Program Manager

U.S. Department of the Interior; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 144,000 - 187,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of the Interior seeks a Program Manager for the NAGPRA program under the National NAGPRA Program. The role shapes national policy, leads compliance efforts, and coordinates with federal agencies, tribes, and stakeholders.

The incumbent directs staff, manages resources, and serves as a key advisor to senior leadership on NAGPRA matters. Occasional travel is required for meetings and site visits.

Qualifications

• This position requires U.S. citizenship and cannot substitute education for experience.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National and able to pass a background investigation.
• Selective Service registration may apply for certain candidates.
• Direct Deposit is required and you must pass E-Verify.
• A 1-year probationary period is required upon employment.

Responsibilities

• Provides national leadership and oversight for NAGPRA program implementation.
• Oversees inventories, summaries, Federal Register notices, reports and other products.
• Acts as principal technical authority on NAGPRA to federal agencies and tribes.
• Interprets statutes and develops policy and regulatory guidance.
• Advises senior leadership on NAGPRA compliance and determinations.
• Designated Federal Officer for the NAGPRA Review Committee; directs operations and reporting.
• Supervises staff, manages budgets, and guides performance and training.
• Builds relationships with federal officials, tribes, museums, and stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Stakeholder management

NAGPRA expertise

Regulatory interpretation

Job description

Summary

You will serve as a Program Manager for the Cultural Resource, Partnerships, and Science, National NAGPRA Program. This position is also open to status candidates under announcement CAHV-26-13076620-ST-RJ. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

Major Duties

• Provides national leadership and oversight for implementation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), ensuring completion of statutory and regulatory program requirements.
• Oversees and approves inventories, summaries, Federal Register notices, reports, studies, and other program products, ensuring the accuracy, completeness, and integrity of program information and data.
• Serves as a principal technical authority on NAGPRA, providing expert guidance, training, and authoritative interpretation to Federal agencies, Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, museums, government officials, and other stakeholders.
• Interprets statutes, regulations, policies, and established practices; resolves complex or controversial program issues; and develops policy and regulatory guidance for use within and outside the Federal government.
• Advises senior leadership on NAGPRA compliance matters, including reviewing investigative findings and developing formal determinations and penalty‑related guidance concerning allegations of noncompliance.
• Serves as Designated Federal Officer for the NAGPRA Review Committee, directing Committee operations, official communications, meetings, member training, contractor support, nominations, and Federal Advisory Committee Act reporting requirements.
• Supervises program staff and oversees program resources, including assigning and evaluating work, providing training and guidance, managing staff performance, and planning and managing base‑and project‑funded budgets.
• Builds and maintains relationships with senior Federal officials, Tribal leaders, museum officials, congressional staff, and other stakeholders to facilitate NAGPRA implementation, negotiate corrective actions, resolve disputes, and secure adoption of program guidance.

Salary Range Information (Per Annum): *First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level. GS-14: $143,913 (Step 1*) to $187,093 (Step 10)

You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 4 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.

Education

This position does not allow substituting education for experience.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
• You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel authority.
• You must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part‑time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will 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. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. *Additional Requirements located under qualifications*

Evaluations

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g. resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of any additional assessment(s) required for this position. Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed. Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into the following categories: Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job. You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Manages and Organizes Information Project Management Stakeholder Management Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessment(s), including a structured resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job. Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Veterans' preference will be based solely on the claimed preference. Your eligibility will not be changed based on the documentation provided. If you are uncertain which preference to claim, you can learn more by visiting the VetGuide.

What to Expect Next

Please refer to your USAJOBS account for application status; the Human Resources Office cannot respond to individual status inquiries. Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application. You can find your path with the Department of Interior at https://careers.doi.gov/. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 12:59 PM (ET) on 10/16/2026 - unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement: Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time). Your resume must clearly show how long you have held each grade/rank. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5‑inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. If you have federal experience, you should include series, and grade for each position held, and if experience is part of a career ladder position, you must clearly distinguish the job duties and length of time working for each grade level. More information on how to write a Federal Resume: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include Complete All Required Assessment(s). Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable. Veterans must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD‑214 (member 4 copy) or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Parent or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.va.gov/records/ or call 1-800-827-1000. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active‑duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation. Interagency Career Transition (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): You MUST submit proof of eligibility including 1) copy of the agency notice, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc.; 2) SF‑50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be well qualified. For more information visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL). Failure to submit any of the above‑mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in your application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from all documents. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

Other Information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. Physical Demands: Work is typically performed in an office setting. However, visits to field sites may involve a wide range of safety hazards, outdoor environments, varying altitudes, and extreme temperatures. Work Environment: The work is primarily sedentary, typically the work environment is a NPS office, however, local meetings outside of the incumbent's office, and varied travel is required. All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions. The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.