Skip to main content
U.S. flag
 

Program Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of the Secretary
Office of Construction & Facilities Management (CFM)

Summary

The Program Specialist provides administrative and program support within the Office of the Secretary to the Office of Construction & Facilities Management (CFM), Office of Facilities Acquisitions, and Contracting Officer staff. Responsibilities include managing correspondence, training documentation, tracking systems, contract-related records, and other administrative functions that support efficient office operations and effective mission delivery.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Posted this week · Apply by 06/17/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 17, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$57,736 - $91,815 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Promotion potential
9
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
Yes
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
CCLQ-12980962-26-AS
Control number
872304400

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open to current, permanent employees of the Office of Construction & Facilities Management (CFM) and CTAP eligible applicant ONLY.

Duties

Help

This is not a remote/ virtual position. Location is negotiable among VA-approved staff offices, subject to space availability and management approval. Applicants without an existing assigned VA staff office must be located within 50 miles of a CFM regional office to be considered. This is not a remote position.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Managing administrative programs, budget tracking, time and attendance systems, logistics requests, and correspondence
  • Coordinating executive-level calendars, meetings, and priorities
  • Planning, coordinating, obtaining or providing a variety of administrative and management support services required for the day-to-day operation of the office
  • Managing correspondence for the office including workflow needed for upper management approval and tracking assignment due dates to ensure management is aware of status
  • Drafting and reviewing office responses such as reports, correspondence and presentations for consistency, spelling and grammar
  • Preparing office reports to track milestones and suspense dates
  • Planning and supporting committees, boards, and other standardized meetings for the office, including preparing minutes, agendas, and sending/ updating invites to participants
  • Providing expert advice on specific tasks and making available written instructions, reference materials, and relevant background material
  • Ensuring minutes are reviewed and promulgated to attendees
  • Serving as Training Management Administrator including tracking completion of mandatory training and reporting delinquencies to management
  • Serving as a timekeeper, assisting in administering leave, and communicating with Payroll to assist employees with resolving issues
  • Managing executive travel
  • Managing contract documents, web-based development of training guides and handbooks
  • Maintaining log of warrants and Contracting Officer Authorization letters
  • Tracking employee training needs to maintain warrant
  • Preparing contractual documents, purchase orders, delivery orders, task orders and purchase card orders
  • Conducting research and developing mechanisms to improve contract tracking data and reports systems
  • Using Microsoft Office Suite and specialized systems to analyze, track, and report program data
  • Analyzing program data to identify trends and recommend process improvements
  • Developing tracking tools and reports to improve program efficiency and decision-making

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 through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Telework: Position is eligible for Ad Hoc telework (situational telework) with supervisor approval. Regular and recurring telework is not available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Location is negotiable among VA-approved staff offices, subject to space availability and management approval. Applicants without an existing assigned VA staff office must be located within 50 miles of a CFM regional office to be considered. This is not a remote position.
Position Description/PD#: PD10013O and PD10012O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Required
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a one year probationary period or two year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
  • 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.
Upon completion of your probationary period one year probationary period or two year trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/17/2026.

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 level. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7 level. 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 some 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:
GS-7:
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: providing administrative and technical support; preparing correspondence; maintaining files/records; managing, compiling and tracking data; making recommendations on programs and policies to improve quality outcomes; implementing process improvement initiatives; and utilizing various software programs. OR,
Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement. OR,
Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond a bachelor's degree.

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: providing administrative and technical support; preparing correspondence; maintaining files/records; managing, compiling and tracking data; using qualitative and quantitative techniques for analyzing and measuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of a program; making recommendations on programs and policies to improve quality outcomes; implementing process improvement initiatives; applying knowledge of policies, regulations, and guidelines; and utilizing various software programs.
OR,
Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a 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: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first full year of graduate level education.

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: Resume must include job title and employer name, number of hours worked per week, start and end dates (including month and year), list of duties and responsibilities for each position held. In addition, if the experience was a federal position, you must list series and grade for each position held. Failure to include this information may result in an ineligible rating. A full year of work is considered to be 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 with some standing, walking, bending, sitting, and carrying of lightweight objects.

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 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:

  • Managing administrative functions for the Senior Contracting Officer and his/her staff
  • Posting solicitations on Electronic Contract Management System (eCMS)
  • Overseeing the status of proposed and awarded contracts for design and construction projects
  • Utilizing quantitative and qualitative analyses and knowledge of the interrelationships of database systems to manipulate massive variables of data to reach multiple scenarios needed to carry out programs and assess their overall effectiveness

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. Location Negotiable: Location is negotiable among VA-approved staff offices, subject to space availability and management approval. Applicants without an existing assigned VA staff office must be located within 50 miles of the CFM regional office location listed above to be considered. This is not a remote position.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration (HRA) at The Fair Chance Act.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here:
https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

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

  • Administration and Management
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Manages and Organizes Information
  • Problem Solving
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
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.

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 Construction & Facilities Management (CFM)

During the application process, you will have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Office of the Secretary

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise to care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?

Agency contact information

Amy Smith
Phone
(734) 800-9263
Email
Amy.Smith3@va.gov
Address
Office of Construction and Facilities Management
425 I Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Office of the Secretary, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://www.va.gov/jobs

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.