Protect our Land, Ascend with Us!

Ascension is seeking a mission-focused, analytical, and collaborative Senior Management Analyst to support FEMA's National Preparedness Directorate (NPD), National Training and Education Division (NTED), Training Partners Program (TPP). This position is ideal for professionals who enjoy solving operational challenges, improving program effectiveness, coordinating complex reviews, and supporting national preparedness initiatives.

The successful candidate will serve as one of the operational leads responsible for evaluating and improving FEMA-sponsored all-hazards training programs through curriculum reviews, instructor audits, grant application evaluations, review board coordination, stakeholder engagement, and logistics management. This role is well suited for professionals who enjoy balancing analytical work with program coordination and who thrive in collaborative environments involving Federal staff, training partners, subject matter experts, and multiple stakeholders.

We are looking for someone who is naturally organized, detail-oriented, intellectually curious, and capable of managing multiple priorities while maintaining exceptional quality standards. Candidates should possess strong communication skills, exercise sound judgment, and demonstrate the ability to identify issues before they become problems while developing practical solutions that improve program performance.

Position Summary

The Senior Management Analyst provides analytical, operational, and program management support that enables FEMA to administer, evaluate, and continuously improve its national training partner programs. Working closely with Government program managers, training partners, curriculum developers, instructors, and technical subject matter experts, this individual will coordinate review activities, analyze findings, monitor program performance, prepare reports, facilitate meetings, and support decision-making across multiple initiatives.

The ideal candidate combines business analysis, program management, stakeholder coordination, and operational planning experience with excellent written and verbal communication skills. The individual should be comfortable working independently in an evolving environment while collaborating across geographically dispersed teams.

This position requires someone who can anticipate customer needs, organize large volumes of information, monitor multiple projects simultaneously, and ensure all reviews, audits, and supporting documentation are completed accurately and on schedule.

Typical tools, technologies, and business processes include:

• Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Microsoft Teams
• SharePoint
• Power BI (preferred)
• Adobe Acrobat
• Data analysis and reporting
• Workflow tracking
• Document quality assurance
• Meeting facilitation
• Business process improvement methodologies
• Program performance monitoring
• Risk and issue tracking
• Stakeholder engagement and communications

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Senior Management Analyst may perform the following activities throughout the period of performance:

• Coordinate curriculum review activities with Government staff, SMEs, and training partners.
• Analyze curriculum packages for completeness, quality, compliance, and alignment with FEMA program standards.
• Support instructor audit planning, scheduling, documentation, and follow-up activities.
• Review grant applications and supporting documentation for completeness and compliance.
• Prepare analytical reports, executive summaries, briefing materials, and recommendations.
• Track project milestones, action items, deliverables, and performance metrics.
• Facilitate meetings, review boards, workshops, and stakeholder discussions.
• Develop spreadsheets, dashboards, and status reports supporting program oversight.
• Coordinate logistics for curriculum reviews, audits, meetings, and review boards.
• Maintain project documentation, repositories, and document control processes.
• Identify operational risks, issues, and process improvement opportunities.
• Recommend workflow improvements that improve efficiency and reduce administrative burden.
• Communicate effectively with Federal leadership, training partners, instructors, and contractors.
• Support quality assurance activities and documentation reviews.
• Ensure timely completion of assigned deliverables while maintaining high quality standards.
• Assist with special projects supporting FEMA preparedness and training initiatives.

Protect our Land, Ascend with Us!

Ascension is seeking a dependable, analytical, and highly organized professional who can operate effectively in a federal training, emergency management, grant administration, or program support environment.

The ideal candidate will bring experience supporting complex programs involving multiple stakeholders, deadlines, reviews, documentation requirements, and quality standards. The Consultant should be comfortable organizing information, analyzing program materials, coordinating subject matter experts, preparing decision-support products, and helping stakeholders resolve issues that could affect the timeliness or quality of training program reviews.

The strongest candidate will:

• Understand federal program operations and the importance of documentation, objectivity, quality assurance, and responsible stewardship of public funds.
• Be capable of managing assignments with limited supervision while maintaining regular communication with project leadership.
• Demonstrate sound judgment when reviewing sensitive or procurement-related information.
• Anticipate scheduling, documentation, or coordination risks before they affect deliverables.
• Communicate professionally with Government personnel, training providers, instructors, reviewers, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders.
• Translate complex review findings into concise reports, trackers, presentations, recommendations, and action items.
• Remain effective in an environment where workload may be intermittent, deadline-driven, and distributed throughout the year.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Consultant will provide execution-level support to FEMA’s Training Partners Program through program analysis, reporting, coordination, logistical support, documentation, and stakeholder engagement.

The position may support activities associated with:

• Curriculum review and recertification.
• Instructor audits.
• Grant application review consultation.
• Review Board planning and execution.
• Subject matter expert coordination.
• Review comment collection and reconciliation.
• Documentation and records management.
• Process improvement.
• Performance reporting.
• Section 508 coordination and accessibility review support, as assigned.

The Training Partners Program sponsors the development, delivery, and evaluation of training through grants, cooperative agreements, and interagency agreements. Its training programs support first responders, emergency managers, and elected and appointed officials. The program applies the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation model to curriculum development and evaluation.

The Consultant is expected to support the operational processes that help FEMA determine whether training materials and delivery methods meet applicable quality, accuracy, instructional, administrative, and program requirements. The overall objective is to help ensure that federal funds result in consistently high-quality training.

Anticipated Day-to-Day Activities

• Coordinate curriculum reviews, instructor audits, grant application reviews, Review Boards, and related program activities.
• Develop schedules, review calendars, task trackers, milestone plans, contact lists, and status reports.
• Communicate review requirements, deadlines, evaluation criteria, and submission instructions to training partners, reviewers, subject matter experts, and FEMA stakeholders.
• Distribute course materials, review packages, instructor credentials, evaluation forms, reference materials, and other documentation to authorized participants.
• Review submitted materials for completeness, consistency, organization, and readiness for technical or programmatic evaluation.
• Analyze reviewer feedback, program data, audit results, evaluation comments, and supporting documentation to identify trends, risks, discrepancies, and required follow-up actions.
• Compile comments received before, during, and after curriculum reviews, instructor audits, grant reviews, or Review Board activities.
• Reconcile conflicting or duplicative reviewer comments and prepare consolidated findings for Government review.
• Prepare briefing materials, meeting agendas, minutes, decision documents, correspondence, executive summaries, presentations, reports, and recommendations.
• Facilitate meetings, working sessions, review panels, and consensus-building discussions involving geographically dispersed subject matter experts.
• Apply consensus-building techniques, including the Delphi Method or comparable structured review methods, when supporting grant application reviews or SME panels.
• Track reviewer assignments, deliverable due dates, open actions, risks, approvals, and final dispositions.
• Monitor whether reviews and audits are completed within applicable turnaround periods and promptly elevate potential delays.
• Support instructor audits by coordinating with training providers and arranging access to course materials, credentials, delivery schedules, and evaluation requirements.
• Document observations concerning instructor methodology, adult learning practices, course delivery, participant engagement, and adherence to established standards.
• Process post-review and post-audit paperwork, approvals, records, and final documentation.
• Maintain organized electronic files, review histories, trackers, correspondence, and supporting records in accordance with FEMA and Ascension requirements.
• Evaluate existing workflows and recommend practical improvements to reduce administrative burden, strengthen consistency, and improve review-cycle visibility.
• Coordinate with Section 508 specialists when training products or supporting materials require accessibility testing or remediation.
• Protect procurement-sensitive, proprietary, personally identifiable, and other controlled information.
• Participate in quality control reviews to ensure work products are complete, accurate, professionally written, and ready for Government acceptance.
• Travel to training delivery sites, audit locations, meetings, or other authorized locations when required and approved.

Protect our Land, Ascend with Us!

Ascension is seeking a Senior Business Data Analyst IV / Senior Consultant to provide analytical leadership and advisory support for FEMA’s National Training and Education Division (NTED) Training Partners Program (TPP). The ideal candidate is a seasoned business analyst who can evaluate complex operational processes, analyze program performance data, identify improvement opportunities, and translate findings into actionable recommendations for senior stakeholders.

This position is best suited for an experienced consultant with a background in program analysis, training program evaluation, business process improvement, performance measurement, and data-driven decision support. The successful candidate will bring the ability to analyze information from multiple sources, facilitate discussions with stakeholders, develop executive-level products, and support FEMA’s mission of delivering effective emergency management training programs.

The candidate should be comfortable working in a mission-focused environment requiring independent judgment, strong analytical thinking, and the ability to manage competing priorities while delivering high-quality consulting support.

Summary of Contractor Role

The Senior Business Data Analyst IV / Senior Consultant serves as a senior analytical advisor supporting FEMA NTED’s Training Partners Program. The position provides expertise in evaluating training program effectiveness, reviewing operational processes, analyzing performance information, and developing recommendations that improve program efficiency and outcomes.

The consultant will support FEMA stakeholders by transforming operational information into meaningful insights through data analysis, reporting, dashboards, briefings, and decision-support products. The role requires someone who can bridge business operations, training management, and analytics by understanding customer needs, identifying process challenges, and recommending practical improvements.

The ideal candidate will have experience supporting federal programs, developing performance metrics, conducting assessments, facilitating stakeholder engagements, and producing executive-level deliverables using tools such as Microsoft Excel, Power BI, SharePoint, and Microsoft 365.

Key Responsibilities / Expected Activities

The Senior Business Data Analyst IV / Senior Consultant will:

• Analyze program data, operational information, and performance measures to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Evaluate training program processes, curriculum review activities, instructor performance assessments, and operational workflows.
• Develop analytical reports, dashboards, briefing materials, and executive decision-support products.
• Translate stakeholder needs into measurable objectives, performance indicators, and actionable recommendations.
• Facilitate discussions with FEMA program stakeholders to gather requirements, validate findings, and support continuous improvement initiatives.
• Assess existing business processes and recommend workflow improvements to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
• Support program reviews, evaluation activities, and Review Board preparation through data analysis and documentation.
• Create performance measurement frameworks, KPI reports, and analytical summaries to support leadership decision-making.
• Prepare executive briefings, presentations, and written recommendations for senior government stakeholders.
• Coordinate with project teams, subject matter experts, and functional stakeholders to ensure alignment of analytical findings with mission objectives.
• Identify operational risks, dependencies, and process gaps and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Apply analytical methodologies to improve program visibility, accountability, and performance outcomes.

Protect our Land, Ascend with Us!

Ascension is seeking an Emergency Management Analyst I (SME Support) to provide research, analytical, and program support services in support of FEMA’s National Training and Education Division (NTED) Training Partners Program (TPP). The ideal candidate will support the evaluation, review, and continuous improvement of emergency management training programs designed to strengthen national preparedness capabilities.

This position is suited for a detail-oriented professional with foundational knowledge of emergency management, homeland security, training development, or public-sector program support. The successful candidate will bring strong research, documentation, communication, and organizational skills to assist senior subject matter experts, reviewers, and program managers in evaluating training materials, documenting findings, and supporting FEMA-sponsored preparedness initiatives.

The candidate should be comfortable working in a collaborative environment, analyzing information from multiple sources, developing written products, and supporting program activities with limited supervision.

Summary of Contractor Role

The Emergency Management Analyst I will provide analytical and administrative support to FEMA NTED’s Training Partners Program by assisting with curriculum reviews, training evaluations, research activities, documentation, and stakeholder coordination.

The contractor will support senior emergency management professionals by conducting research, reviewing training content against established criteria, documenting observations, preparing reports, and maintaining program records. The role requires someone who can organize information, identify trends, communicate findings clearly, and support the development of products used for training quality assurance and program improvement.

The ideal candidate demonstrates:

• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to research, analyze, and summarize complex information
• Ability to prepare professional documentation and briefing materials
• Ability to work independently while supporting a larger project team
• Interest or experience in emergency management, homeland security, disaster preparedness, or training programs

The contractor may use tools and processes such as:

• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Document review and tracking tools
• Training evaluation templates
• Research databases and online resources
• Collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint

Position Responsibilities / Expected Activities

The contractor will:

• Conduct research on emergency management topics, training programs, and preparedness initiatives.
• Review all-hazards training curricula and supporting materials for completeness, accuracy, and alignment with program requirements.
• Assist senior SMEs with curriculum evaluations and training quality reviews.
• Analyze training documentation, instructor materials, participant feedback, and evaluation results.
• Prepare summaries, reports, briefing materials, and review documentation.
• Support Training Review Boards by organizing materials, documenting findings, and tracking recommendations.
• Participate in virtual meetings, working sessions, and stakeholder discussions.
• Capture meeting notes, action items, and follow-up activities.
• Maintain organized project documentation and records.
• Assist with quality reviews of training products and deliverables.
• Support preparation of presentations, spreadsheets, and program tracking materials.
• Identify potential issues, trends, and improvement opportunities based on research and analysis.
• Coordinate with project team members to support timely completion of assigned activities.

Protect our Land, Ascend with Us!

Ascension is seeking an experienced Emergency Management Analyst II / Emergency Management SME II to support FEMA’s National Training and Education Division (NTED) Training Partners Program (TPP). The ideal candidate will bring practical emergency management domain expertise combined with analytical skills to evaluate training programs, review all-hazards curricula, assess training effectiveness, support review boards, and provide recommendations that improve national preparedness training outcomes.

This role is designed for a professional who understands the emergency management training ecosystem, including FEMA preparedness doctrine, training delivery standards, curriculum evaluation processes, and stakeholder coordination. The successful candidate will be comfortable analyzing complex program information, translating findings into actionable recommendations, and collaborating with government stakeholders, instructors, training partners, and subject matter experts.

The candidate should be a self-directed professional who can operate independently, manage competing priorities, communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, and apply analytical judgment to support FEMA’s mission of strengthening the nation’s emergency preparedness workforce.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Emergency Management Analyst II / SME II provides analytical, evaluative, and consultative support to FEMA NTED’s Training Partners Program. The contractor will assist with reviewing emergency management training curricula, evaluating training delivery effectiveness, supporting instructor audits, participating in review board activities, and preparing analytical products that support program decisions.

The position requires an individual capable of combining emergency management knowledge with program analysis, reporting, performance measurement, and stakeholder engagement skills. The contractor will support FEMA’s efforts to ensure training products meet quality standards, align with preparedness objectives, and effectively support emergency responders and homeland security professionals.

The role will support activities such as:

• Training curriculum evaluation and review
• Emergency management program analysis
• Training partner assessment
• Instructor and course delivery evaluation
• Performance metric development and reporting
• Review board preparation and coordination
• Stakeholder engagement and meeting support
• Development of recommendations, reports, and briefing materials

The candidate should be familiar with analytical tools and processes used to support government program management, including Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, data collection methods, reporting dashboards, and structured evaluation frameworks.

Position Day-to-Day Activities

The Emergency Management Analyst II / SME II will:

• Analyze emergency management training programs, curricula, and instructional materials to assess alignment with FEMA preparedness objectives.
• Review and evaluate all-hazards training courses for completeness, accuracy, relevance, and consistency with established requirements.
• Conduct research, interviews, and data collection activities with training partners, instructors, and stakeholders.
• Support instructor audits by reviewing training delivery methods, course execution, and compliance with established standards.
• Participate in Training Partners Program review boards by preparing evaluation materials, documenting findings, and supporting recommendations.
• Develop analytical reports, briefings, dashboards, and performance summaries to communicate program effectiveness.
• Analyze performance trends and identify opportunities for improving training quality, delivery methods, and learner outcomes.
• Support development and maintenance of evaluation criteria, assessment tools, and review methodologies.
• Coordinate with FEMA stakeholders, training partners, and subject matter experts to gather information and validate findings.
• Facilitate meetings, capture action items, and support stakeholder communication activities.
• Prepare executive-level presentations, decision papers, and program documentation.
• Maintain organized documentation repositories using collaboration tools such as Microsoft SharePoint and Teams.
• Provide recommendations to improve training program effectiveness, consistency, and mission alignment.

Protect our Land, Ascend with Us!

Ascension is seeking an experienced Emergency Management Subject Matter Expert III (SME III) to provide senior-level advisory support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Training and Education Division (NTED) in support of the Training Partners Program (TPP). This role is designed for an emergency management professional who understands national preparedness doctrine, all-hazards training programs, curriculum development, instructional quality standards, and stakeholder engagement.

The ideal candidate will serve as a trusted advisor responsible for evaluating and improving emergency management training programs, supporting curriculum review activities, participating in expert review boards, and helping ensure training products meet FEMA mission objectives and quality expectations.

This position is best suited for a highly experienced emergency management professional who can independently analyze complex training materials, provide objective recommendations, facilitate discussions with subject matter experts and stakeholders, and translate operational requirements into actionable improvements.

Summary of Contractor Role

The Emergency Management SME III provides senior-level consulting and subject matter expertise supporting FEMA NTED’s Training Partners Program. The contractor will support activities associated with all-hazards curriculum review, training delivery assessments, instructional quality reviews, and training program governance activities.

The SME III serves as a lead advisor responsible for applying emergency management expertise to evaluate training content, identify opportunities for improvement, validate curriculum alignment with FEMA preparedness objectives, and support review boards that assess training effectiveness.

The successful candidate should be a self-directed professional capable of operating independently in a complex federal environment while collaborating with curriculum developers, instructors, government stakeholders, and other subject matter experts. The individual should demonstrate strong analytical thinking, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to provide constructive recommendations supported by emergency management principles and industry practices.

The role supports FEMA’s mission by helping ensure emergency management training programs remain accurate, relevant, accessible, and aligned with national preparedness priorities.

Position Responsibilities / Day-to-Day Activities

The Emergency Management SME III will:

• Provide senior-level emergency management subject matter expertise supporting FEMA NTED Training Partners Program activities.
• Review all-hazards training curricula, instructor materials, lesson plans, and supporting training products for accuracy, relevance, and alignment with FEMA objectives.
• Evaluate curriculum effectiveness and recommend improvements to strengthen training outcomes.
• Participate in curriculum review boards, technical review sessions, and stakeholder discussions.
• Assess training delivery approaches and provide recommendations regarding instructional effectiveness and learner engagement.
• Analyze emergency management policies, doctrine, standards, and operational requirements to inform training recommendations.
• Facilitate discussions among instructors, curriculum developers, government representatives, and technical reviewers.
• Develop written assessments, review comments, recommendations, and decision-support documentation.
• Support quality assurance activities associated with FEMA-sponsored training programs.
• Validate training materials against emergency management concepts, operational practices, and mission requirements.
• Identify gaps, risks, and opportunities for improving training content and delivery methods.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to junior analysts, reviewers, and project team members.
• Prepare briefings, reports, review summaries, and stakeholder communication materials.
• Maintain awareness of current emergency management practices, FEMA doctrine, and national preparedness initiatives.

Protect our Land, Ascend with Us!

Ascension is seeking an Instructional Systems Designer (ISD) to support FEMA’s National Training and Education Division (NTED) in enhancing the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of national preparedness training programs. The ideal candidate will bring experience in instructional design, curriculum development, adult learning methodologies, and training evaluation to support the review and improvement of all-hazards training materials used across the emergency management community.

This position is designed for an experienced instructional design professional who understands how to evaluate training products, identify opportunities for improvement, and translate complex technical or operational requirements into effective learning solutions. The successful candidate will be detail-oriented, analytical, and comfortable collaborating with subject matter experts, training developers, and government stakeholders to improve training effectiveness and learner outcomes.

The candidate should have experience reviewing curriculum materials, assessing instructional quality, applying instructional design principles, and supporting training modernization efforts. Experience supporting government, homeland security, emergency management, public safety, or workforce development programs is highly valued.

Summary of Contractor Role

The Instructional Systems Designer will provide instructional design and curriculum evaluation support for FEMA NTED’s Training Partners Program (TPP). The contractor will support reviews of all-hazards training curricula, evaluate course content and delivery approaches, identify instructional gaps, and provide recommendations to improve training effectiveness.

The role requires a professional who can analyze instructional materials, validate alignment with learning objectives, evaluate training methodologies, and support continuous improvement activities. The ISD will collaborate with training stakeholders, instructors, and subject matter experts to ensure training products meet FEMA quality expectations and support mission readiness.

The ideal candidate will possess strong analytical skills, excellent written communication abilities, and the ability to independently manage assignments while coordinating with multiple stakeholders.

Position Responsibilities / Expected Activities

The Instructional Systems Designer will:

• Review all-hazards training curricula, instructor materials, learner materials, and supporting documentation to evaluate instructional quality and effectiveness.
• Analyze course objectives, learning outcomes, instructional strategies, and assessment methods for alignment with FEMA training requirements.
• Evaluate training products using instructional design principles, adult learning methodologies, and established curriculum review practices.
• Identify curriculum gaps, inconsistencies, outdated content, and opportunities for instructional improvement.
• Develop recommendations for curriculum revisions, enhancements, and modernization initiatives.
• Support training delivery audits by reviewing instructor practices, course execution, learner engagement, and training effectiveness.
• Participate in curriculum Review Boards and provide objective assessments of training materials and delivery approaches.
• Collaborate with subject matter experts, instructors, program managers, and government stakeholders to validate curriculum improvements.
• Document findings, observations, recommendations, and quality review results through reports, evaluation summaries, and briefing materials.
• Apply instructional systems design methodologies to support development and improvement of training products.
• Support accessibility reviews, including Section 508 considerations, to improve usability and accessibility of training materials.
• Maintain awareness of emerging instructional technologies, learning approaches, and training evaluation practices.

Protect our Land, Ascend with Us!

Ascension is seeking an experienced Section 508 Trusted Tester / Accessibility Compliance Specialist to support FEMA’s National Training and Education Division (NTED) Training Partners Program (TPP). The ideal candidate will have demonstrated expertise evaluating digital content, training materials, and technology solutions against federal accessibility requirements and ensuring compliance with Section 508 standards.

This position is critical to helping FEMA ensure that training products, learning materials, and supporting technology resources are accessible to all users, including individuals with disabilities. The successful candidate will bring strong attention to detail, analytical thinking, and practical experience conducting accessibility assessments, documenting findings, validating remediation efforts, and communicating compliance recommendations to technical and program stakeholders.

The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented professional who can independently execute accessibility testing activities, interpret Section 508 requirements, identify compliance risks, and provide actionable recommendations that improve the usability and accessibility of FEMA training resources.

Summary of Contractor Role

The Technical Specialist III – Section 508 Trusted Tester provides specialized accessibility testing and compliance support for FEMA NTED training programs. The contractor will perform Section 508 compliance assessments, accessibility validation, quality assurance reviews, and technical consultations supporting FEMA’s review of training products and delivery capabilities.

The position supports activities such as reviewing digital learning materials, evaluating web-based content, validating accessibility features, documenting testing results, and supporting remediation discussions with developers, instructional designers, and program stakeholders.

The contractor will apply Section 508 standards, accessibility testing methodologies, and quality assurance practices to ensure FEMA-sponsored training resources meet federal accessibility expectations.

The successful candidate should be comfortable working independently, managing multiple review assignments, producing clear technical documentation, and collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Expected Position Activities

The Technical Specialist III will:

• Perform Section 508 accessibility compliance testing of digital products, training materials, websites, applications, and electronic documents.
• Execute Trusted Tester evaluation procedures to identify accessibility barriers and compliance issues.
• Review training content, multimedia products, learning management system (LMS) content, and electronic materials for accessibility compliance.
• Validate remediation efforts and confirm corrective actions resolve identified accessibility issues.
• Document testing results, findings, defects, recommendations, and compliance status reports.
• Prepare accessibility assessment reports, technical summaries, and audit documentation for government review.
• Analyze accessibility requirements and translate findings into actionable improvement recommendations.
• Support quality assurance reviews associated with FEMA training products and curriculum materials.
• Participate in stakeholder discussions regarding accessibility requirements, remediation strategies, and testing outcomes.
• Advise project teams on accessibility best practices, Section 508 requirements, and compliance considerations.
• Maintain awareness of evolving accessibility standards, testing tools, and federal compliance practices.

Protect our Land, Ascend with Us!

Ascension is seeking an experienced Project Manager III to provide senior-level program management and operational oversight supporting FEMA’s National Training and Education Division (NTED) Training Partners Program (TPP). The ideal candidate is a highly organized, mission-focused professional who can oversee complex training support activities, coordinate multiple stakeholders, manage competing priorities, and ensure high-quality delivery of mission-critical training programs.

This position is ideal for a professional who understands federal training program operations, curriculum development processes, quality assurance activities, and stakeholder coordination. The successful candidate will bring strong project leadership skills, the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously, and experience translating requirements into actionable plans, schedules, risks, and deliverables.

The candidate should be comfortable operating in a dynamic federal environment requiring independent judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate with government stakeholders, subject matter experts, instructors, and contractor teams.

Summary of Contractor Role

The Project Manager III will serve as the senior project management lead responsible for overseeing contractor performance, coordinating program activities, and ensuring successful execution of FEMA NTED Training Partners Program support requirements.

The role requires leadership across multiple functional areas, including curriculum review management, instructor audit coordination, training quality assurance, grant application review support, Section 508 compliance evaluation activities, reporting, stakeholder engagement, and program performance monitoring.

The Project Manager III will establish and maintain project management processes, oversee schedules and deliverables, identify risks and mitigation strategies, facilitate meetings, support decision-making, and ensure contractor activities remain aligned with FEMA NTED objectives.

The successful candidate will use project management methodologies, collaboration tools, reporting dashboards, tracking systems, and quality management processes to support FEMA’s ability to deliver effective preparedness training programs.

Position Responsibilities / Expected Activities

The Project Manager III will:

• Lead contractor execution activities supporting FEMA NTED Training Partners Program requirements.
• Manage project schedules, milestones, deliverables, risks, issues, and dependencies across multiple workstreams.
• Coordinate curriculum review activities, ensuring training materials meet established requirements and quality standards.
• Oversee instructor audit activities, including planning, tracking, documentation, and follow-up actions.
• Support Review Board activities by coordinating stakeholders, documentation, agendas, and decision materials.
• Manage grant application review support activities and coordinate inputs from technical reviewers and program stakeholders.
• Coordinate Section 508 testing and accessibility evaluation activities to support compliant training materials.
• Develop project management artifacts including status reports, action trackers, risk registers, schedules, and briefing materials.
• Facilitate meetings, working groups, and stakeholder discussions to drive progress and resolve issues.
• Monitor contractor performance against requirements, quality standards, and established performance measures.
• Prepare executive-level briefings, presentations, and written communications for government leadership.
• Identify project risks, operational challenges, and opportunities for process improvements.
• Implement quality control processes to ensure deliverables are accurate, complete, and delivered on schedule.
• Collaborate with instructional designers, subject matter experts, analysts, and government personnel to achieve program objectives.

Ascension is seeking a seasoned IT Systems Administrator / Senior Database Management Specialist to administer, secure, maintain, and support enterprise database and related systems for Montgomery County Public Schools. The selected contractor will help MCPS maintain reliable access to critical technology services by protecting data, controlling system access, monitoring availability, resolving technical issues, and supporting upgrades, backups, recovery activities, and system improvements.

This position is best suited for an experienced database professional who can work independently, quickly assess technical conditions, and make sound recommendations in a complex public-sector technology environment. The ideal candidate combines hands-on database administration experience with an understanding of enterprise systems, data security, availability, disaster recovery, and technical documentation.

MCPS intends to use the resulting Master Agreement to acquire specialized personnel across the full systems development life cycle, including enterprise application support, infrastructure maintenance, system integration, data center operations, information security, and technical support.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The contractor will serve as a senior technical resource responsible for the administration and support of database management systems and associated enterprise infrastructure. The individual will monitor database health and availability, manage users and permissions, maintain backup and recovery processes, troubleshoot incidents, support upgrades and patches, and help ensure that database environments remain secure, available, accurate, and recoverable.

The contractor may support SQL-based databases, cloud-hosted or on-premises systems, enterprise applications, reporting platforms, integrations, and data-transfer processes. Depending on the assignment, the position may also support Oracle Fusion Cloud, Infor Lawson, Student Information Systems, Oracle Integration Cloud, business intelligence solutions, and other MCPS platforms.

The successful candidate must be:

• Self-directed and capable of working with limited supervision.
• Methodical, organized, and attentive to technical details.
• Skilled at diagnosing performance, access, availability, and data-integrity problems.
• Comfortable supporting production systems where disruptions may affect school and administrative operations.
• Able to balance planned maintenance, user requests, project activities, and unexpected incidents.
• Effective at communicating technical risks and recommended actions to both technical and nontechnical stakeholders.
• Prepared to work within established change-control, security, privacy, documentation, and escalation procedures.

Position Responsibilities and Anticipated Activities

The contractor will:

• Administer enterprise database platforms, database instances, related services, and supporting infrastructure.
• Monitor database availability, storage utilization, system logs, scheduled jobs, replication processes, and performance indicators.
• Configure database users, roles, permissions, schemas, security settings, and access controls in accordance with least-privilege principles.
• Implement approved database changes, configuration updates, service packs, patches, and version upgrades.
• Develop and maintain backup, restoration, disaster-recovery, and continuity procedures.
• Execute routine backups and periodically validate the recoverability and integrity of backup data.
• Troubleshoot database connectivity, query performance, locking, capacity, integration, authentication, and application-support issues.
• Analyze root causes of incidents and recommend corrective and preventive actions.
• Optimize database objects, queries, indexes, stored procedures, jobs, and configurations to improve reliability and performance.
• Maintain database security procedures, audit records, access documentation, and configuration baselines.
• Support the migration, conversion, cleansing, validation, loading, and reconciliation of data between enterprise systems.
• Execute approved data uploads, including HDL/HSDL processes where required for Oracle Fusion Cloud assignments.
• Assist application developers, analysts, system administrators, security personnel, and vendors in diagnosing cross-platform issues.
• Coordinate planned maintenance and release activities to minimize disruption to MCPS operations.
• Participate in performance, load, stress, failover, recovery, and readiness testing.
• Review database architecture and technical designs for performance, security, maintainability, and recoverability.
• Document system configurations, database inventories, data flows, troubleshooting procedures, recovery steps, and operational dependencies.
• Develop Standard Operating Procedures, runbooks, technical guides, change records, and knowledge-transfer materials.
• Respond to incidents, service requests, security findings, and system alerts within established response expectations.
• Escalate critical outages, security events, data-loss risks, and unresolved technical issues through the proper MCPS channels.
• Protect student, employee, financial, operational, and other sensitive information in accordance with MCPS requirements.
• Comply with change-management, configuration-management, quality assurance, privacy, security, and records-management procedures.
• Prepare weekly productivity reports summarizing work performed, deliverables completed, issues encountered, risks identified, and hours expended.
• Provide technical guidance and knowledge transfer to MCPS personnel and other contractor resources.
• Support after-hours maintenance or urgent restoration activities when authorized by the applicable Statement of Work.

Systems, Tools, and Processes

The contractor may be expected to work with some combination of the following:

Database and data platforms

• Microsoft SQL Server
• Oracle Database
• PostgreSQL or MySQL
• Azure SQL Database or other cloud-hosted databases
• SQL Server Management Studio
• Oracle Enterprise Manager
• SQL Developer
• SQL, T-SQL, or PL/SQL
• Extract, transform, and load tools
• Database monitoring and diagnostic utilities

Enterprise and integration environments

• Oracle Fusion Cloud HCM, ERP, or EPM
• Oracle Integration Cloud
• Infor Lawson
• Student Information Systems
• Microsoft Power BI
• Microsoft Power Automate
• Microsoft Azure
• Windows Server
• Linux
• Active Directory or identity-management platforms
• ServiceNow or comparable service-management systems

Methods and operating processes

• Incident, problem, change, release, and configuration management
• Database performance monitoring and tuning
• Role-based access control and least-privilege administration
• Backup, restoration, disaster recovery, and continuity planning
• Data migration, validation, reconciliation, and quality control
• Root-cause analysis
• System Development Life Cycle practices
• Agile/Scrum and DevOps support
• Technical documentation and version control
• Quality assurance and Independent Verification and Validation support

Ascension is seeking an accomplished Senior Change Manager to lead organizational change management activities supporting Montgomery County Public Schools’ technology modernization, enterprise application, process-improvement, and workforce transformation initiatives.

The ideal candidate will bring senior-level expertise in organizational development, stakeholder engagement, communications, training, readiness assessment, adoption planning, and organizational transition. This individual must be capable of helping MCPS employees, leaders, technical teams, and other stakeholders understand, prepare for, adopt, and sustain changes resulting from new systems, redesigned processes, updated policies, organizational realignments, or technology-enabled ways of working.

The Change Manager will be expected to operate as both a strategic advisor and a hands-on practitioner. The successful candidate will know how to translate technical or programmatic changes into clear impacts on people, roles, processes, and day-to-day activities. This role is especially important because MCPS may use the contract to support enterprise cloud platforms, custom application modernization, intelligent automation, business intelligence, data initiatives, information security, electronic document management, and workforce training across a large and diverse school system.

Ascension is looking for a professional who is:

• Self-directed and comfortable working in evolving or ambiguous environments.
• Skilled at building trust with executives, managers, technical teams, educators, administrative personnel, and end users.
• Able to anticipate adoption barriers and develop practical solutions before those barriers affect implementation.
• Organized, responsive, and capable of managing multiple stakeholder groups, deliverables, and deadlines.
• An effective facilitator who can navigate differing viewpoints and build consensus.
• Comfortable presenting sensitive findings, resistance risks, and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Committed to accessibility, confidentiality, equity, and user-centered implementation.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Senior Change Manager will plan, lead, coordinate, and evaluate organizational change activities associated with MCPS technology and business transformation efforts. The individual will conduct stakeholder and change-impact analyses, assess organizational readiness, develop change-management and communication strategies, coordinate training and knowledge-transfer activities, support leadership engagement, and measure adoption after implementation.

This professional will work closely with project managers, business analysts, system developers, trainers, communications personnel, technical leads, and MCPS process owners. The Change Manager will help ensure that project success is not measured solely by whether a system or process was deployed, but also by whether the affected workforce understands the change, possesses the necessary skills, uses the solution as intended, and sustains the new operating practices.

Assignments may involve:

• Enterprise system implementations or upgrades.
• Business-process reengineering and workflow automation.
• Microsoft Power Platform, SharePoint, Power BI, or Microsoft Copilot adoption.
• Oracle Fusion Cloud or other enterprise application initiatives.
• Data governance and reporting transformations.
• Cybersecurity, privacy, or access-control changes.
• Policy and procedural changes.
• Organizational restructuring or workforce transitions.
• Training, communications, and user-adoption programs.

Position Responsibilities and Anticipated Activities

The Senior Change Manager will:

• Develop comprehensive organizational change-management strategies aligned with project objectives, implementation schedules, risks, and MCPS priorities.
• Conduct stakeholder analyses to identify impacted groups, decision-makers, influencers, champions, potential detractors, and communication needs.
• Assess the organizational, procedural, technological, cultural, and workforce impacts of proposed changes.
• Evaluate organizational readiness through interviews, surveys, focus groups, workshops, document reviews, and operational observations.
• Create change-impact assessments identifying how systems, processes, policies, roles, responsibilities, skills, and performance expectations will change.
• Identify adoption barriers, resistance risks, stakeholder concerns, knowledge gaps, and dependencies that could affect implementation.
• Design stakeholder engagement plans appropriate to executives, managers, technical teams, administrative offices, school-based personnel, and end users.
• Develop targeted communication plans, key messages, executive briefings, frequently asked questions, talking points, newsletters, announcements, presentations, and implementation updates.
• Translate technical information into clear, audience-appropriate language that explains what is changing, why the change is necessary, when it will occur, and how users will be affected.
• Coordinate communication activities with project leadership, MCPS communications personnel, business owners, technical teams, and training specialists.
• Facilitate stakeholder interviews, leadership sessions, readiness workshops, focus groups, working groups, town halls, and change-champion meetings.
• Establish change-champion or super-user networks to strengthen peer communication, issue identification, and local adoption.
• Develop adoption plans that define expected behaviors, implementation milestones, user responsibilities, support mechanisms, and success measures.
• Coordinate training needs assessments and align training content, timing, delivery methods, and audience segmentation with identified change impacts.
• Collaborate with instructional designers and trainers to ensure training addresses actual job responsibilities and system-use scenarios.
• Prepare managers and supervisors to communicate changes, answer employee questions, reinforce expectations, and support their teams during transition.
• Integrate change-management milestones into project plans, integrated master schedules, risk registers, issue logs, and implementation roadmaps.
• Track change-management risks, assumptions, dependencies, decisions, action items, stakeholder concerns, and mitigation activities.
• Measure communication reach, training participation, readiness, user sentiment, system adoption, process compliance, and post-implementation performance.
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative feedback to determine whether the change is achieving intended results.
• Recommend corrective actions when adoption, readiness, communications, training, or stakeholder engagement results fall below expectations.
• Support pilot implementations, phased deployments, go-live activities, transition periods, and post-implementation stabilization.
• Document lessons learned, implementation findings, sustainment requirements, and recommendations for future initiatives.
• Develop standard operating procedures, job aids, transition guides, change playbooks, governance materials, and knowledge-transfer documentation.
• Ensure communications, training materials, and other public-facing deliverables comply with applicable accessibility requirements.
• Protect confidential employee, student, operational, and project information in accordance with MCPS privacy and security requirements.
• Prepare weekly productivity and status reports describing activities completed, deliverables, risks, decisions, upcoming milestones, and hours worked.
• Advise MCPS leadership on organizational readiness, stakeholder alignment, adoption risks, workforce impacts, and change-sustainment strategies.

Anticipated Deliverables

Depending on the task order, deliverables may include:

• Organizational Change Management Plan.
• Stakeholder Analysis and Engagement Plan.
• Change-Impact Assessment.
• Organizational Readiness Assessment.
• Communication Strategy and Communication Calendar.
• Training Needs Assessment.
• Adoption and Transition Plan.
• Resistance-Management Plan.
• Change Champion Network Plan.
• Leadership Briefing Materials.
• Frequently Asked Questions and User Communications.
• Change Risk and Issue Register.
• Adoption Metrics and Performance Dashboard.
• Go-Live Readiness Assessment.
• Post-Implementation Adoption Report.
• Lessons-Learned Report.
• Sustainment and Knowledge-Transfer Plan.
• Standard operating procedures, job aids, and user guidance.

Tools, Processes, and Methodologies

Candidates should be comfortable working with tools and methods such as:

• Microsoft 365, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and Forms.
• SharePoint for communications, knowledge management, document control, and stakeholder resources.
• Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, or comparable scheduling and work-management tools.
• Power BI or Excel for adoption metrics, readiness reporting, survey analysis, and dashboards.
• Power Automate for communication, approval, notification, and tracking workflows.
• Survey and feedback tools, such as Microsoft Forms or SurveyMonkey.
• Project-management practices aligned with PMBOK.
• Agile, Scrum, hybrid, or traditional implementation environments.
• Prosci ADKAR, Kotter, Lewin, Bridges, or comparable change-management frameworks.
• Stakeholder mapping, change-impact analysis, readiness assessment, resistance management, and benefits realization.
• Risk, issue, action-item, and decision tracking.
• Process mapping using Visio, Lucidchart, or comparable tools.
• Accessibility review using Microsoft Accessibility Checker and applicable Section 508 or Non-Visual Access practices.

Ascension is seeking an accomplished Process Manager / Senior Business Process Management Subject Matter Expert to lead complex business process assessments, workflow documentation, business process reengineering, performance measurement, controls development, and continuous improvement initiatives supporting Montgomery County Public Schools.

The successful candidate will help MCPS evaluate how work is currently performed, identify inefficiencies and control weaknesses, design practical future-state processes, and establish repeatable procedures and performance measures. This role is important to MCPS’s objective of acquiring specialized professional and IT expertise that supports strategic planning, system modernization, enterprise applications, intelligent automation, data-informed decision-making, and the full System Development Life Cycle.

Ascension is looking for a senior professional who can move effectively between strategy and implementation. The ideal candidate will be able to facilitate discussions with executives, business owners, technical teams, and end users; analyze complex and sometimes inconsistent operating practices; translate stakeholder needs into documented requirements and workflows; and guide teams through the adoption of standardized processes.

This position is well suited for someone who is:

• Analytical, organized, and highly attentive to detail.
• Comfortable operating in environments where requirements may initially be incomplete or ambiguous.
• Skilled at anticipating process, control, data, and implementation risks.
• Capable of managing several priorities and stakeholder groups concurrently.
• Confident facilitating discussions and constructively challenging inefficient practices.
• Able to develop practical solutions that can be implemented, measured, and sustained.
• Committed to protecting sensitive student, employee, operational, and organizational information.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Process Manager will lead or support business process management initiatives across MCPS administrative, technology, financial, human capital, student support, and other operational environments. The individual will assess current-state operations, document workflows, identify bottlenecks and control gaps, define business and functional requirements, and develop future-state processes that improve consistency, accountability, service delivery, data quality, and management visibility.

The Process Manager may support enterprise applications and workflows associated with Oracle Fusion Cloud, Infor Lawson, student information systems, Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Power Platform, electronic document management platforms, and other MCPS systems. Assignments may include manual process improvement, technology-enabled process redesign, workflow automation planning, policy and procedure development, performance measurement, organizational change support, and implementation monitoring.

The role requires more than producing diagrams. The Process Manager must understand the business purpose behind each process, determine whether the process is properly controlled, evaluate how data moves between participants and systems, and recommend improvements that are realistic within the customer’s operating environment.

The RFP specifically identifies process analysis, workflow redesign, automated workflows, performance reporting, risk management, project management, document management, SOP development, and continuous improvement as relevant areas of support. It also requires services to follow applicable project management, accessibility, security, privacy, and regulatory standards.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead current-state process assessments through stakeholder interviews, workshops, document reviews, system demonstrations, observation, surveys, and data analysis.
• Define the objectives, scope, participants, inputs, outputs, systems, decision points, dependencies, controls, risks, and performance expectations associated with each process.
• Document current-state and future-state workflows using process maps, swimlane diagrams, value-stream maps, decision models, procedures, requirements documents, and supporting narratives.
• Analyze workflows to identify bottlenecks, duplicated activities, excessive handoffs, manual workarounds, unclear ownership, control deficiencies, data-quality problems, and automation opportunities.
• Design future-state processes that simplify workflows, clarify accountability, improve internal controls, reduce unnecessary steps, and support consistent service delivery.
• Facilitate business process improvement and business process reengineering sessions with executives, process owners, subject matter experts, technical teams, and end users.
• Elicit and document business, functional, data, reporting, security, accessibility, and integration requirements.
• Translate operational needs into clear process requirements, user stories, acceptance criteria, workflow rules, and implementation recommendations.
• Develop process inventories, responsibility assignment matrices, standard operating procedures, desk guides, job aids, templates, checklists, governance documents, and control narratives.
• Establish process performance measures, key performance indicators, service-level measures, baselines, targets, data definitions, and reporting methods.
• Evaluate process performance using quantitative and qualitative data, root-cause analysis, trend analysis, control assessments, and stakeholder feedback.
• Develop business controls that address authorization, segregation of duties, data validation, approvals, records management, exception handling, and auditability.
• Recommend workflow automation opportunities using tools such as Microsoft Power Automate, Power Apps, SharePoint, electronic forms, document management platforms, and enterprise applications.
• Collaborate with application developers, systems analysts, security specialists, testers, data professionals, and project managers to ensure redesigned processes are accurately implemented.
• Support requirements traceability from business need through process design, configuration, development, testing, deployment, and user acceptance.
• Review proposed system configurations, forms, workflows, reports, and automation solutions for alignment with approved business processes.
• Assist with test scenario development and user acceptance testing to validate that implemented solutions support the approved future-state process.
• Assess organizational and workforce impacts resulting from process, policy, role, system, or technology changes.
• Develop implementation roadmaps, transition plans, process-control plans, training recommendations, communication materials, and adoption measures.
• Monitor implementation progress and process results to determine whether changes are producing the intended outcomes.
• Identify implementation risks, stakeholder concerns, process deviations, and unresolved decisions, and recommend appropriate corrective actions.
• Conduct lessons-learned sessions and post-implementation reviews to identify opportunities for further improvement.
• Prepare concise reports, executive briefings, recommendations, decision papers, and presentations for MCPS leadership.
• Maintain version control, review histories, approvals, and repositories for process documentation and related work products.
• Produce accurate weekly productivity reports summarizing completed activities, deliverables, issues, risks, decisions, and hours expended, as required by the contract.
• Ensure deliverables comply with applicable MCPS privacy, security, records-management, accessibility, and data-handling requirements.
• Protect student, employee, operational, financial, and other sensitive information in accordance with FERPA, COPPA, the Maryland Student Privacy Act, MCPS policy, and applicable task-order requirements.
• Perform other process management, business analysis, workflow improvement, governance, or implementation-support activities assigned under an MCPS Statement of Work.

Anticipated Tools and Methodologies

Candidates should have experience with several of the following:

Process and Analysis Tools

• Microsoft Visio
• Lucidchart
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Miro or comparable workshop tools
• Business process modeling tools
• Requirements traceability matrices
• Process inventories and control matrices
• RACI or responsibility assignment matrices

Technology and Collaboration Platforms

• Microsoft 365
• Microsoft Teams
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Power Automate
• Microsoft Power Apps
• Microsoft Power BI
• ServiceNow or comparable workflow platforms
• Jira, Azure DevOps, or similar work-management tools
• Electronic document and records-management platforms
• Oracle Fusion Cloud, Infor Lawson, or comparable enterprise systems

Methods and Frameworks

• Business Process Management
• Business Process Improvement
• Business Process Reengineering
• Business Process Model and Notation
• Lean
• Six Sigma
• Root-cause analysis
• Value-stream mapping
• Agile and Scrum
• Systems Development Life Cycle
• PMBOK-aligned project management
• Change management
• Process performance measurement
• Internal-control design
• Continuous improvement
• Capability maturity assessments

Ascension is seeking an experienced Senior IT Project Manager / Task Leader to lead complex information technology, modernization, system integration, data, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and professional-services projects supporting Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).

The successful candidate will provide disciplined project leadership across the full System Development Life Cycle and will be accountable for planning, scheduling, budgeting, risk management, quality, stakeholder coordination, performance monitoring, and delivery. This position is especially important because MCPS intends to use the contract as an enterprise-wide vehicle for acquiring specialized IT services through future Statements of Work and Requests for Resumes.

Ascension is looking for a highly organized, analytical, and self-directed leader who can bring structure to complex or evolving assignments. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working with technical specialists, business owners, school-system stakeholders, vendors, and executive leadership while maintaining visibility into project scope, schedule, cost, risks, dependencies, quality, and performance.

The candidate should be capable of anticipating problems, developing practical solutions, resolving competing priorities, and communicating project status clearly. This individual must also understand that work performed in a public-school environment requires sound judgment, confidentiality, accessibility, data privacy awareness, and sensitivity to the needs of students, educators, administrators, and other stakeholders.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Senior IT Project Manager / Task Leader will lead one or more MCPS technology initiatives from planning through implementation, transition, and closeout. Assignments may involve enterprise cloud applications, software development, systems modernization, intelligent automation, business intelligence, data science, GIS, infrastructure, cybersecurity, web systems, electronic document management, training, or related IT consulting services.

The Project Manager will translate task-order requirements into an actionable project management approach, establish governance and reporting processes, coordinate multidisciplinary teams, and ensure that technical work remains aligned with MCPS priorities. The role will apply Project Management Body of Knowledge principles and may incorporate Agile, Scrum, DevOps, iterative development, or hybrid delivery methods depending on the nature of the assignment.

The position may serve as the primary day-to-day interface among Ascension, MCPS project leadership, technical teams, subcontractors, and other stakeholders. The Project Manager will be expected to maintain accurate project records; prepare weekly productivity and performance reports; oversee deliverable reviews; manage issues, risks, changes, and dependencies; and ensure that work products satisfy contractual, technical, quality, security, privacy, and accessibility requirements.

MCPS specifically requires project management services to follow PMBOK-aligned practices, including disciplined schedule, budget, and performance reporting. The solicitation also requires weekly electronic productivity reports and identifies senior or lead personnel as potential Task Leaders when they possess appropriate supervisory or project-leadership experience.

Anticipated Day-to-Day Activities

• Lead project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, transition, and closeout activities for assigned MCPS technology initiatives.
• Develop and maintain the project management plan, integrated master schedule, work breakdown structure, milestones, dependencies, resource plan, and deliverable calendar.
• Translate Statements of Work, technical requirements, and customer priorities into actionable tasks, assignments, acceptance criteria, and performance measures.
• Establish project governance processes, communication protocols, decision-making authorities, escalation paths, and reporting cadences.
• Coordinate the work of technical specialists, developers, analysts, cybersecurity personnel, quality assurance staff, trainers, vendors, and subcontractors.
• Monitor project scope, schedule, budget, staffing, quality, risks, issues, changes, and performance against approved baselines.
• Identify schedule conflicts, technical dependencies, resource constraints, delivery risks, and emerging issues before they affect project outcomes.
• Develop risk registers, issue logs, action-item trackers, decision logs, change-control records, and mitigation or contingency plans.
• Facilitate project kickoff meetings, status reviews, technical working sessions, sprint reviews, risk meetings, stakeholder briefings, and lessons-learned sessions.
• Prepare weekly productivity reports summarizing tasks completed, deliverables produced, hours expended, risks, issues, decisions, and upcoming activities.
• Present concise project-status briefings, dashboards, recommendations, and decision materials to MCPS leadership and other stakeholders.
• Manage stakeholder expectations and maintain alignment among business owners, technical teams, executive sponsors, users, and external partners.
• Review deliverables for completeness, consistency, accessibility, technical quality, and compliance before submission to MCPS.
• Coordinate peer reviews, quality-control reviews, Independent Verification and Validation activities, and corrective-action follow-up when required.
• Apply PMBOK, Agile, Scrum, DevOps, SDLC, change-management, and quality-management practices appropriate to each assignment.
• Ensure project activities comply with MCPS security, privacy, accessibility, records-management, and data-protection requirements.
• Support compliance with FERPA, COPPA, the Maryland Student Privacy Act, ADA Section 508, Non-Visual Access requirements, and applicable State IT security standards.
• Oversee project documentation, configuration control, version management, acceptance records, meeting records, and knowledge-transfer materials.
• Coordinate staffing adjustments and personnel substitutions while maintaining continuity and compliance with MCPS approval requirements.
• Mentor project team members and reinforce accountability, clear communication, collaborative problem-solving, and timely execution.
• Resolve performance, coordination, and delivery problems using documented corrective actions and escalation procedures.
• Support implementation, release readiness, user acceptance, training, organizational transition, and post-deployment stabilization.
• Maintain confidentiality and protect MCPS systems, student information, employee information, project documentation, and other sensitive data.

Customer Problems This Position Is Expected to Address

The Senior IT Project Manager / Task Leader will help MCPS:

• Coordinate complex projects involving multiple technical domains and stakeholder groups.
• Maintain clear ownership, accountability, and visibility across project activities.
• Prevent schedule slippage, uncontrolled scope growth, cost overruns, and unresolved technical dependencies.
• Integrate business, technical, security, privacy, quality, accessibility, and training requirements into one coordinated delivery approach.
• Improve executive visibility through accurate reporting, dashboards, risk analysis, and decision support.
• Ensure that technical solutions are tested, documented, accessible, secure, maintainable, and ready for operational use.
• Facilitate timely decision-making and resolution of issues that could affect schools, administrative offices, employees, or students.
• Establish repeatable project processes and documentation that MCPS can continue using after an assignment is completed.

Tools and Processes Likely to Be Used

The specific tools will be established by each task order, but candidates should be prepared to work with:

• Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Jira, Azure DevOps, or comparable scheduling and work-management tools.
• Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Power BI or comparable project and performance-reporting platforms.
• ServiceNow or other IT service-management and workflow tools.
• Risk registers, issue logs, decision logs, action trackers, change-request forms, and deliverable registers.
• Agile/Scrum ceremonies, sprint planning, product backlogs, Kanban boards, and release planning.
• PMBOK-based project-management processes.
• SDLC, DevOps, CI/CD, configuration-management, quality-assurance, and IV&V processes.
• Section 508 and Non-Visual Access review procedures.
• Root-cause analysis, corrective-action planning, lessons learned, and continuous-improvement methods.

Ascension is seeking a senior-level Quality Assurance Consultant who can establish and lead a disciplined quality-management and testing approach for complex enterprise technology initiatives.

The Senior QA Consultant will go beyond executing tests. This individual will define quality standards, establish metrics, develop testing methodologies, conduct root-cause analysis, support Independent Verification and Validation, and provide an objective assessment of whether applications, integrations, infrastructure components, or technology-enabled processes are ready for implementation.

The ideal candidate will combine hands-on testing knowledge with the judgment needed to identify systemic quality risks, challenge unsupported readiness claims, and recommend corrective action. The consultant should be capable of communicating with developers, business owners, project managers, technical leads, vendors, executives, and nontechnical users.

The RFP requires a bachelor’s degree and eight years of QA experience, including five years applying statistical methods. Senior QA responsibilities include QA metrics, root-cause analysis, IV&V, and quality-methodology development.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Senior Quality Assurance Consultant will establish a repeatable quality framework across one or more MCPS projects. This may include quality planning, requirements reviews, test governance, risk-based testing, statistical analysis, defect-trend analysis, quality audits, accessibility reviews, performance testing, and release-readiness assessments.

The individual should be self-directed, appropriately skeptical, and comfortable working in environments where requirements, system dependencies, or acceptance criteria may initially be incomplete. The consultant must be able to distinguish isolated defects from broader process failures and determine whether a proposed solution addresses the underlying cause.

The Senior QA Consultant may serve as a task leader and provide technical direction to testers, developers, analysts, and business representatives.

Anticipated Day-to-Day Activities

• Establish project-level QA strategies, quality-management plans, standards, procedures, templates, metrics, and acceptance criteria.
• Lead the development and execution of master test plans covering functional, integration, regression, performance, security, accessibility, and user-acceptance testing.
• Design risk-based testing approaches that concentrate resources on mission-critical, high-impact, and high-likelihood failure areas.
• Conduct independent reviews of requirements, designs, configurations, interfaces, source-code documentation, test evidence, and implementation plans.
• Perform Independent Verification and Validation assessments of system functionality, security, performance, accessibility, and implementation readiness.
• Develop QA scorecards, defect metrics, trend analyses, control charts, sampling methods, and other statistical measures.
• Analyze defect patterns, escaped defects, recurring failures, and process breakdowns.
• Facilitate root-cause analysis sessions and document corrective and preventive actions.
• Evaluate whether corrective actions address root causes and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
• Define entry criteria, exit criteria, defect-severity standards, acceptance thresholds, and release-readiness measures.
• Review vendor-generated test plans and results for completeness, independence, repeatability, and sufficiency.
• Assess testing coverage against business requirements, technical specifications, privacy obligations, security controls, and accessibility standards.
• Coordinate performance, load, stress, resilience, and disaster-recovery testing.
• Lead defect-triage meetings and advise stakeholders on defect severity, business impact, remediation priority, and release risk.
• Report quality status, unresolved risks, exceptions, trends, and recommendations to project and executive leadership.
• Mentor junior testers and provide technical direction on testing methods, documentation, automation, and quality controls.
• Support process-improvement and lessons-learned activities across the SDLC.
• Maintain objective evidence supporting system acceptance, deployment decisions, audits, and post-implementation reviews.
• Ensure testing and quality-management activities align with applicable MCPS, State of Maryland, privacy, security, and accessibility requirements.
• Prepare weekly productivity and performance reports required under the contract.

Ascension is seeking a highly experienced Senior Systems Security Specialist to help Montgomery County Public Schools protect its enterprise applications, networks, infrastructure, data, and technology services from cybersecurity threats and unauthorized access.

The successful candidate will analyze and define security requirements for complex, high-level applications; conduct security and privacy risk assessments; evaluate vulnerabilities; support secure identity and access management; and advise technical teams on the implementation of enterprise and multilevel security controls.

This role is important because MCPS technology environments support more than 159,000 students, approximately 25,800 employees, and numerous administrative, instructional, financial, human capital, student information, cloud, and infrastructure systems. The Senior Systems Security Specialist will help ensure that these systems are designed, configured, integrated, tested, and maintained in a manner that protects sensitive student, employee, financial, operational, and institutional information.

Ascension is looking for an individual who combines deep technical security expertise with sound judgment, professional discretion, and the ability to translate complex cybersecurity risks into practical recommendations for executives, project managers, system owners, developers, administrators, and end users.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Senior Systems Security Specialist will provide cybersecurity engineering, risk management, and security requirements support throughout the System Development Life Cycle. The position will evaluate security controls and system architectures; identify vulnerabilities and threats; define remediation requirements; and support the secure implementation of applications, cloud platforms, infrastructure, databases, identity services, web systems, and enterprise integrations.

The specialist may support vulnerability assessments, penetration-testing activities, intrusion detection and monitoring, endpoint security, identity and access management, disaster recovery planning, application security reviews, and Independent Verification and Validation. The role may also advise development and infrastructure teams on secure configurations, role-based access, data protection, logging, encryption, source-code security, and system readiness before production deployment.

The ideal candidate will be:

• Self-directed and capable of working in a complex environment with limited supervision.
• Detail-oriented, analytical, and highly protective of sensitive information.
• Skilled at identifying the root causes of security risks rather than merely documenting symptoms.
• Comfortable challenging insecure designs or practices while maintaining productive working relationships.
• Able to prioritize multiple assessments, incidents, remediation activities, and project deadlines.
• Experienced in presenting technical findings to both technical and nontechnical stakeholders.
• Prepared to work in an educational environment governed by student privacy, accessibility, public-sector security, and records-management requirements.

The RFP specifically identifies information-system security as a functional area covering vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, intrusion detection monitoring, endpoint security, and identity management. It also requires contractors to consider FERPA, COPPA, the Maryland Student Privacy Act, SOC 2, State IT security policies, and applicable HIPAA requirements.

Position Responsibilities and Anticipated Activities

The Senior Systems Security Specialist will:

• Analyze business, technical, privacy, and operational requirements to identify applicable security requirements and controls.
• Define security requirements for complex, enterprise-level applications, cloud platforms, databases, integrations, infrastructure components, and web-based systems.
• Conduct cybersecurity risk assessments and document threats, vulnerabilities, likelihood, potential impact, existing safeguards, residual risk, and recommended treatments.
• Evaluate system architectures, application designs, data flows, trust boundaries, interfaces, APIs, and integrations for security weaknesses.
• Perform or coordinate vulnerability assessments, configuration reviews, penetration tests, and application-security testing.
• Review vulnerability scan and penetration-test findings for accuracy, severity, exploitability, business impact, and remediation priority.
• Develop security assessment reports, plans of action, remediation recommendations, risk registers, control matrices, and executive summaries.
• Support identity and access management activities, including role-based access control, account provisioning, privileged-access management, authentication, authorization, and access recertification.
• Assess system roles and permissions to identify excessive access, segregation-of-duties conflicts, inactive accounts, and unauthorized privileges.
• Recommend technical and administrative safeguards for protecting student, employee, financial, operational, and other sensitive information.
• Advise application developers, system engineers, cloud administrators, database administrators, and project managers on secure-by-design practices.
• Integrate security requirements into project plans, system requirements, design documents, acceptance criteria, test plans, and release-readiness reviews.
• Review proposed changes, upgrades, patches, integrations, and system configurations for cybersecurity impact.
• Validate remediation evidence and determine whether vulnerabilities and security findings have been adequately resolved.
• Support Independent Verification and Validation activities that evaluate system security, functionality, compliance, and production readiness.
• Monitor or assist with evaluating security events, alerts, endpoint data, system logs, and intrusion-detection information.
• Investigate suspected security incidents or control failures and assist with documenting findings, containment actions, corrective measures, and lessons learned.
• Support immediate escalation and formal documentation of security incidents or unauthorized disclosures involving MCPS information.
• Develop or update cybersecurity policies, standards, procedures, security plans, operating instructions, and incident-response documentation.
• Assess disaster recovery, business continuity, backup, recovery, and resilience controls for critical systems and data.
• Evaluate third-party products, services, subcontractors, and solution architectures for security and privacy risks.
• Review applicable SOC 2 reports and supporting security documentation when required.
• Coordinate with system owners, privacy personnel, project teams, quality-assurance staff, vendors, and MCPS security representatives.
• Facilitate security review meetings, risk discussions, technical working sessions, and remediation-status reviews.
• Brief project leadership and senior stakeholders on significant risks, security posture, remediation progress, and decisions requiring management acceptance.
• Maintain accurate assessment records, supporting evidence, decisions, approvals, and remediation status.
• Prepare weekly productivity reports documenting completed activities, deliverables, issues, risks, decisions, and labor hours.
• Protect all MCPS information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, retention, transmission, or use.
• Comply with MCPS, Maryland, federal, contractual, privacy, accessibility, and cybersecurity requirements.

Anticipated Tools and Technologies

The exact technology stack will depend on the individual MCPS task order. Candidates should have experience with several of the following:

Security and Vulnerability Management

• Tenable Nessus or Tenable Security Center
• Qualys
• Rapid7 InsightVM
• Burp Suite
• OWASP testing tools
• Nmap
• Wireshark
• Microsoft Defender
• Endpoint detection and response platforms
• Security information and event management platforms
• Intrusion detection and prevention systems

Identity and Access Management

• Microsoft Entra ID / Azure Active Directory
• Active Directory
• Single Sign-On
• Multi-factor authentication
• Privileged-access management
• Role-based access control
• Public Key Infrastructure
• Access-governance and recertification processes

Cloud, Application, and Infrastructure Security

• Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services security services
• Oracle Fusion Cloud security roles and controls
• Oracle Integration Cloud
• Web application firewalls
• API security controls
• Secure software-development practices
• CI/CD security scanning
• Database security
• Encryption and key-management technologies
• Backup, restoration, and disaster-recovery platforms

Documentation and Collaboration

• Microsoft 365
• Microsoft Teams
• SharePoint
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Word
• Visio
• ServiceNow
• Jira, Azure DevOps, or comparable issue-tracking platforms

Security Processes and Frameworks

The successful candidate should be able to apply or work within:

• NIST Cybersecurity Framework
• NIST Risk Management Framework
• NIST Special Publication 800-53
• NIST Special Publication 800-30
• NIST Special Publication 800-61
• NIST Secure Software Development Framework
• CIS Critical Security Controls
• CIS Benchmarks
• OWASP Top 10
• SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria
• Zero Trust security principles
• Secure SDLC practices
• Configuration and change management
• Vulnerability and patch management
• Incident response
• Business continuity and disaster recovery
• Risk acceptance and exception management