What are the responsibilities and job description for the Program Specialist position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
This position serves as a Program Specialist assigned to the Survivors Assistance and Memorial Supports (SAMS). Program under the Chief - Social Work or Social Work Executive at the VA medical Facility as a primary person responsible for the facility SAMS Program. SAMS's focus is to provide personalized - supportive services to families - caregivers and survivors at the end of a Veteran's life and ensures Veterans without identified family receive dignified burials to honor their service.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 04/01/2026. 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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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 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. Grade Determination: GS-7 You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Knowledge of a wide range of concepts - principles and practices in the areas of end-of-life - hospice death - burial - funeral and bereavement - ability to perform analytical studies and interpretation of results to coordinate the evaluation of medical/scientific programs and policies and to recommend improvement. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing - to make presentations - explain recommendations - represent the division and assigned program areas - provide guidance and advise program administrators - respond to inquiries and prepare reports. Ability to work in a multifaceted - complex and demanding environment; to evaluate and prioritize workload tasks and requirements; and to complete tasks and assignments with minimal supervision. Understanding and detailed procedural knowledge of budget - purchasing - personnel - and basic office information functions. Knowledge of standard processes and procedures for evaluating program efficiency to implement processes to improve programs. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have One (1) full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement. Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing - (2) grade-point average - or (3) honor society membership. OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond. GS-9 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Knowledge of a wide range of concepts - principles and practices in the areas of end-of-life - hospice death - burial - funeral and bereavement - ability to perform analytical studies and interpretation of results to coordinate the evaluation of medical/scientific programs and policies and to recommend improvement. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing - to make presentations - explain recommendations - represent the division and assigned program areas - provide guidance and advise program administrators - respond to inquiries and prepare reports. Ability to work in a multifaceted - complex and demanding environment; to evaluate and prioritize workload tasks and requirements; and to complete tasks and assignments with minimal supervision. Understanding and detailed procedural knowledge of budget - purchasing - personnel - and basic office information functions. Knowledge of standard processes and procedures for evaluating program efficiency to implement processes to improve programs. OR Education: 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. OR Combination: Combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position. Only education in excess of the first year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-09 level. Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary - but also demands some standing during presentations - briefings - and outreach activities. Performance of duties requires walking - bending - lifting - and carrying of clinical folders - forms - and miscellaneous supplies to various locations within the medical facility. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Duties
This position serves as a Program Specialist assigned to the Survivors Assistance and Memorial Supports (SAMS). Program under the Chief - Social Work or Social Work Executive at the VA medical Facility as a primary person responsible for the facility SAMS Program. SAMS's focus is to provide personalized - supportive services to families - caregivers and survivors at the end of a Veteran's life and ensures Veterans without identified family receive dignified burials to honor their service.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 04/01/2026. 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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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 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. Grade Determination: GS-7 You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Knowledge of a wide range of concepts - principles and practices in the areas of end-of-life - hospice death - burial - funeral and bereavement - ability to perform analytical studies and interpretation of results to coordinate the evaluation of medical/scientific programs and policies and to recommend improvement. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing - to make presentations - explain recommendations - represent the division and assigned program areas - provide guidance and advise program administrators - respond to inquiries and prepare reports. Ability to work in a multifaceted - complex and demanding environment; to evaluate and prioritize workload tasks and requirements; and to complete tasks and assignments with minimal supervision. Understanding and detailed procedural knowledge of budget - purchasing - personnel - and basic office information functions. Knowledge of standard processes and procedures for evaluating program efficiency to implement processes to improve programs. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have One (1) full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement. Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing - (2) grade-point average - or (3) honor society membership. OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond. GS-9 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Knowledge of a wide range of concepts - principles and practices in the areas of end-of-life - hospice death - burial - funeral and bereavement - ability to perform analytical studies and interpretation of results to coordinate the evaluation of medical/scientific programs and policies and to recommend improvement. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing - to make presentations - explain recommendations - represent the division and assigned program areas - provide guidance and advise program administrators - respond to inquiries and prepare reports. Ability to work in a multifaceted - complex and demanding environment; to evaluate and prioritize workload tasks and requirements; and to complete tasks and assignments with minimal supervision. Understanding and detailed procedural knowledge of budget - purchasing - personnel - and basic office information functions. Knowledge of standard processes and procedures for evaluating program efficiency to implement processes to improve programs. OR Education: 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. OR Combination: Combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position. Only education in excess of the first year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-09 level. Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary - but also demands some standing during presentations - briefings - and outreach activities. Performance of duties requires walking - bending - lifting - and carrying of clinical folders - forms - and miscellaneous supplies to various locations within the medical facility. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Duties
- Duties includes but not limited to: Advises Veterans and their NOK of burial benefits
- Helps Veterans and NOK prearrange burial - internment - cremation - as desired by Veteran
- Advises surviving relatives about burial benefits and other potential benefits provided by VA
- Reviews eligibility and entitlement of burial and death allowances and advises on the process for applying for those benefits
- Refers surviving relatives with specific benefit inquiries to a VBA point of contact - not the toll-free telephone number
- Reviews daily death notifications
- Submits completed death certificates to designated Funeral Director and County Registrar's Office
- Collaborate with Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) - Pharmacy and Prosthetics to cancel all appointments to include orders
- Collaborates with palliative care to promote quality end-of-life by assisting in developing action plans and process improvements related to quantitative and qualitative reporting from the Bereaved Family Survey
- Collects - analyzes - and reports program data to local management - the designated VISN POC and the National SAMS Program
- Evaluates program progress and outcomes using data to modify and improve the facility program processes
- Maintains proficiency in using local - regional and national databases
- Conducts appropriate queries to answer questions about trends in patient care
- Collects and manages new data about current practices int he department and across sites of care
- Collaborate with Fiscal office to financially support SAMS operations
- Assesses past budget requirements - projects future budget needs - submits budget requests and manages program budget
- Serves as the fund control point clerk - purchase card official and Contracting Officer Representative for SAMS contracts
- Provides general education - training and resources about SAMS to staff throughout the hospital - community living centers (CLC) and community who provide support to Veterans at end-of-life and to their family and NOK
- 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
- Work Schedule: Monday- Friday
- 8:00AM-4:30PM Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Position Description/PD#: PD25111S and PD25112S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Salary : $57,736 - $91,815