Program Specialist

The primary purpose of this position is to evaluate the productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency of program operations, as well as to analyze and resolve issues related to staffing and the performance of administrative support activities. The role involves developing and applying criteria to assess and forecast progress toward achieving programmatic or organizational goals and objectives. EDUCATION: There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/ . RESPONSIBILITIES: 30 Day Hiring Model

The Department of Veterans Affairs is implementing a streamlined 30-Day Hiring Model designed to accelerate hiring while maintaining the highest standards of merit-based selection. This improved process reduces traditional hiring timelines by integrating early coordination, faster assessments, and efficient pre-employment actions. Applicants can expect a more transparent, predictable, and efficient hiring journey from announcement to entry on duty.

What Applicants Can Expect

Expedited Candidate Review Once the announcement closes, Human Resources will quickly review applications, issue certificates of eligible candidates the day after the announcement closes and refer applicants for hiring manager consideration.

Quick Interviews & References

HR may arrange interviews and will request references within 3-5 days after being referred to the hiring manager.

Streamlined Pre-Employment Requirements: Following a tentative offer, applicants should be prepared to complete required steps, such as fingerprinting and background check, credentialing, and medical examination within 3 days of the offer.

Clear and Timely Communication: Applicants will receive clear communication at key milestones, including referral, tentative offer, and onboarding instructions.

After meeting pre-employment requirements, candidates will receive a final job offer and start date. Onboarding tasks may continue after starting, with HR ensuring timely completion for a smooth transition into VA service. If selected, applicants should be prepared to come onboard within 30 days of the announcement closing.

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

Develops and maintains high CBOC customer satisfaction levels by ensuring performance meets or exceeds expectations. Work closely with healthcare team members, point of service contacts, and patient advocates to ensure services are easily obtained, meet customer requirements, and quickly resolve department internal and external short-term & long-term problems.

Conducts Environment of Care (EOC) rounds and identifies systemic difficulties in resolving to maintain standards with the Joint Commission.

Oversee internal space alignments for services within the CBOC and work closely with the Facilities Strategy team for external moves to and from the CBOC. Create maximum efficiency in building operations via data collection and space alignment.

Primary contact for the building's lessor, engineering, and janitorial services.

Serves as the lead for work orders for building-wide issues. Primary lead for event coordination within the facility and works closely with the Public Affairs Office for coordination.

Studies, analyzes, and evaluates customers' needs and develops and implements programs and specific solutions to meet those needs. Determines information requirements for improving customer service responsiveness.

Develop program guidance, motivational materials, and information to facilitate participation in program initiatives. Provides advisory services to Clinical and Non-Clinical service lines for building operations and flow.

Review data from numerous feedback mechanisms, perform studies, summarize information, identify trends, and propose and implement solutions. Prepares and completes required reports.

Develops new information materials for CBOC facility customers, and services. Increase communication with the target audience. Conduct workshops, seminars, and other meetings with different staff members at different levels to explain and improve customer service.

Presents ideas in new ways, increasing understanding of CBOC customer service standards, programs, and policies and reducing opposition or indifference to program objectives. Makes on-the-spot presentations and conducts focus groups to achieve a more balanced perspective among current and potential customers.

The supervisor directs the various committees and is the Person of Contact (POC) for CBOC activities. Evaluate, process, or make recommendations for effective changes to CBOC Operations.

Plans, conducts, and/or manages special projects or studies to analyze, evaluate, and provide recommendations on administrative programs or issues. Researches and analyzes problems, issues, or program requirements.

Researches and analyzes unstable or uncommon administrative issues. Determines pertinent issues and collects relevant information from a wide variety of sources.

Reviews information and applies standard analytical techniques. Develop recommendations, taking into account unanticipated changes and unusual factors.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/ PD14538

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

QUALIFICATIONS: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/09/2026.

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-09. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-011.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.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

GS-11 Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in the Federal service. This experience must have equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized Experience: Experience managing projects and developing programs with responsibility for data collection, management, and reporting and experience developing policies, reports and correspondence.

GS-12 Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service. This experience must have equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized Experience: Experience managing projects and developing programs with responsibility for data collection, management, and reporting and experience developing policies, reports and correspondence.

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/ . SALARY: QuantitativeValue EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Other