significant Facts:

• Capable and willing to work various shifts, extended hours, or weekends to fulfill the U.S.
• House of Representative’s needs.
• Essential for the purpose of lapse in appropriation/furlough.
• On-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Must be willing to occasionally travel to House BC/DR and related facilities across the U.S., potentially with limited notice, and perform contingency operations. This would include the ability to lift (up to 50 pounds) and load equipment.
• This position is required to support business continuity and disaster recovery efforts,
• including coordinating unscheduled and urgent response operations during a disruption.
• Performs other official duties and special projects as assigned.

**Continued employment is contingent upon satisfactorily completing a criminal history records check (or other applicable security clearance) and a pre-employment drug-test (pre-identified position only).**