Program Specialist

Typical duties include but are not limited to:

• Providing administrative support services to managers in the areas of travel budget and procurement tracking action items and scheduling/calendar oversight.
• Explaining veteran benefit program-related information to visitors and callers.
• Managing phone and reception activities in a diverse and busy office that may receive distinguished visitors.
• Preparing and editing complex correspondence using standardized computer software.
• Completing projects of a technical nature requiring experience with data analysis and information management programs.

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. The grade progression for this position is GS-09.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Compressed/Flexible: Not 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-07: 41600A GS-09: 41601A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: This position requires completion of a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-450) under 5 C.F.R. 2634.904(a). The selectee must submit the form before entering on duty and annually thereafter.
Bargaining Unit: Yes

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness & whether your continued employment advances the public 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.

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 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 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:09/04/2026.

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: As a current Federal GS employee you must 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 level.
• For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07 level.
• If you are a current VBA employee requesting reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement you must currently hold the GS- 09 or higher and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-9.

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.

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

GS-07 Grade Level
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level of difficulty and responsibility in the Federal service. Experience includes providing and performing operational and administrative tasks in support of an organization and applying basic analytical techniques to resolve program issues and problems. Examples of specialized experience for the GS-7 level include but are not limited to:

• Providing administrative support services to office staff in the areas of travel tracking action items scheduling/calendar oversight;
• Explaining program-related information to visitors and callers;
• Managing phone and reception activities in a diverse and busy office;
• Preparing and editing correspondence using standardized computer software;
• Completing projects requiring experience using computer programs that manage data and information

GS-09 Grade Level
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level of difficulty and responsibility in the Federal service. Experience includes providing and performing operational administrative budget and procurement-related tasks and applying analytical techniques to resolve veteran benefit-related program issues. Examples of specialized experience for the GS-7 level include but are not limited to:

• Providing administrative support services to managers in the areas of travel budget and procurement tracking action items and scheduling/calendar oversight.
• Explaining veteran benefit program-related information to visitors and callers.
• Managing phone and reception activities in a diverse and busy office that may receive distinguished visitors;
• Preparing and editing complex correspondence using standardized computer software.
• Completing projects of a technical nature requiring experience with data analysis and information management programs

OR

Combination of education and experience:

• Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate education.

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 although some slight physical effort may be required.

For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at