Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees and CTAP eligible applicants only. See the eligibility section in the questionnaire for a list of all eligible candidates and the How You Will Be Evaluated section below for more details.

Applicant Count: This announcement will remain open until the closing date, 04/13/2026, or when the applicant count is reached, whichever is earlier. The applicant count is the point at which the first 50 applications are received. All applications submitted that day up to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the date the applicant count is reached will be accepted and considered.


The incumbent's responsibilities will include the following:

The incumbent is responsible for supervising and managing the on-going development, implementation, and evaluation of the business unit's employees and programs. They plan work to be accomplished by subordinates, set and adjust priorities and prepare schedules for completion of work. The employee gives advice, counsel, and instructions to employees on both work and administrative matters. The program manager identifies developmental and training needs of employees, providing or arranging for needed development/training. The incumbent interviews candidates for positions in the unit and evaluates work performance of subordinates. They hear and resolve complaints from employees, referring group grievances and more serious unresolved complaints to a higher-level supervisor or manager. Additionally, they effect minor disciplinary measures, such as warnings/reprimands, recommend other action in serious cases. The incumbent will also be responsible for managing and overseeing all contractor support services associated with the operation of a comprehensive intern career development program designed to train, develop, and retain acquisition professionals.

The incumbent will use sound program management principles to ensure the programs satisfy strategic and tactical business needs and comply with budget and schedule requirements. The program manager establishes and maintains a close working relationship with officials in VA organizational elements, various Federal agencies, professional associations, vendor representatives, educational institutions, and others in OAL for the purpose of enhancing the VAAA training programs. The employee assist in the development, implementation, and maintenance of standard operating procedures that enhance program efficiencies and effectiveness.

The program manager oversees and manages forums on acquisition issues to support employee career development and ensure fulfillment of continuing education requirements. The incumbent works with OAL policy office to ensure the tracking and management of employees' Federal acquisition certifications.

They direct and initiate annual and long-range plans to ensure the business unit is responsive to organizational mission needs. The incumbent uses personal knowledge of current program management trends in the oversight of training programs to include, but not be limited to, assisting in the development and evaluation of performance standards and metrics to assess program performance. The program manager provides leadership in the development and management of training curricula for a variety of technical topics, including the various types of commodities and services typically acquired by the VA.



Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST
Location:The selectee will be required to report on-site at 7485 New Horizon Way, Frederick, MD, 21703
Compressed/Flexible: Available with supervisory approval
Telework: Available - Ad Hoc telework (situational telework) as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: PD28008A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

Conditions of Employment

• 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

• 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/13/2026.

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-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13. 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 as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-13 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
  • Led the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive internship or workforce development program, ensuring alignment with organizational mission and strategic goals.
  • Setting priorities, managing schedules, and evaluating performance while addressing employee concerns and administering appropriate disciplinary actions.
  • Managed multiple short- and long-range projects using program management principles to meet budget, schedule, and performance requirements.
  • Established and maintained partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, including Federal agencies, academic institutions, and industry partners, to enhance program effectiveness.
  • Analyzed program performance data and trends to develop metrics, improve training curricula, and implement continuous process improvements that increased employee development and retention.

• Administration and Management
• Conflict Management
• Conflict Management
• Education and Training
• Employee Development
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Information Management
• Leadership
• Manages Resources
• Partnering
• Planning and Evaluating
• Project Management
• Strategic Thinking
• Technical Competence

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 sedentary. However, the incumbent is required to travel periodically to gather information from field facilities and to instruct training classes at field sites, participate in other meetings and training as required and to provide expert assistance or advice to other government agencies as requested.

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 Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal 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:

• Directs and executes long-range and annual planning efforts for a complex workforce development program, ensuring responsiveness to evolving organizational mission requirements and strategic priorities.
• Provides expert coaching and mentoring to employees, including Veterans, using evidence-based performance improvement strategies and modern learning technologies to enhance workforce capability and retention.
• Leads the design, development, and continuous improvement of technical training curricula, ensuring alignment with acquisition workforce competencies and emerging industry standards.
• Oversees program performance management by developing and refining performance standards, metrics, and evaluation frameworks to assess effectiveness and drive data-informed decision-making.
• Integrates innovative technologies and data analytics into program operations to monitor intern performance trends, identify skill gaps, and implement targeted improvements that strengthen overall program outcomes.

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 Frederick, MD. This includes all locations that fall within a 50-mile driving distance from 7485 New Horizon Way, Frederick, MD, 21703..

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.


Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.


Supervisory Situational Judgement Test. Applicants will be required to complete a Supervisory Situational Judgment Test (SSJT) as part of the assessment process for this position. The SSJT evaluates judgment, decision-making, and leadership competencies associated with effective supervision in a Federal work environment. Assessment results may be used as part of the evaluation, ranking and referral process. This is not a timed test, however, the assessment is expected to take approximately 45 minutes or less to complete.


Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be contacted for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

Area of Consideration: Eligible applicants will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

• All current, permanent VA Employees in the Office of Acquisition and Logistics (OAL)
• All current, permanent VA Employees in the Office of Acquisition, Logistics and Construction (OALC)
• All other current, permanent VA employees

Applicant Count: This announcement will remain open until the closing date, 04/13/2026, or when the applicant count is reached, whichever is earlier. The applicant count is the point at which the first 50 applications are received. All applications submitted that day up to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the date the applicant count is reached will be accepted and considered.