Protect our Homeland, Ascend with Us!

Ascension LLC is seeking a Mentor-Protégé Program Specialist to support the Defense Health Agency’s Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP). This role is critical to the successful execution, oversight, and continuous improvement of DHA’s Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP), a statutory program designed to strengthen the small business industrial base supporting the Military Health System.

The ideal candidate is a mission-driven analyst and program operator with demonstrated experience supporting federal small business programs, acquisition-related initiatives, and stakeholder-driven program management efforts. This individual will serve as a trusted advisor to DHA OSBP leadership, ensuring mentor-protégé agreements are properly evaluated, coordinated, documented, and managed in accordance with FAR, DFARS, DoDI 4205.01, and the Small Business Act.

This position is well-suited for candidates with experience in federal acquisition support, program analysis, policy development, and cross-functional coordination, particularly within DoD or civilian federal environments.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Mentor-Protégé Program Specialist provides analytical, operational, and program management support to DHA OSBP’s Mentor-Protégé Program. The role focuses on program execution, policy and guidance development, agreement review and coordination, performance tracking, and stakeholder engagement.

The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, highly organized, and comfortable working in a regulated, fast-paced environment with competing priorities. The candidate should be self-directed, capable of operating with minimal supervision, and skilled at translating statutory and regulatory requirements into practical, executable program processes.

This role supports DHA OSBP by ensuring mentor-protégé agreements are compliant, well-documented, and aligned with agency small business objectives, while also helping the Government measure program outcomes and continuously improve execution.

Tools and processes commonly used in this role include Microsoft 365 (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint), data trackers, document review workflows, and structured reporting templates.

Position Day-to-Day Activities

The Mentor-Protégé Program Specialist is expected to perform the following activities in support of the DHA OSBP Mentor-Protégé Program:

• Analyze mentor-protégé agreement submissions for completeness, compliance, and alignment with statutory and regulatory requirements
• Support needs assessments and draft analytical content to inform program policies, guidance, and implementation materials
• Coordinate internal and external reviews of mentor-protégé agreements with Government stakeholders
• Track program activities, milestones, and agreement statuses using structured data and reporting tools
• Assist with program management reviews and stakeholder briefings related to mentor-protégé execution
• Support development and maintenance of budget, expenditure, and performance tracking reports for the program
• Prepare summaries, memoranda, briefing slides, and reports for OSBP leadership
• Maintain accurate program documentation and records in accordance with DHA requirements
• Support continuous process improvement initiatives related to mentor-protégé operations
• Participate in meetings, working groups, and outreach activities as required