What are the responsibilities and job description for the Program Analyst. position at National Cemetery Administration?
Duties
The Program Analyst conducts audits, studies, and operational reviews to ensure compliance with established policies, practices and procedures. Provides cemetery managers with objective information on program operations that support compliance and improvement. Incumbent interprets policy and regulations and presents controversial and critical observations, findings and proposal for solutions/changes in program operations to management. Administers the internal review, quality, and productivity initiatives for the organization. Develops short and long-range goals and coordinates quality assurance plans for the cemetery. Research and compiles information for reports. Generates required reports, standard operation procedures, and data collection methods for the cemetery.
Knowledge of procurement/purchasing regulations, methods, procedures, and business practices to review and obligate. Apply wide range of principles, procedures, methods, and concepts of budgeting for appropriated fund accounts to compile, consolidate and review requests for funds.
Ensures reports are submitted in correct format and in a timely manner, meeting suspense dates as required. Prepares, updates, and maintains recurring and non-recurring reports, correspondence, data-calls, and other documents in the Microsoft Word/Excel format. Extracts and consolidates required information for recurring weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reports such as manpower reports, interments, etc. Incumbent assists cemetery management with personnel management functions including pay/leave administration, travel, worker's compensation, health care enrollment, and employment physicals. Responsible for records management, ensuring records are properly distributed, stored, and disposed of.
Performs public outreach as needed.
Work schedule: Required to work Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. May include occasional weekends. Due to the mission of the National Cemetery, the cemetery cannot be closed for more than 2 consecutive days at any given time. Additionally, when a Federal holiday falls on a Monday or Friday, staff may be required to work on that holiday or a Saturday. All staff is required to work Memorial Day and Veteran's Day each year. Staff will be required to work overtime, weekends and holidays when necessary to meet the needs of the cemetery. Occasionally staff may be called back to the facility to perform emergency overtime work.
Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available
Telework: Not Available
Remote/Virtual: This is not a virtual or remote position.
Position Description Title/PD#: Program Analyst/PD1725489
The full performance level of this position is GS - 09.
Relocation Expenses: Not Authorized
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
If interested in applying for this position you ay preview the online application:
Requirements
Conditions of employment
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all specialized experience and time in grade requirements within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement, 06/11/2026.
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 within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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 your most recent non-award 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 non-award SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year time-in-grade.
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.
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.
Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary and is usually accomplished while the employee is comfortably seated at a desk or table. However, periods of walking, bending and stooping are required, and the employee frequently carries light objects, such as papers and books. The incumbent may need to travel approximately 20% of the time to receive or conduct training.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
Required
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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:
Education
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website:
Additional information
Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/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 ICTAP and 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.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
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 The Fair Chance Act.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the
For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the
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.
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.
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.
The Program Analyst conducts audits, studies, and operational reviews to ensure compliance with established policies, practices and procedures. Provides cemetery managers with objective information on program operations that support compliance and improvement. Incumbent interprets policy and regulations and presents controversial and critical observations, findings and proposal for solutions/changes in program operations to management. Administers the internal review, quality, and productivity initiatives for the organization. Develops short and long-range goals and coordinates quality assurance plans for the cemetery. Research and compiles information for reports. Generates required reports, standard operation procedures, and data collection methods for the cemetery.
Knowledge of procurement/purchasing regulations, methods, procedures, and business practices to review and obligate. Apply wide range of principles, procedures, methods, and concepts of budgeting for appropriated fund accounts to compile, consolidate and review requests for funds.
Ensures reports are submitted in correct format and in a timely manner, meeting suspense dates as required. Prepares, updates, and maintains recurring and non-recurring reports, correspondence, data-calls, and other documents in the Microsoft Word/Excel format. Extracts and consolidates required information for recurring weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reports such as manpower reports, interments, etc. Incumbent assists cemetery management with personnel management functions including pay/leave administration, travel, worker's compensation, health care enrollment, and employment physicals. Responsible for records management, ensuring records are properly distributed, stored, and disposed of.
Performs public outreach as needed.
Work schedule: Required to work Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. May include occasional weekends. Due to the mission of the National Cemetery, the cemetery cannot be closed for more than 2 consecutive days at any given time. Additionally, when a Federal holiday falls on a Monday or Friday, staff may be required to work on that holiday or a Saturday. All staff is required to work Memorial Day and Veteran's Day each year. Staff will be required to work overtime, weekends and holidays when necessary to meet the needs of the cemetery. Occasionally staff may be called back to the facility to perform emergency overtime work.
Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available
Telework: Not Available
Remote/Virtual: This is not a virtual or remote position.
Position Description Title/PD#: Program Analyst/PD1725489
The full performance level of this position is GS - 09.
Relocation Expenses: Not Authorized
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
If interested in applying for this position you ay preview the online application:
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- Subject to a background/security investigation.
- Designated and/or random drug testing may be required.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all specialized experience and time in grade requirements within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement, 06/11/2026.
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 within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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 your most recent non-award 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 non-award SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year time-in-grade.
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.
- Must have the ability to type at least 40 words per minute.
- Must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.
- Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: administrative/office work experience that includes work such as applying complex fact-finding, analytical and problem solving methods and techniques to identify problems, budget formulation, set work priorities, and preparing plans and proposals; serving as a Contracting Officer's Representative, performing contract surveillance, quality assurance, inspection support and coordination between all parties involved; preparing and presenting recommendations and solutions on complex issues; analyzing interrelated issues of effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of programs; developing criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of programs; assessing and developing internal controls; preparing reports, technical correspondence.
- Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.
- Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond the graduate level.
- Administration and Management
- Analytical Thinking
- Communication
- Cost Estimation and Analysis
- Technical Competence
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.
Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary and is usually accomplished while the employee is comfortably seated at a desk or table. However, periods of walking, bending and stooping are required, and the employee frequently carries light objects, such as papers and books. The incumbent may need to travel approximately 20% of the time to receive or conduct training.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
Required
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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.
Education
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website:
Additional information
Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/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 ICTAP and 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.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
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 The Fair Chance Act.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the
For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the
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.
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.
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.