Program Specialist

Duties and responsibilities for this position 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.
• Utilizes excel spreadsheets PowerPoint and other computer software to capture pertinent data necessary for data tracking to monitor program growth.
• Provides administrative support on Human Resources related documents; organizational charts employee competency files position descriptions functional statements requests for personnel action professional standard board action forms awards memorandums input for performance appraisals etc.
• Monitors performance enforces the direction of the supervisor and ensures deadlines are met along with reports and initiatives.
• Tracks all deadlines and scheduled meetings for the Service.
• Monitors workload and establishes priorities and identifies errors.
• Manages and/or prepares responses to correspondence for the Service.
• Organizes reports for presentations and records minutes for meetings.
• Acts as a liaison with persons and/or groups within and outside of the organization.
• Provides guidance to staff members of policies and procedures to include any changes.
• Collects data from a variety of sources compiles statistics and uses analytical techniques to measure and improve program effectiveness and/or productivity.
• Conducts a detailed analysis of complex functions and work processes; interprets results and makes recommendations for program change and improvement.
• Monitors coordinates and tracks personnel actions and maintains files and documents on all actions.
• Monitors TMS for new and current staff to ensure training and accomplishments are recorded in TMS.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification 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)

• 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 02/06/2026.

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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9 (52 weeks at the GS-11 will be required in order to qualify at the GS-12 grade level). 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 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:

For the GS-11 Program Specialist:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-09) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Your experience must have equipped you with the particular knowledge skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience include: Knowledge of a wide range of concepts principles and practices of a professional or administrative occupation such as would be gained through extended graduate study or experience and skill in applying this knowledge to difficult and complex work assignments. Knowledge of laws and regulations promulgated to ensure the protection of human subjects in research. Knowledge of policies emanating from the following: Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) National Institutes of Health (NIH) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Veterans Affairs. Knowledge of the following: Veterinary Medical Officer; Chairman Animal Care and Use Subcommittee; Associate Chief of Staff for Research & Development; and Administrative Officer for Research and Development. Knowledge of compliance issues for the Animal Care and Use Subcommittee in order to coordinate Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALACI) reports and accreditation activities

OR

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.M. in a field related to this position. (Transcripts must be submitted with application)

OR

Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond graduate level education (in excess of the first two years or 36 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements.(Transcripts must be submitted with application)

For the GS-12 Program Specialist:

Specialized Experience: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Examples of specialized experience include: 1.) Knowledge of a wide range of concepts principles and practices of a professional or administrative occupation such as would be gained through extended graduate study or experience and skill in applying this knowledge to difficult and complex work assignments 2.) Knowledge of laws and regulations promulgated to ensure the protection of human subjects in research 3.) Knowledge of policies emanating from the following: Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) National Institutes of Health (NIH) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Veterans Affairs 3.) Knowledge of the following: Veterinary Medical Officer; Chairman Animal Care and Use Subcommittee; Associate Chief of Staff for Research & Development; and Administrative Officer for Research and Development 4.) Knowledge of compliance issues for the Animal Care and Use Subcommittee in order to coordinate Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALACI) reports and accreditation activities

*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.*

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Administration and Management
• Communications
• Database Management Systems
• Planning and Evaluating