Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies, and other status eligible applicants. See the eligibility section in the questionnaire for a list of all eligible statuses and the How You Will Be Evaluated section below for more details.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

The incumbent is delegated complete authority to oversee all planning and direction for a VA-wide acquisition workforce training program-such as certification, technical, professional, or leadership training-that also serves other Federal agencies. Specifically, the incumbent is accountable for the budget development and execution, contracts development and management, and schedule development and management to achieve assigned performance outcomes for nationwide acquisition training initiatives.

The incumbent is accountable for the design, development, and continual improvement of a holistic workforce development program for the acquisition workforce across VA and within other Federal agencies. The training program may be an OMB certification training program, a leadership training cohort-type program, or a training program with multiple layers of continuous learning courses continuously under development.

• Determining the requirements for specific program cohorts, curricula, and courses and their relative priority in view of time and resources available, projected schedules, and relationship to the objectives of the total training program.
• Evaluating all aspects of the program, including administrative policies and procedures, curricula, instructional methods and techniques, adequacy and utilization of training aids and devices, facilities, equipment, testing, and student counseling.
• Specifying the time and emphasis given each unit or module of study in terms of program objectives and continuity.
• Coordinating and integrating the types and capabilities of instructional methods, materials, and media using such techniques as needs analysis, statistical validation of tests, comparative studies of the progress of various categories of students, and observation of instructional methods including the use of training devices, equipment, and facilities.
• Developing innovative and effective methods for training program improvements.
• Ensuring Federal-wide and agency policies and priorities are being followed (policies include acquisition regulations and policies; workforce development laws, regulations, and policies; and human resource policies and regulations)
• Obtaining input from Defense Acquisition University (DAU), Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI) and non-Governmental accrediting agencies program to ensure
• American Council on Education (ACE), Center for Occupational Education (COE), International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and any future accrediting agency standards are met.
• Quality of contract faculty and other contract personnel supporting the program to ensure DAU, FAI, and other non-Governmental accrediting organizations such as ACE, COE, IACET and any future accrediting agency standards are met.
• Adhering to overall program objectives and integration across related programs.
• Studying developments in the fields of education and training for possible application to the programs of the employing organization.
• Following up on cohort, course, and program graduates; reviewing and analyzing evaluations by students for indications of needed improvements in curriculum and/or instructional methods.
• Directing the development and sustainment of the training program.
• Budget development and execution which entails determining the resources to devote to this program for optimum program design to minimize operating costs while assuring program effectiveness measurements are achieved, since sponsoring organizations weigh the cost of employees' participation against the expected and achieved outcomes.
• Developing and managing the marketing and outreach to ensure stable program participation within VA and OGAs.
• Providing input to the organizational structure of the program staff and input to business cases to justify additional staff.
• Determining supporting projects and program segments to be initiated, dropped, or curtailed.
• Determining changes to immediate and long-range plans to adjust to changes in program funding (approved funding).

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, 05/04/2026.

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: Experience in training and education, as well as experience in a government acquisition area:
  • FAC-C, FAC-P/PM, or FAC-COR certification requirements, OR
  • Technical contracting regulations, policies, and laws, OR
  • Program management principles, OR
  • Business or leadership philosophies and competencies.

• Contracting/Procurement
• Critical Thinking
• Education and Training
• Managing Human Resources
• Performance Measurement
• Planning and Evaluating
• Project Management

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. Some work may require periods of walking, standing, and bending. The work is performed in a normal office setting involving everyday risks or discomforts, which require normal safety precautions.

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:

• Led the strategic design and continuous improvement of complex, enterprise-wide training programs by integrating accreditation standards, contractor capabilities, and instructional technologies to exceed quality and compliance expectations.
• Directed multi-year program planning and budget execution, determining resource levels, adjusting long-range plans to funding changes, and ensuring optimal cost-effectiveness while meeting performance targets.
• Oversaw high-risk contractor performance by assessing work quality, resolving complex issues, and ensuring adherence to Defense Acquisition University (DAU), Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI), American Council on Education (ACE), Council on Occupational Education (COE), and International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) accreditation standards before authorizing payment.
• Guided cross-functional teams by setting short-term priorities, developing work breakdown structures, removing production bottlenecks, and supporting team cohesion and performance.
• Represented organizational interests during high-level engagements with program officials and external partners, providing authoritative recommendations on program direction, policy adjustments, and training system improvements.
• Must meet all the basic requirements for GS-1101-14 and above.

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, Maryland. 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.


Structured Resume Review. Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will review ONLY two (2) pages of your resume, starting at your work experience. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume). Applicants passing the structured resume review will move on to the next phase of the assessment process.


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 other current, permanent VA employees
• All other applicants (if status)