Program Specialist Jobs in District of Columbia
Program Specialist jobs in District of Columbia concentrate in federal government agencies, nonprofit policy organizations, and healthcare administration, with demand at every level from coordinator to senior program officer. Most hiring activity centers on Washington DC itself, where anchoring employers such as the Department of Health and Human Services, the American Red Cross, and Booz Allen Hamilton maintain large program management workforces. The most in-demand specialties in this market are federal grants management, public health program oversight, and workforce development administration. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
Find Program Specialist JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 26+ Program Specialist jobs
HighPoint professionals focus on helping government agencies and companies implement their most critically strategic initiatives. The role of Program Specialist #2 contributes to HighPoint by supporting policy development, performance monitoring, recipient engagement, data analysis, and grants administration activities while providing technical assistance and operational support to federal staff and grant recipients.
- Provide programmatic, administrative, and operational support to strengthen policy development, grants administration, monitoring, and overall program effectiveness across DCDDP programs.
- Manage and oversee a portfolio of grant-funded projects, ensuring compliance with federal requirements, performance expectations, reporting obligations, and program objectives.
- Draft and maintain policy documents, program guidance, memoranda, Federal Register notices, OMB clearance packages, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and other administrative and programmatic documentation.
- Develop and manage grants administration communications supporting pre-award and post-award activities, including award documentation, amendments, recipient notifications, and program guidance materials.
- Design and maintain monitoring tools, dashboards, risk assessment frameworks, and performance tracking mechanisms to support grant oversight and portfolio management.
- Analyze, validate, and synthesize program performance, compliance, and reporting data to identify trends, risks, improvement opportunities, and recipient support needs.
- Prepare reports, data visualizations, performance summaries, congressional reporting materials, annual reports, and briefings that support leadership decision-making and stakeholder communications.
- Provide technical assistance and training to grant recipients on reporting requirements, performance reporting systems, data collection tools, and compliance expectations, including PPR, OLDC, and GrantSolutions.
- Support program evaluation and data collection efforts by developing questionnaires, data collection instruments, and documentation required for Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) and OMB approval processes.
- Coordinate meetings, events, stakeholder engagement activities, reporting processes, and cross-functional initiatives while ensuring compliance with federal information security, privacy, and records management requirements.
- Strong knowledge of federal grants management, program administration, compliance monitoring, and performance measurement practices.
- Experience analyzing programmatic, performance, and compliance data to support reporting, decision-making, risk assessment, and continuous improvement efforts.
- Ability to develop dashboards, reports, data visualizations, tracking tools, and performance metrics that support program oversight and accountability.
- Strong understanding of federal reporting requirements, grant lifecycle management, OMB clearance processes, and Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) requirements.
- Excellent written communication skills with experience drafting policy documents, guidance materials, reports, memoranda, briefings, and executive-level correspondence.
- Experience providing technical assistance, trainings, webinars, and stakeholder support related to grants management and reporting systems.
- Strong organizational, project management, and multitasking skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with leadership, grant recipients, federal staff, and external stakeholders while maintaining a high level of professionalism.
- Knowledge of federal information security, privacy, records management, and compliance requirements, including FIPS 199 safeguarding standards.
- Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail and commitment to quality and accuracy.
- Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Business Administration, Data Analytics, Statistics, Program Evaluation, Political Science, or a related field.
- 5+ years of experience in federal grants management, program administration, compliance monitoring, program evaluation, data analysis, or related government support functions.
- Ability to travel up to 10-20%
ABOUT HIGHPOINT:
HighPoint professionals focus on helping government agencies and companies implement their most critically strategic initiatives. The role of Program Specialist #2 contributes to HighPoint by supporting policy development, performance monitoring, recipient engagement, data analysis, and grants administration activities while providing technical assistance and operational support to federal staff and grant recipients.
- Provide programmatic, administrative, and operational support to strengthen policy development, grants administration, monitoring, and overall program effectiveness across DCDDP programs.
- Manage and oversee a portfolio of grant-funded projects, ensuring compliance with federal requirements, performance expectations, reporting obligations, and program objectives.
- Draft and maintain policy documents, program guidance, memoranda, Federal Register notices, OMB clearance packages, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and other administrative and programmatic documentation.
- Develop and manage grants administration communications supporting pre-award and post-award activities, including award documentation, amendments, recipient notifications, and program guidance materials.
- Design and maintain monitoring tools, dashboards, risk assessment frameworks, and performance tracking mechanisms to support grant oversight and portfolio management.
- Analyze, validate, and synthesize program performance, compliance, and reporting data to identify trends, risks, improvement opportunities, and recipient support needs.
- Prepare reports, data visualizations, performance summaries, congressional reporting materials, annual reports, and briefings that support leadership decision-making and stakeholder communications.
- Provide technical assistance and training to grant recipients on reporting requirements, performance reporting systems, data collection tools, and compliance expectations, including PPR, OLDC, and GrantSolutions.
- Support program evaluation and data collection efforts by developing questionnaires, data collection instruments, and documentation required for Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) and OMB approval processes.
- Coordinate meetings, events, stakeholder engagement activities, reporting processes, and cross-functional initiatives while ensuring compliance with federal information security, privacy, and records management requirements.
- Strong knowledge of federal grants management, program administration, compliance monitoring, and performance measurement practices.
- Experience analyzing programmatic, performance, and compliance data to support reporting, decision-making, risk assessment, and continuous improvement efforts.
- Ability to develop dashboards, reports, data visualizations, tracking tools, and performance metrics that support program oversight and accountability.
- Strong understanding of federal reporting requirements, grant lifecycle management, OMB clearance processes, and Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) requirements.
- Excellent written communication skills with experience drafting policy documents, guidance materials, reports, memoranda, briefings, and executive-level correspondence.
- Experience providing technical assistance, trainings, webinars, and stakeholder support related to grants management and reporting systems.
- Strong organizational, project management, and multitasking skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with leadership, grant recipients, federal staff, and external stakeholders while maintaining a high level of professionalism.
- Knowledge of federal information security, privacy, records management, and compliance requirements, including FIPS 199 safeguarding standards.
- Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail and commitment to quality and accuracy.
- Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Business Administration, Data Analytics, Statistics, Program Evaluation, Political Science, or a related field.
- 5+ years of experience in federal grants management, program administration, compliance monitoring, program evaluation, data analysis, or related government support functions.
- Ability to travel up to 10-20%
ABOUT HIGHPOINT:
See All 26 Program Specialist Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Program Specialist JobsProgram Specialist Jobs by City in District of Columbia
Where District of Columbia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Program Specialist Job Market in District of Columbia
A snapshot from current District of Columbia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
What District of Columbia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in program specialist jobs across District of Columbia.
- Bachelor's degree in public administration, social sciences, or a related field required
- Two or more years of experience managing or coordinating federal or government programs
- Demonstrated experience with grants administration, compliance monitoring, or contract oversight
- Strong written communication skills for policy briefs, reports, and stakeholder correspondence
- Proficiency with federal project management or data tracking tools such as SharePoint or Salesforce
- Ability to obtain or maintain a federal security clearance if required by the agency
Program Specialist Jobs in District of Columbia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a program specialist in District of Columbia?
Most program specialist roles in DC require a bachelor's degree in public administration, social work, public health, or a related field, with federal positions often requiring additional years of specialized experience. DC does not impose a state-issued license specific to the program specialist title, but federal agency roles may require clearances or agency-specific certifications. Candidates who complete the Presidential Management Fellows program or secure internships with DC-based federal agencies or nonprofits gain a strong competitive edge in this market.
Which companies hire program specialists in District of Columbia?
Employers hiring program specialists in District of Columbia right now include HIGHPOINT, Corner Alliance, and DC Central Kitchen, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. DC's concentration of federal agencies, international NGOs, and government contracting firms means program specialist demand here is driven heavily by policy-focused and mission-driven organizations.
Which District of Columbia cities have the most program specialist jobs?
The cities with the most program specialist openings in District of Columbia are Washington and Washington Navy Yard. Washington DC itself accounts for the overwhelming share of listings because the federal government, major nonprofits, and headquarters of large consulting firms are physically located there, while nearby areas in the metro reflect agency satellite offices and government contractors operating close to Capitol Hill.
Are there remote program specialist jobs in District of Columbia?
Yes, and more than many fields, since program specialists often handle administrative coordination, reporting, and communication work that translates well to remote settings. About 60% of program specialist openings tied to District of Columbia are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting the desk-based nature of much of this work. Grants management, compliance monitoring, and policy coordination roles tend to offer the most remote flexibility, while roles requiring in-person stakeholder or government liaison work remain largely on-site.
How can I get hired as a program specialist in District of Columbia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in DC is through federal internship pipelines such as the Pathways Programs, which place students and recent graduates directly into federal agencies like HHS, DOJ, and DOE in program support roles. Large DC nonprofits and government contractors such as ICF and Chemonics regularly hire program associates or program coordinators as entry-level stepping stones. A background in research assistance, grant writing, or administrative coordination from an adjacent role gives candidates a concrete edge when competing for these positions.
Where can I find and apply to program specialist jobs in District of Columbia?
You can find and apply to program specialist jobs in District of Columbia on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across federal agencies, nonprofits, and government contractors in the DC area. Search the available roles, identify the ones that match your background and interests, and apply directly to each one that fits.
See All 26 Program Specialist Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Program Specialist Jobs