Special Assistant

Summary

The Special Assistant serves within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Office of the Chief of Staff, providing high-level administrative, policy, and operational support to executive leadership. The position analyzes complex programs, coordinates strategic initiatives, evaluates policies, and develops recommendations to support executive decision-making and advance VHA priorities and organizational objectives.

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Duties

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Major Duties include but are not limited to:

• Provides high-level advisory and administrative support to VHA executive leadership on sensitive policy, operational, and strategic issues affecting national programs and initiatives.
• Conducts complex program evaluations and organizational analyses to assess effectiveness, identify challenges, and recommend improvements to VHA policies and operations.
• Supports implementation of Secretarial priorities and strategic initiatives by coordinating activities, monitoring developments, and evaluating organizational progress.
• Develops policy recommendations, strategic alternatives, and analytical assessments to support executive decision-making and organizational objectives.
• Prepares executive briefings, reports, issue papers, presentations, and other materials communicating complex program findings and recommendations.
• Analyzes legislative developments, regulatory requirements, organizational policies, and emerging issues to determine their impact on VHA programs and operations.
• Coordinates with senior VA/VHA officials, Federal agencies, and external stakeholders to facilitate collaboration, resolve complex issues, and advance departmental priorities.
• Communicates VHA's mission, strategic vision, and policy direction to internal and external organizations while providing leadership with stakeholder feedback and recommendations.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 08:00-4:30pm

Compressed/Flexible: Available

Telework: This position may be authorized for ad hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Ad hoc is defined as occasional, non-recurring telework.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Definition of Virtual Wor k: Employee works outside of original hiring duty station at a VA owned or leased space.

Return to Office (RTO): RTO mandates are in effect and selectees will be required to report to in-person work unless they are approved for an exception or an exemption. Any approval for an RTO exception, exemption, or extension will happen after a tentative job offer, but before a final job offer.

Position Description/PD#: Special Assistant/ PD180410

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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, 10/19/2026.

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-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13. 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 as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-13 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Resume must support three of the four examples below:
  
  
  • Analyzing and evaluating complex organizational programs, policies, and operations by applying qualitative and quantitative analytical methods to assess program effectiveness, identify operational challenges, develop alternatives, and recommend improvements supporting organizational objectives and executive decision-making.
  • Developing strategic plans, policy recommendations, and program initiatives by interpreting organizational policies, legislative requirements, and regulatory guidance; evaluating organizational priorities; and recommending approaches to improve program implementation and operational effectiveness.
  • Providing executive-level advisory and consultation services by researching sensitive or complex policy and program issues, evaluating competing organizational priorities, and developing authoritative recommendations to support senior leadership decisions and strategic initiatives.
  • Preparing and presenting executive-level reports, briefings, and analytical recommendations by synthesizing complex program information, communicating findings to technical and nontechnical audiences, and coordinating with senior officials and stakeholders to advance organizational goals.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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 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 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.