Management and Program Analysts serve an essential role within U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These administrative professionals observe and evaluate processes, systems and protocols so that efficiency and organizational performance can be optimized. The same techniques, technologies and strategies that give private enterprises competitive advantages are often translated and re-applied with the intent to make law enforcement and counter-terrorism operations meet or exceed performance metrics as stipulated by multi-department analysts and oversight committees.
With almost 21,000 employees, ICE maintains one of the largest criminal investigation workforces in the country. In order to limit the waste of precious law enforcement resources, investigative redundancy and inter-agency conflicts, Management and Program Analysts produce the strategic plans and tools necessary to apply personnel and resources judiciously and appropriately.
In many cases, this begins with an analytical approach to existing programs and policies. Management and Program Analysts determine the operational objectives of a division or program, and develop a metric to gauge success. This standard of efficiency may be co-opted from other agencies with similar policies or even the private sector. Once applied to the performance of a unit, it can demonstrate to agency managers how effectively a program is performing.
If the program is failing to hit expected benchmarks, the Management and Program Analyst deconstructs the many methodologies being utilized in the program. This may involve several aspects including information systems, personnel training and development, government compliance and management decision making. Once the bottlenecks are identified, the analyst works with key personnel to generate an alternative policy that enhances results. This process of analysis, retooling and implementation is an ongoing process as agency strategies evolve and new technologies become available.
Management and Program Analyst Job Description
Management and Program Analysts are expected to possess a diverse and extensive skill set which includes many of the following:
- Produce critical, quantitative, qualitative, and analytical evaluations of bureaucratic, legal, intelligence and law enforcement systems
- Provide alternative methodologies for existing agency processes
- Generate exhaustive reports about existing agency operations
- Brief key managers and decision makers about strategic concerns
- Observe front line personnel as they conduct counter terrorism and law enforcement operations
- Conduct interviews and critical discussions with agency officers and managers to identify areas of agency ineffectiveness
- Implement new technological and methodological solutions like data management systems, communications protocols, and restructured management hierarchies
- Examine and reformulate budgets to address critical resource shortfalls
Management and Program Analyst Salary and Job Benefits
Although this particular career may have a wide range of specializations, the skills necessary to perform successfully are rare enough that the salaries for these jobs are extremely high. According to USAJobs.gov, the salary for Management and Program Analyst careers ranged from $99,638 to $136,711 per year. This is considerably more than the median salary of $78,160 for Management and Program Analysts as an industry. The salary for these jobs may be adjusted according to the geographical location of the posting and the local cost of living. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the number of professionals to grow by 22 percent from 2010 to 2020.
As federal employees, Management and Program Analysts receive a generous benefits package that includes the following programs
- Health insurance with the option to enroll in vision or dental plans
- Life and long term care insurance
- Flexible Spending Accounts that provide additional coverage against medical expenses
- Thrift Savings Plan is the federal version of a 401k
- Personal leave as well as paid holidays
- Tuition reimbursement
- Telework
For more information about how to become a management and program analyst with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), click here.