• Job Description

  Req#: req2386

  Contingency Communications Support Specialist (COMSEC Custodian)

  Salary Range: 105,346.00 - 134,633.00

  Closing Date: 8/19/2024

  Job Summary:

  The Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) provides operations support services and business solutions to the community of 10,000 House Members, Officers and staff. The CAO organization comprises more than 650 technical and administrative staff working in a variety of areas, including information technology, finance, budget management, human resources, payroll, child care, food and vending, procurement, logistics and administrative counsel.

  This position is located in the Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BC/DR) business unit. BC/DR provides business continuity planning, contingency response, and continuity of operations support, as well as improvements and enhancements to technical infrastructure, systems, information security, emergency communications, and business continuity capabilities of the House. This position serves as the Contingency Communications Support Specialist (COMSEC Custodian) in the Operations directorate.

  BC/DR seeks a talented professional who has proven experience across crisis communications, information technology, and communications security platforms. Key responsibilities include providing primary IT and voice communications support (operational and sustainment) for the House Contingency Communications Programs serving as Communications Security (COMSEC) custodian for the receipt, custody, issue, safeguarding, accounting, and when necessary, destruction of COMSEC material for the House COMSEC account, including maintaining responsibility for maintenance of up-to-date records and the submission of all required accounting reports; upkeeping and maintaining classified voice and data communications equipment; providing exercise support, and training; updating technical data and documentation; providing general communications troubleshooting and repair; and acting as a senior level technical consultant and as a lead subject matter expert in satellite phone communications technology.

  Responsibilities also include ensuring the readiness of BC/DR capabilities, on-campus and alternate locations, on information technology issues; participating in meetings and developing briefings, reports, operational plans; coordinating BC/DR activities on and off campus; providing technical solutions for continuity events where computers, mobile devices, and networks (wired/wireless) may be utilized by House Members and staff on and off campus; and maintaining detailed knowledge of software and hardware network operating systems, Internet services, multi-media and messaging software used in the House.

  This position does not have day-to-day supervisory/managerial responsibilities.

  Major Duties/Responsibilities:

  · Protects COMSEC material and limits access to individuals with requisite clearance(s) and a valid need to know. The COMSEC custodian will be familiar with the procedures for handling COMSEC material as outlined in National Security Agency/Central Security Service Policy 3-16 “Control of Communications Security Material" and will need to keep informed of any new requirements or modifications to be serviced by the House’s COMSEC account.

  · Receives, inventories, receipts for and ensures the safeguarding and accounting of all COMSEC material issued to the House’s COMSEC account and performs routine COMSEC destructions as required.

  · Activates, deactivates, and maintains other contingency (non-COMSEC) communications equipment such as satellite phones, WPS, GETS cards in appropriate repositories.

  · Trains, supports, and assists users with keying material and COMSEC equipment acquisition, installation, keying, and maintenance as required.

  · Participates in Continuity of Operations and Continuity of Government exercises to support House readiness.

  · Provides technical support for BC/DR sites and assets to ensure 24x7 readiness.

  · Assists in writing and organizing technical procedures, operations plans, and standard operating procedures.

  · Configures, installs, and troubleshoots software applications on workstations, servers, and mobile devices.

  · Acts as an advocate for BC/DR in the resolution of computer-related problems or issues.

  · Assists with developing, pulling, and deploying images for BC/DR assets and installing, configuring and troubleshooting software applications on workstations and mobile devices.

  · Develops policies, procedures, and official guidance for the deployment of contingency communications equipment, including working with stakeholders across the Legislative Community.

  · Evaluates, implements, and maintains contingency communications technology to support the House.

  · Participates in systems analyses and feasibility studies on the communications infrastructure.

  · May develop and test prototype configurations and communication interfaces.

  · In coordination with the other personnel, represents CAO in House-wide and external meetings on contingency communications programs as needed.

  · Performs other official duties as assigned.

  
  QUALIFICATIONS:

  Qualifications:

  · Minimum of 4-6 years of relevant experience.

  · Bachelor’s degree in related field

  · Knowledge of principles and best practices as outlined in the National Security Agency/Central Security Service Policy 3-16 “Control of Communications Security Material" is desired.

  · Knowledge of and skill with Key Management Interface (KMI) system operations and maintenance.

  · Ability to recognize and deal with politically sensitive issues in both technical and legislative environments.

  · Ability to communicate effectively to senior officials in the Legislative Branch (both orally and in writing) as well as the ability to follow oral and written instructions.

  · Knowledge of all legislative information systems, House supported software, and technology-developed PC/MAC applications.

  · Knowledge of application software installation and use.

  · Knowledgeable of complex operating systems on PC and MAC workstations, local networks, wiring schemes and wide area networks LAN/WAN/Wireless connectivity, and data communications protocols.

  · Knowledge of PC/MAC hardware components and House supported software, including messaging clients, web browsers and Internet, anti-virus software, office productivity applications, House accounting applications, legislative information systems, random access memory (RAM), disk drives, internal processors, video RAM, and network cards.

  · Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Office 365 Services and Adobe Acrobat.

  · Knowledge of Windows server and workstation operating systems software.

  · Knowledge and experience to provide technical solutions for House integrated systems.

  · Must be willing to occasionally travel, potentially with limited notice, and perform contingency operations. This would include the ability to lift (up to 50 pounds) and load equipment.

  · Must have and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance with SCI eligibility.

  ** Continued employment is contingent upon satisfactorily completing a criminal history records check (or other applicable security clearance) and a pre-employment drug-test (pre-identified position only).

  
  

• About the company

  The United States House of Representatives is the lower house of the United States Congress; the Senate is the upper house.

Notice