Program Specialist

Summary

The incumbent serves as a HR Liaison for the regional office. This position and assignments are developmental to the GS-0301-12 Level, PD#38563A. At the GS-09 level, the incumbent will have greater supervision and guidance. The work will be less complex and have limited scope and effect. The employee will work under the guidance of a higher-level specialist.

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Duties

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Typical duties include, but are not limited to:

• Communication and performance of duties involves managing a large workload, a diverse workforce, and leaders tasked with significant responsibility for large numbers of federal employees.
• Provides leaders and managers with strategic counsel and advice interpreting and implementing provisions of agency policy, management of programs, collective bargaining agreements, and practices as they apply to individual cases.
• Provides leaders, employees, and job applicants with accurate information and interpretations of Federal civilian recruitment policies and placement procedures.
• Provides information to all employees on matters pertaining to federal employee benefits to include FEHB, FEGLI, TSP, EAP, leave and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
• Develops multiple recruitment strategies utilizing various hiring flexibilities and authorities. Prepare recruitment packages to include crediting plans, job analysis on a variety of complex positions using research, interview, observation, and analytical techniques.
• Provide Performance Management duties and provide assistance on Employee Relation and Labor Relation matters.
• Conduct in-processing and out-processing employee interviews.
• Process and track Office of Worker's Compensation Program (OWCP) cases.
• Provide training to leadership and employees in all HR matters.
• Provides outstanding customer service to both internal and external entities, in such a way as to enhance customer satisfaction; design work processes and practices.

P romotion 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. The full performance level of this position is GS - 12.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Compressed/Flexible: Available

Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist GS-9: 39565A, GS-11: 39564A, GS-12: 39563A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Bargaining Unit: No

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, 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 or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Additional Conditions of Employment are as follows:

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period
• 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 I-9 Acceptable Documents.
• 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:07/27/2026.

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.

• For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7.
• For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9.
• For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11 .
• If you are a current VBA employee requesting a reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS- 9 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-12.

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.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-09 Grade Level:

• Specialized Experience : Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as experience performing employee and management advisory services for specific requests requiring research of human resources policies and practices relating to staffing, employee relations, or benefits.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

• Guide employees in resolving primarily common work-related or personal problems;
• Provide leaders and employees with information and interpretations of the organization's policies, procedures, and guidelines;
• Provide advice regarding appropriate levels of personnel actions.

OR ,

Education GS-9: 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. Note: Transcripts Required.

OR,

Combination GS-9: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-9 level. Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9. Your transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

GS-11 Grade Level:

• Specialized Experience : Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at least the next lower grade level (GS-09) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as experience applying and providing guidance on multiple fields of Human Resources rules, regulations, and procedures including Personnel Management, Recruitment and staffing, Classification, Employee Benefits (OWCP, retirements, and insurance programs), and/or Labor Relations.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

• Provide advisory services to leaders and employees on a range of human resources concepts, laws, and policies;
• Assist leadership in solving a range of complex problems and issues;
• Participate in policy development groups or projects based on broad organizational requirements. OR,

Education GS-11: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or successful completion of three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or a LL.M., if related, and obtained in an accredited college or university. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one (1) year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours will be considered as satisfying the one (1) year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. Note: Transcripts Required.

OR,

Combination: GS-11 Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-11 level. Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total

qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent 3 to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-11. Your transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

GS-12 Grade Level:

• Specialized Experience : Applicants must have one year of specialized experience which was at the GS-11 level and must have been held in the Federal Government. Specialized experience is defined as experience providing advisory services, quality review services, or experience drafting and approving standard operating procedures and/or other forms of regulatory guidance covering multiple fields of Human Resources rules, regulations, and procedures including Personnel Management, Recruitment and Staffing, Classification, Employee Benefits (OWCP, retirements, and insurance programs), and/or Employee and Labor Relations.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

• Provide advice and guidance in the areas of classification and staffing and recruitment;
• Defending agency actions in front of a 3rd party hearing (FLRA, MSPB);
• Experience as the chief negotiator in labor negotiations.

No education substitution at the GS-12 grade level.

Continued in the Education Section

Education

Continued from the Qualifications Section

Combining Education & Experience: If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement. Click here for more information.

Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.

Physical Requirements:The work is primarily sedentary, some work may require walking in offices and similar areas for meetings and to conduct HR work. The work does not require any special physical effort.

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.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript to receive credit.

Note: You may submit unofficial transcripts when applying. However, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to provide an official transcript or a statement from the institution (e.g., from the registrar, dean, or other appropriate official) or equivalent documentation prior to the start date.

Additional information

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 (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members : Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP),

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. (

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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.