Senior Program Director – Office for Coastal Management

Ocean Associates, Inc. (OAI) is seeking a Senior Program Director of Technical Support Services (TSS) at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Ocean Service’s (NOS) Office for Coastal Management (OCM). OAI is a Virginia corporation established in 2003 that provides consulting and technical services to the U.S. government, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and the private sector. We specialize in scientific program and project management, strategic planning, professional and technical services, and stakeholder engagement, supporting government contracts.  We are seeking applicants for this position prospectively, which is dependent on award of contract.

Background:

OCM was created in 2014 when NOAA’s Coastal Services Center and the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management integrated to become the Office for Coastal Management. “Coastal management” is a term that covers the decisions and actions taken to keep the natural environment, built environment, quality of life, and economic prosperity of our coastal areas in balance. The Coastal Zone Management Act is the guiding legislation for this purpose, and NOAA’s OCM is the federal office tasked with its implementation. In addition, OCM implements the Coral Reef Conservation Act and houses the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP). The CRCP is a partnership between four NOAA Line Offices that work on coral reef issues, bringing together expertise from across NOAA for a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding and conserving coral reef ecosystems. 

Coastal management issues are broad and challenging. Communities and the nation are constantly grappling with the best ways to address a number of issues such as storm preparedness, emergency response, erosion, development, habitat loss, sea level rise, public access, and threats to water quality. As a scientific organization, NOAA provides access to the science and environmental intelligence that communities need for these tasks. OCM leads and administers four national programs, and each relies upon active partnerships with various public and private sectors to be successful. 

• National Coastal Zone Management Program – A unique federal and state partnership that provides the most direct implementation of coastal management policy. Thirty-four states have a federally approved coastal management program.
• National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) – Leading the nation’s estuary science efforts, this program produces groundbreaking research and provides environmental health data. The network of 29 protected areas also offers local, science-based training and education programs, and provides unique recreational opportunities.
• NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) – This cross-line office program provides the sound science and management tools needed to preserve, sustain, and restore coral reef ecosystems.
• Digital Coast – This resource is the go-to source for the coastal management data, tools, and training most needed by communities. This initiative takes it a step further, however, by bringing various user groups together (the Digital Coast Partnership) to address coastal issues.

OCM approaches project and service design from the constituent’s perspective. The office solicits constituent input to identify as well as design programs and projects through surveys, needs assessments, and regional and project meetings. No project is undertaken unless it has a defined end-user and clear utility. In order to leverage resources and ensure buy-in, projects are conducted in partnership with end-users or enablers. Although national in scope, OCM takes a local approach to problem solving and capacity building that incorporates the special needs and circumstances of constituents.

To meet the evolving needs of its programs and ensure consistent delivery of high-quality support across its geographically dispersed workforce, OCM relies on the TSS contract. This contract provides critical staff support to five of OCM’s divisions (i.e., the Science and Geospatial Division, the Learning Service Division, the Business Operations Division, the Policy, Planning, and Communication Division, and the Stewardship Division) across all four regions in order to help advance OCM’s mission of building coastal resilience and supporting communities through science, tools, training, and partnerships. TSS staff work side by side with OCM federal employees, contributing technical expertise, operational support, and regional insight to ensure program success. The individual in this position will lead and manage the TSS contract, ensuring alignment with program priorities, facilitating strong communication between contract staff and government leadership, and maintaining accountability for performance, budget, and personnel across multiple locations.

Duties:

• Direct TSS operations for NOS OCM.
• Serve as the primary point of contact to the government, including the Contracting Officer Representative (COR), for all personnel, and contract matters.
• Plan, supervise, and manage all task order staff across multiple locations and divisions to ensure programmatic and contractual requirements are met.
• Oversee and mentor staff, approving alternate work schedules and ensuring adherence to Department of Commerce safety and security regulations.
• Act as the on-site liaison with federal clients, meeting regularly to resolve technical problems and discuss contract performance.
• Be available to meet with the COR and OCM federal management on a regular basis.
• Be available to the COR via telephone between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday and should respond to a request for discussion or resolution of technical problems within four hours of notification.
• Track task completion, in alignment with the Performance Work Statement, while identifying and addressing potential project challenges.
• Organize monthly team meetings to facilitate project progress, collaboration, and employee engagement.
• Manage program financials, including annual contract budgets, budget forecasting, reconciliation, and long-term sustainability planning using complex reporting mechanisms.
• Apply change, risk, and resource management techniques to support project success.
• Perform employee and contract management functions, including supervising multitask contracts and/or subcontracts of various types and complexity.
• Provide monthly progress reports to the Contracting Officer and COR.
• Contribute to business development and proposal efforts.

Start Date: Spring 2026

Location: Remote / Charleston, SC (this is a remote position within the Southeast Region). Travel is anticipated.

Salary and Benefits: This is a full-time position with benefits. Salary, commensurate with experience, $120,000-$160,000 / year

Required Skills/Education: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., biology, oceanography, marine science, engineering, computer science).
• 10+ years of experience in Program or Project Management, including managing large teams (100+ employees).
• Demonstrated experience leading scientific and technical professionals, providing leadership, organization, decision-making, guidance, and conflict resolution.
• Proven experience managing federal contracts and program budgets exceeding $10M/year.
• Proficient in project/program management techniques, tools, and methods.
• Strong problem-solving, personnel management, and organizational skills.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.
• Capable of working both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in a relevant discipline.
• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification.
• Experience managing subcontractors.
• Experience supporting NOAA NOS or other federal agencies.
• Familiarity with OCM operations, structure, and collaborators.
• Background in remote sensing, sensor systems, or geospatial product and data development.
• Business development and proposal writing experience.