Program Specialist

Summary This position is located within the Nursing Services, Miami VA Healthcare System. The purpose of the position is to assist in the analysis, evaluation, and improvement of administrative and operational workflows that support organizational goals. The incumbent serves in a developmental assignment at the GS 9 level, performing work that is designed to build the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to function independently at the GS 11 full performance level (FPL). Responsibilities Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD084970 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Employee will be assigned to the Patient Care/Nursing Service, serving as a Program Specialist. The selectee will perform a variety of analytical and administrative tasks that relate to program evaluation, data review, reporting, and workflow analysis. Assignments at the GS 9 level are developmental and are narrower in scope compared to the GS 11 FPL. As competency increases the incumbent receives assignments of greater complexity and independence consistent with target grade expectations. Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Plans and conducts special projects or studies to analyze, evaluate, and provide recommendations on administrative issues. Plan and prepare for meetings including scheduling, mailings, and coordinating travel and lodging arrangements and special events. Manage and prepare responses to a wide variety of correspondence on behalf of the organization. Schedule appointments and meetings and provide agendas and background information. Maintain all paper and electronic files in the office and retrieve needed documents, reports and messages. Serve as the initial point of contact for all telephone and personal contacts. Serve as timekeeper for multiple staff members and a large number of consultants. Organize reports for presentation and record minutes for meetings. Investigates and responds to employee grievances and customer dissatisfactions to resolve conflicts, when necessary, represents management at labor management meetings, provides information, resolves conflicts, and/or problems that may arise and assures management officials are familiar with the negotiated agreement. Perform other related duties as required. Preferred experience: 2-3 years of experience in administration, recruitment, retention, and employee recognition. Skilled in coordinating and facilitating recruitment and recognition awards, managing fund distribution for scholarship programs, and working with contracts while collaborating with internal and external stakeholders. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/24/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Assisting with administrative issues; planning and preparing for meetings including scheduling, mailings, travel and lodging arrangements; maintaining calendars; providing agendas; preparing responses to correspondence; scheduling appointments and meetings; answering phones; tracking time and attendance; and maintaining all paper and electronic files. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate level education as described above. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Physical Requirements and Work Environment: Position involves regular and recurring work; is mostly sedentary; and involves sitting at a desk. The position requires the ability to move from one geographic location of the facility to another; and requires working with a computer screen and keyboard. The employee will spend some time walking, standing, bending, climbing stairs, and carrying some light items. Stamina and concentration to meet crucial deadlines is required. The work is performed in a typical office setting, possibly shared office. The office will be within the physical structure of the hospital or one of its surrounding structures as well as Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). The work area is usually adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. This position is eligible for telework. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at