Printing Specialist

The VA Office of Procurement, Acquisition and Logistics (OPAL) negotiates, awards, and administers multi-year, multi-billion-dollar contracts for pharmaceuticals, medical care products, highly technical medical systems, subsistence, laboratory, information technology, management studies, nursing homes, and three primary distribution programs to support a national health care system, including VA and other government agencies.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/24/2026.

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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks as a GS-11. 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. See the Required Document section below for more information regarding the SF-50s needed to verify time-in-grade.

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

Individual Occupational Requirements for Printing Services Series 1654

Education
Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- journalism, business administration, English composition, commerce, accounting, printing or printing engineering, graphic or commercial art, industrial engineering, or economics.

OR,

Experience

Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:

• Determining specifications for the printing of manuscript, i.e., selection of typography, layout, composition, format, paper stock, and other printer's instructions.
• Negotiating or administering contracts for procurement of manuscript and illustrations, printing, binding and allied services, or printing stocks (paper, inks, etc.).
• Managing a printing plant that produces printing either for the government or private industry customers.
• Performing production control work in a large printing plant.
• Serving as a sales representative for a wide variety of printing equipment.
• Analyzing the price and cost of preparation and production of printing.
• Planning, estimating, and scheduling printing on a full-time basis for a variety of publications.
• Performing substantive administrative support or policy functions directly related to publishing and printing program management or operations.

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Work directly with high level members of the Department and heads of administrations and staff offices in explaining the requirements and appropriateness of the printing program when new department programs involving large expenses for printing are under study. Participate in planning and provide to management officials the technical printing advice necessary for their guidance and planning.

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

• Administration and Management
• Analytical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Communication
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Manages and Organizes Information
• Oral Communication
• Planning and Evaluating
• Reasoning
• Self Management
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork
• Technical Competence
• Web Technology

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.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some lifting of moderately heavy packages is required. Travel outside the Agency is required on occasion to perform press sheet inspections.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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 for this vacancy. To be found well qualified, applicants must meet the following qualifications: Serve as the representative for all printing and binding services procured from or through GPO, GSA, SPA contract, or other government agencies. Assists the team leader/supervisor in overseeing the development of department-wide policies, procedures, and controls affecting printing and reproduction programs to include those required for procurement from other government agencies and commercial establishments by facilities. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Local Commuting Area: The local commuting area for this position is defined as a radius of 50 miles from Washington, DC. This includes all locations that fall within a 50-mile driving distance from 810 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, DC 20420. .

Responsibilities:

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

Major Duties:

• Act as a full-service liaison between the Publications Division, GPO and customers to ensure the overall administration of the Printing Procurement section services resulting in or contributing positively to the achievement of the goals for timeliness, effectiveness and cost efficiency for the customer and Publications Division.
• Provide a single focal point and source of advice and assistance for publishing and printing projects/services presented by customer.
• Assist team leader in establishing procedures and methods for gathering accurate and timely information and data requested in routine and special reports and projects, submitting same within established time frames.
• Assist team leader in ensuring that services rendered can be efficiently handled in an expedient manner with priority consideration given to special projects within the requested and established time frame.
• Provide effective and prompt responses to team leader, supervisor, management and other customers.
• Inquire and problems relative to the, technical and program responsibilities of the services provided within a timely manner.
• Assist with training of lower level printing specialists to accomplish tasks or projects and specific administrative or professional training necessary for accomplishment of team tasks.
• Provide expert advice on specific tasks and makes available or-develops written instructions, reference materials, and relevant background material.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the full range of printing programs and techniques, paper and binding, planning and execution of such projects. Display skills in current printing software, Excel and shared user platforms.
• Receive customer input and involvement to provide a high quality, cost effective product in a timely manner. Provide guidance and alternatives to customers request for products and services.
• Participate as an authoritative source of advice on legal, regulatory, and procedural printing matters. Consistently makes a substantial contribution through advice on implications of proposed management decisions with respect to the printing operations and printing costs.
• Formulate and propose printing policies and standards within the guidance and controls established by the Congressional Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) and the Government Printing Office (GPO) for management of printing production plants, for procurement of printing material, printing services, and operation of an effective inspection and control program for VA wide application.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible: Yes
Telework: Available - Ad Hoc telework (situational telework) as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: PD44171A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Salary : $102,415