Data Management Planning Coordinator

NOTE:  If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact Ocean Associates at 703-388-9548 to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.  

Ocean Associates Inc. (OAI) is seeking a Data Management Planning Coordinator to support the needs of the National Ocean Service (NOS), which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). OAI is a Virginia corporation established in 2003 that provides consulting and technical services to the U.S. government, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and the private sector. We specialize in scientific program and project management, strategic planning, professional and technical services, and stakeholder engagement, supporting government contracts. 

Background

The National Ocean Service (NOS) is one of five Line Offices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). Within NOAA, eight NOS Program Offices administer and support the implementation of more than 20 statutory authorities by deploying a broad range of scientific, technical, and management expertise that supports holistic and interdisciplinary approaches to coastal issues and challenges. Mission offices are geographically dispersed, from American Samoa to Scituate, MA. Each Program Office owns, operates, and manages its own mission-specific IT hardware, data, services and products.

The NOS Assistant Chief Information Officer (ACIO), who is part of the NOS/Assistant Administrator/Management & Budget Office (AAMBO), oversees the NOS Information Management Office (IMO). The IMO operates and provides NOS-wide infrastructure services, including an Active Directory forest that manages almost 3000 user end points and over 300 servers across NOS, with a corresponding network and domain management infrastructure. These infrastructure services, along with ACIO governance, policy, and IT security oversight, support the NOS Program Office IT systems which advance he NOS mission to develop and support resilient and sustainable coastal communities and economies.

Description

The NOS Data Governance Board & Data Management teams manage and maintain the data governance and geospatial metadata portfolio for the NOS Program Office community. This position shall provide specific services to the data management team in support of the overall NOS data management community. These services include coordinating among NOS program offices to organize NOS Data Management Working Group meetings; supporting administration and oversight of the NOS Annual Metadata and Data Management Plan inventory and catalog; technical administration of the NOS metadata management system; and providing metadata guidance to support the needs of all NOS Program Office staff as needed. Also provide support for NOAA-wide data management activities, including support for the NOS Assistant Chief Data Officer (ACDO) assisting with the NOAA Data Strategy and NOAA Data Strategic Action Plan implementation teams and activities, and responding to actions from the NOAA Chief Data Officer (CDO) for Federal data governance policies, legislation and requirements. Also provide support for NOAA-wide GIS support activities, including support for the NOAA Geospatial Information Officer (GIO) assisting with priority activities of the NOAA GIS Working Group, the Commerce Geospatial Working Group, and supporting NOAA’s requirements under the Geospatial Data Act of 2018. 

Tasks 

Support the NOS Assistant Chief Data Officer (ACDO) in completing all activities required for successful data management, including the following tasks:

• Lead the data governance capabilities in the National Ocean Service (NOS) serving as a subject matter expert for NOS program offices involving scientific, environmental data, and metadata management through the complete lifecycle
• Provide leadership for enterprise-wide and line office data efforts and initiatives, coordinate across the agency, and ensure consistency and compliance with Federal and agency laws, strategies, and policies. 
• Seeks to streamline NOAA’s data policies, practices, and implementation plans to support interoperability and standards, enables advanced analytics; and markedly improves data quality, access, and usage
• Develop, implement, and support strategic plans for long-term NOS and NOAA data management goals and objectives
• Provide expertise and consult on major data-related or data-intensive initiatives within NOS and across NOAA as applicable
• Sustain and enhance collaboration and relationships with other data managers across NOS and NOAA. 
• Guide NOS Programs on producing and managing quality metadata and ensuring that it adheres to current federal government standards
• Ensure that all NOS data activities are aligned with NOS Data Governance Board (DGB), NOAA Data Governance Committee (DGC), Department of Commerce Data Governance Board (CDGB), and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) led Federal Open Data policies and requirements, and other procedural directives and policies as appropriate
• Facilitate regular informational and non-decisional NOS Data Governance Board meetings and NOAA GIS meetings through the development of meeting agendas and preparation of meeting materials 
• Support the NOAA Geospatial Information Officer (GIO) for NOS and NOAA reporting requirements to comply with the Geospatial Data Act of 2018 including coordination and development of annual Covered Agency Reports, Lead Covered Agency Reports, and Lead Covered Agency Strategic Plans, and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) bi-annual GDA Audits for NOAA and Commerce 
• Coordinate with the NOS ACDO and Assistant Chief Information Officer (ACIO) to improve IT and data management infrastructure 

Start Date: August 25, 2025 or as soon after as possible. 

Location: Remote/Telework within the U.S.

Travel: Travel to the annual NOAA Environmental Data Management Workshop (location TBD), the twice yearly Esri User Conferences (Location California & DC), and NOS Data Governance Board Retreat (Location TBD). Additional travel may be necessary in order to accomplish certain task(s):

Salary and Benefits: This is a full-time position with benefits. Salary, commensurate with experience, between $35.00 - $43.00 per hour.

Requirements

Applicants must have the following minimum requirements:

• BA/BS in Environmental Policy, Marine Science, or a related field 
• A minimum of 5+ years of directly related experience
• Documented evidence of education and/or experience in one or more of the following: Data and metadata management, environmental policy, IT infrastructure, GIS
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and communication skills.
• Basic computer skills (MS Office, etc.).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively both individually and collaboratively in a team/group setting.
• Ability to receive constructive feedback and implement appropriate action.

Preferred:

• Deep knowledge of NOS Data Governance structure, policy, knowledge of each Program Office’s unique conditions and challenges, capability to tailor strategic and policy implementation plans with support throughout execution
• Familiarity with existing processes and policies including the NOS Data Management Plan Process
• Knowledge of the InPort tool and capability to train metadata practitioners across NOS

If you are interested in being considered for this position, please APPLY THROUGH OUR ADP WEB PORTAL, AT THE LINK AT THE TOP RIGHT OF THIS PAGE.

Only qualified applicants that meet minimum experience or background requirements stated above need apply. When applying for this position you will be asked to upload your resume at the end of this online application.

Applicants should submit a resume that includes the following:

• Cover letter that briefly describes how you meet the required and preferred qualifications listed.
• Work history for past 10 years or since last full-time education.
• Education.
• Previous experience or training with similar requirements.
• Three professional references.  
• Include your name in the document file name.
• Upload your resume in readable, not scanned, PDF or Word format (PDF is preferred).  

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States, complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire, and successfully complete a federal government background check.  Ocean Associates Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal or state law. 

OAI is a government contractor and is required by law to invite applicants to self-identify their race, gender, national origin, disability status and veteran status. OAI is required to use the information it collects as part of its future affirmative action efforts in hiring. The information is collected anonymously by computer and is not connected to your application. You will see a place to check certain boxes in OAI's online application. Even though the information is anonymous, self-identification is voluntary. You can always check the box that says you decline to self-identify. 

Note:  If you are not selected, your materials may be retained for present or future opportunities. We may use your resume in bidding on a project and if we are awarded the work, we will contact you before seeking further applicants. If you do not wish us to retain or use your resume to seek work for you, please let us know in the "Notes" section on the second page of the online application.