Program Specialist

Summary

The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) is currently seeking a Program Specialist for Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) to join Social Work Service. This position acts as the primary liaison, offering personalized care and support to families, caregivers, and survivors during end-of-life situations. The role involves providing respectful and compassionate services in accordance with VBA, VHA, NCA policies, and applicable regulations.

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Duties

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• Program Administration: Provides guidance to Veterans and next of kin (NOK) regarding burial benefits, assisting with prearranged burial, cremation, and interment. Advises on eligibility, entitlement, and application processes for burial and death allowances, referring complex inquiries to VBA. Informs families of VA supportive services such as Chaplaincy and Social Work. Reviews death notifications, submits death certificates to funeral directors and county offices, and ensures dignified funerals for unclaimed remains at VA expense. Coordinates with VA offices to locate NOK when unknown, reviews unclaimed remains, and verifies VA funds are used correctly. Ensures clinical staff contact survivors within 24 hours of death, and collaborates with funeral homes for unclaimed remains, including preparing purchase orders and VA authorizations. Manages release of personal effects and remaining funds to NOK or legal representatives, and oversees consent for autopsies and body donation per facility procedures. Coordinates remains release with external agencies, cancels upcoming appointments, and prepares military and death documentation for funeral arrangements. Manages patient funds and effects for incapacitated Veterans, including in-person court proceedings as needed.
• Data & Quality Management: Supports quality end-of-life care by assisting in developing action plans and process improvements based on Bereaved Family Survey data. Implements systems to track service delivery, referrals, and outcomes. Analyzes adverse quality trends, initiates corrective actions, and collaborates with staff for continuous improvement. Collects and reports program data to management, VISN, and national levels, using data to evaluate and enhance program effectiveness. Maintains proficiency in relevant databases, conducts queries on patient care trends, and manages new departmental data collection.
• Fiscal Management: Coordinates with the Fiscal office to support SAMS operations, including budget projection, submission, and management. Acts as fund control point clerk, purchase card official, and contracting officer representative for SAMS contracts. Conducts quarterly audits of deceased patient funds, initiating disposition of balances, and maintains variance reports. Utilizes IFCAP and FCP processes, resolving funding needs as delegated.
• Personnel Management: Participates in initiatives like No Veteran Dies Alone (NVDA), partnering with staff and leadership to identify needs. Provides training and resources on SAMS to hospital and community staff, supporting Veterans at end-of-life. Collaborates with the VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement to recruit, train, and oversee volunteers at the facility and CLC.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 08:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/ PD14880LS

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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, 07/30/2026.

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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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 s described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Explaining eligibility requirements for VA burial benefits, survivor benefits, or related programs; Providing customer service to veterans, surviving spouses, dependents, or family members during difficult situations; Communicating, both verbally and in writing, with grieving family members, funeral homes, cemeteries, and other stakeholders regarding post-death assistance. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond 4 years of post-high school education.

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.

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

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.