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Policy & Management
Section 508 Program Manager Competency Guide
The Section 508 Program Manager (PM) Competency Guide details the desired general and technical skills for Section 508 PMs within the federal government. This guide is a centralized resource for those aspiring to become Section 508 PMs, hiring managers, employees, and supervisors to identify suitable training opportunities for career growth. While a Program Manager may not have deep expertise in every area described, this guide illustrates examples, adapted from OPM’s Career Paths for Federal Program and Project Management Guide, of the types of expertise a Section 508 PM may develop or apply while serving as in this role.
Additionally, this guide assists employees in planning and sequencing their career training and development by providing valuable insights into:
Key work behaviors, training options, and developmental opportunities associated with each competency. This guide helps employees and supervisors make effective use of training resources by identifying appropriate coursework and developmental experiences for each competency. Additionally, since not all of these key work competencies are required for every Section 508 PM—and may not apply to all agencies, particularly smaller agencies—the behaviors are separated into three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. These levels serve as general guidance on the types of tasks that might evolve throughout the course of Section 508 PM's career.
Common certifications and educational pathways pursued by Section 508 PMs in the federal sector. While a degree or certificate is not mandatory for advancing in the Section 508 PM field, many professionals obtain certifications or credentials to enhance their work experience and achieve successful performance as Section 508 PMs. For more information on governmentwide on-demand training resources available on this web site, visit Training, Tools & Events.
Core Competencies for Section 508 PMs included in this guide:
Knowledge of the principles and methods for performing technical reviews of Section 508 requirements, solicitations, and specification documents.
Knowledge of test procedures and protocols to assess product accessibility and ability of products to meet Section 508 standards and specifications.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Conduct market research, ensure procurements address Section 508 requirements, and fulfill the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements at FAR 11.002(f) and FAR 39.2.
Formulate strategy for incorporating Section 508 requirements across the acquisition lifecycle.
Coordinate across Chief Information Officer (CIO), legal, acquisition, budget and IT offices to meet information and communication technology (ICT) needs of people with disabilities.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Requirements management
Systems acquisition management
Government contract vehicles
Developmental Opportunities
Serve on proposal review and technical evaluation teams
Core Competencies
Knowledge of change management principles, strategies, and techniques required for effectively planning, implementing, and evaluating change in the organization.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Prioritize and adjust Section 508 plans, schedules, and resources in response to changing needs and competing priorities.
Update relevant plans and communicate approved changes to Section 508 program activities.
Identify the impacts of change on business processes.
Design and implement a change management plan to manage changes to the program scope, schedule, quality, and costs.
Review and approve technology products and services for conformance to the Section 508 standards in support of:
Enterprise Architecture Reviews
Stage Gate Reviews
Change Control Requests
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Change management
Strategic planning and analysis
Program change requests
Project management body of knowledge
Core Competencies
Ability to ensure compliance with relevant Section 508 public law, policy, and regulation as it pertains to the lifecycle of a program through regular assessment, evaluation, and monitoring of programs or projects for Section 508 compliance.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Explain or provide guidance on laws, regulations, policies, standards, or procedures to management, personnel, or clients.
Implement new or revised Section 508 laws, regulations, executive orders, policies, standards, or procedures.
Evaluate current and proposed regulatory requirements alongside mobile platforms and emerging technologies to ensure compliance with Section 508 for organizational programs, standards, and effectiveness measures.
Oversee development and implementation of plans, policies, program procedures, standards, and architectures that support Section 508 compliance.
Evaluate impact of changes to Section 508 or related laws, regulations, policies, standards, or procedures.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Policy and planning
Agency compliance training
Quality management
Requirements management
Developmental Opportunities
Lead program or project evaluation assessments.
Core Competencies
Ability to prepare, justify, or administer the budget for program areas.
Ability to plan, administer, and monitor expenditures to ensure cost-effective support of programs and policies.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Develop short- or long-term financial plans and identify funding sources for Section 508 program initiatives.
Prepare budget requests or justifications for Section 508 program funding.
Review and recommend the approval or disapproval of funding requests.
Manage the budget, including monitoring expenditures or income.
Monitor and control burn rates against the spending plan.
Provide guidance and approve or recommend the Section 508 program budget.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Budget Processes and Procedures
Cost Management
Agency Budget Process
Developmental Opportunities
Participate in the agency's budget process.
Lead project or program human capital assessment.
Align organizational performance baseline to technical strategy.
Core Competencies
Ability to apply knowledge management principles, concepts, and practices to management of Section 508 programs.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Collect, compile, and organize information.
Use computer systems or applications to access, create, edit, print, send, retrieve, or manipulate data, files, or other information related to Section 508 activities.
Remain current on key organizational activities, policies, and priorities likely to affect operations or the program area.
Stay informed of the different forms of project management, such as agile and waterfall, and how they may be applied.
Develop repositories and tools designed to address specific knowledge management needs of the Section 508 program.
Establish policies for document management of Section 508 repositories.
Oversee storage and retrieval of information related to ICT development cycles.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Document management
Knowledge management audit
Developmental Opportunities
Learn SharePoint administration or take training on other relevant online repositories
Core Competencies
Ability to provide oversight for the performance of the Section 508 Program Office, including developing metrics and reporting results on program outcomes to leadership and the American public.
Ability to provide guidance on inclusion of Section 508 compliance in performance plans.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Use developed criteria to track project or Section 508 program accomplishments.
Design or conduct analytical studies, cost-benefit analyses, or other research.
Conduct evaluations, examinations, or other fact finding studies to obtain or verify information.
Monitor programs, projects, operations, or activities.
Establish performance measures to ensure agency ICT complies with Section 508, document compliance activities over time, and report on program maturity and performance to the agency CIO.
Evaluate, monitor, or ensure compliance with laws, regulations, policies, standards, or procedures.
Develop or analyze plans of action and milestones for mitigating risks.
Evaluate the effectiveness of problem solving processes and outcomes to improve program and organizational performance.
Make improvements, solve problems, or take corrective action when performance problems arise.
Develop internal enterprise reporting tools for program metrics for executive briefings, external surveys, memos, or audits.
Ensure performance measures align with governmentwide reporting requirements such as OMB M-24-08 and FITARA.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Performance assessment
Program management
Benchmark identification
Agile methodologies such as scrum, lean, etc.
Requirements management
Performance plans
Personnel management
Core Competencies
Knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools for the coordinated management of a Section 508 program.
Ability to provide oversight of multiple projects, integrating dependent schedules, deliverables, and related activities.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Manage and monitor the requirements development process to mitigate impact on cost, schedule, and performance.
Formulate plans and proper courses of action to implement Section 508 program objectives on a timely and accurate basis and ensure proper coordination with the necessary stakeholders.
Conduct detailed research and analysis to develop compelling business cases for the projects included in the Section 508 program's portfolio.
Establish and communicate a program vision and a roadmap toward program maturity.
Convey the value of and justify the need for program resources.
Manage a portfolio to assess program health and prioritize the various projects within the program.
Oversee the implementation of plans, procurements, risks, and deliverables of program elements.
Develop and track performance metrics and provide regular program-level status updates.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Data analysis
Business case analysis
Portfolio management
Cost analysis
Core Competencies
Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources.
Ability to monitor and inspect costs, work, and contractor performance.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Develop resource estimates related to cost, schedule, and performance.
Monitor and report progress and performance of the program with regard to scope, schedule, cost, resources, quality, and risk.
Assess the value and organizational impact of the project, ensuring the target benefits are measurable and related to business goals.
Oversee execution of the project.
Develop and document a work breakdown structure (WBS) and resource loaded project schedule using common project information systems technology and software.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Project management applications
Project management body of knowledge
Contract management
Requirements management
Core Competencies
Knowledge of the concepts, practices, and techniques used to identify, engage, influence, and monitor relationships with individuals and groups connected to a work effort, including those actively involved, those who exert influence over the process and its results, and those who have a vested interest in the outcome, either positive or negative.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Identify all stakeholders, internal and external, formal and informal. Report to stakeholders formally and informally.
Create a reporting template that can regularly be used to share progress.
Set clear expectations for stakeholders and establish a mechanism for stakeholder input and feedback throughout the program life cycle.
Prepare and implement a program-level stakeholder management plan that aligns with organizational objectives and considers the various levels of stakeholders.
Develop a communication strategy to engage stakeholders, manage their expectations, and improve their acceptance of program objectives.
Accurately capture stakeholder needs and expectations and maintain stakeholder support through effective consensus building.
Engage and facilitate affected stakeholders, manage their expectations to improve their acceptance of the program objectives, schedule, and metrics.
Generate buy-in to the business goals and technical approach of the program.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Stakeholder analysis
Communications strategy
Metrics development
Core Competencies
Knowledge of methods and tools used for risk assessment and mitigation, including assessment of failures and their consequences.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Identify Section 508 project risks and threats, accurately assess, prioritize and track risks; develop and control risk responses.
Proactively identify Section 508 program risks and threats; accurately assess, prioritize, plan risk responses, and track and control risks.
Identify and recommend risk management strategies relevant to Section 508 policies and regulations.
Participate in the establishment of system-wide and local monitors and controls to meet federal government and industry standards and direct recommended and accepted risk assessment methodology.
Assess and approve risk management plans for programs.
Serve as a technical advisor to senior executive stakeholders across agencies on program risk management, including accessibility risk in software and emerging technologies.
Communicate change across the enterprise.
Coordinate the interdependencies of risk management across systems and organizations.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Risk analysis techniques
Change management principles
Developmental Opportunities
Participate on an interagency or intra-agency task force, working group, or project
Detail to an IT program management office or CIO
Core Competencies
Ability to influence, motivate, and challenge others.
Ability to adapt leadership styles to a variety of situations, decision-making frameworks, and other considerations.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Assess interaction of Section 508 needs, risks, and interests across projects, programs and portfolios, sometimes with limited information; decisions are made using a sound tool set.
Make sound and timely decisions for an organization or across organizations.
Promote or develop good working relationships with key individuals or groups.
Manage organizational expectations for realistic program deliverables.
Create alternatives to mitigate organizational risk and capitalize on new and changing technologies.
Identify multi-level intended and unintended consequences of decisions.
Question status quo and explore new ways of meeting organizational needs.
Garner buy-in and manage resistance from stakeholders.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Leadership skills
Risk management
Change management
Core Competencies
Ability to formulate effective strategies consistent with the business and competitive strategy of the organization in a global economy.
Ability to examine policy issues and strategic planning with a long-term perspective.
Ability to determine objectives and set priorities, while anticipating potential threats or opportunities.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Recommend strategic improvements or solutions to both short-term and long-term issues.
Ensure Section 508 program decisions align with agency strategic goals.
Create and communicate a program vision.
Provide a bridge between strategy and culture to meet agency goals.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Strategic planning and analysis
Human-centered design thinking
Core Competencies
Knowledge of the organization’s mission and functions, and how its social, political, and technological systems work and operate effectively within them;
Includes the programs, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations of the organization.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Establish and maintain a baseline understanding of current organizational processes governing the acquisition, development, authoring, configuration, deployment, and maintenance of ICT.
Ensure program decisions align with agency strategic goals.
Scan the environment for external trends such as technologies and policies, assess impact for possible adoption, and adapt value-added innovations to transform service delivery.
Establish professional standards for carrying out the program such as establishing customer service standards or collaborative approach.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Decision-making tools
Environmental scan
Core Competencies
Ability to persuade others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior.
Ability to work with others towards an agreement and; negotiate to find mutually acceptable solutions.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Make improvements, solve problems, or take corrective action when problems arise.
Persuade others to take a particular course of action or to accept findings, recommendations, changes, or alternative viewpoints.
Create consensus to show the mutual benefit for all stakeholders and get to an interest-based outcome versus a position-based outcome. Position-based negotiation involves taking a fixed position with focus on defending demands; whereas interest-based negotiation focuses on understanding interests and needs of both parties.
Understand stakeholder motivations and utilize them effectively to meet program goals.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Negotiation and mediation
Business ethics
Core Competencies
Knowledge of information technology lifecycle methods and how they are leveraged to fulfill business needs and achieve project success.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Increase awareness and use of Section 508 tools and requirements for acquisition of new products and existing product development.
Manage program or project management and systems lifecycles to include:
Acquisition, development, modification, enhancement, deployment or decommissioning of a product, service or system.
Incorporate Section 508 in the procurement process, project deliverables, and vendor evaluations.
Create executive or CIO buy-in to include accessibility in every stage of the product development process, from design to completion. Ensure people with disabilities (PWD) are included in testing and evaluation of project conformance.
Training and Development Activities
Courses or Subject Areas
Supplier development and audit processes
Quality assurance
Technical services and support
Agile software acquisition
Core Competencies
Knowledge and ability to assist with addressing the needs of users with disabilities and the Section 508 requirements in procurement activities.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Manage projects related to the procurement of federal information technology in support of accessible solutions.
Advise on IT contractor monitoring policies and procedures.
Work with developers to ensure Section 508 requirements are incorporated into the procurement and testing of technology.
Build relationships with procurement stakeholders and leadership to ensure Section 508 compliance.
Enforce policies that ensure procurement packages include Section 508 standards and required documentation.
Create processes and procedures guiding the inclusion of Section 508 requirements in solicitations reviews.
Knowledge of assistive technology and ICT accessibility testing methods across multiple technology platforms with both automated and manual testing tools.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Leverage testing methodologies to review and test electronic documents or web content for ICT accessibility or Section 508 requirements.
Set up and configure test tools and assistive devices for testing.
Advise on testing methods, automated accessibility testing tools, and 508 best practices.
Operate assistive technologies such as screen readers, dictation software, magnification software, braille keyboards, embossers, textbook conversion, speech recognition, captioning, and various accessibility testing tools.
Test ICT, such as large or complex web applications or electronic content, for Section 508 requirements and accessibility using a structured test methodology that includes automated scanning, manual code inspection, and user testing with assistive technology and provides design recommendations to improve the accessibility of ICT.
Knowledge of the principles and methods to identify, analyze, specify, design, and manage functional and infrastructure requirements;
Ability to translate functional requirements into technical requirements used for logical design;
Ability to present alternative technologies or approaches.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Ensure the Section 508 requirements are properly addressed when obtaining ICT products and services.
Ensure the use of Section 508 standards or requirements for infrastructure, associated configuration and change management.
Consult with senior level staff to identify information requirements, provide and execute solutions, develop guidelines and procedures, and ensure efforts are coordinated.
Work with developers to determine system requirements are met, and possibly perform technical review of requirements and specification documents in conjunction with customers and developers.
Ability to work with customers including any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, such as the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the government.
Ability to assess customer needs, provide information or assistance, resolve problems, or satisfy expectations;
Knowledge of available products and services;
Ability to promote a commitment to providing quality products and services.
Key Work Behaviors
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Establish and maintain good working relationships with customers, team members and management at various levels.
Participate in technical discussions, meetings, conferences, and negotiations with customers or business partners across multiple components or agencies to achieve business goals.
Collaborate with customers, team members and management to achieve business results.
Provide analytical and test expertise and work with customer and functional analysts, developers and customers in formulating requirements. Advise on various methods of approach in satisfying conformance criteria.
Lead technical discussions, meetings, conferences, demonstrations, and negotiations with customers or business partners that manage many competing priorities.
Provide authoritative, comprehensive advice and assistance to customers to ensure integration of Section 508 requirements.
Collaborate on creating and validating Section 508 checklists to keep customers, business owners, and stakeholders informed throughout the planning process and project lifecycle.
