Clarification from the agency

Please be advised this vacancy is opened to Current and Permanent Lexington VA Healthcare System employees and CBOCs that are aligned with Station # 596. If you are unsure of if your current duty station falls under the correct Station # to be considered for this position, you can verify your Station # by referring to Box 40 on your most recent SF-50. The first 3 alphanumeric values should read 596 in order to be considered for this position.

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Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Leads the development and execution of new and existing programs to improve employee experience.
• Develops and executes strategic plans supporting Employee Experience (EX) efforts.
• Conducts workshops, seminars, and trainings to enhance program understanding within the workforce.
• Creates and present briefs, presentations, and other documentation for senior leadership.
• Acts as Chair of the Employee Experience Committee, ensuring effective communication with all stakeholders.
• Collaborates with internal and external partners to improve Employee Experience programs.
• Facilitates employee engagement trainings such as VA Voices, Own the Moment, and WECARE Leadership Rounding.
• Conducts surveys and research initiatives to gather and analyze employee experience data.
• Identifies and interprets trends from AES and other employee experience data.
• Applies performance/process improvement methodologies to enhance Employee Experience programs.
• Monitors ongoing budget execution related to Employee Experience, making necessary recommendations for adjustments.
• Compiles data from various databases to support financial decisions and track efficient operation and use of resources.
• Manages the monitoring of assigned control points, ensuring efficient use and proper allocation of resources.
• Performs other duties and tasks as assigned.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 7:30am-4:00pm
Telework: This position may be authorized for Telework. ADHOC Telework Only. ADHOC Telework-telework that occurs on an occasional, non-routine basis. Telework that occurs to complete short-term special assignments or to accommodate special circumstances even though the telework arrangement may occur continuously for a limited and specific period of time.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist- Employee Experience Officer/PD30555-0 and PD30556-0

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-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 or 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, 06/29/2026.

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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7.
• For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9.

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.

Applicants must submit documentation verifying that they meet time-in-grade requirements in accordance with federal regulations. Human Resources will not review or access official personnel records to determine eligibility if supporting documentation is not provided. Failure to submit required documentation will result in an ineligible rating.

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 and/or education as described below:

GS-9 (Developmental):

Specialized Experience You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Program Specialist. Qualifying specialized experience includes:

• knowledge of basic principles and practices of program development,
• project oversight,
• budgetary monitoring,
• and data analysis sufficient to:
  • perform highly structured, entry-level work designed to develop broader and more in-depth knowledge, and skill to perform higher-level assignments;
  • communicate factual and procedural information related to employee experience topics clearly, orally and in writing;
  • gather and analyze basic facts related to employee experience and engagement and draw conclusions.

~OR~

• Education: successfully completed two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education, or masters or equivalent graduate degree, or LL.B. or J.D., in a related field of the position to be filled. Education at the graduate level must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position, as the education must be directly related to the position of the Program Specialist.

~OR~

• Combination: equivalent combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements 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.

GS-11:

Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Program Specialist. Qualifying specialized experience includes:

• skills and abilities to identify problems and recommend solutions and evaluate the impact of program changes in accordance with established goals and objectives.
• Skilled in oral and written communications to enable presentation of sensitive and sometimes controversial material and recommendations to higher authority and other government agencies.
• Ability to take vague guidance and mold the information into a meaningful product, frequently having to brief results to management and higher-level officials.
• Skill at interpreting various forms of information to others in order to ensure studies provide a usable product.
• Skill in preparing project papers and staff reports
• Skill in organizing and delivering briefings to managers to encourage understanding and acceptance of findings and recommendations.

~OR~

• Education: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or successfully completed two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education, leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D., in a related field of the position to be filled. Education at the graduate level must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position, as the education must be directly related to the position of Administrative Officer.

~OR~

• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (in excess of the first two years or 36 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements.

NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required.

Preferred Experience: Preferred Experience in employee engagement and recognition activities, committees, or projects preferred.

Permanent Employee Status: If you are unsure if you have permanent employee status to be considered for this position, you can verify your status by referring to Box 24 on your most recent SF-50. The box must have a 1 or 2 in order to be considered for this position.

Basis for Selection: Selections for positions will be based on the objective evaluation of the candidates' total qualifications for the position. "Qualifications" means the combination of experience, training, education, skills, knowledge, abilities, personal characteristics, and merit factors deemed to be pertinent to successful performance.

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

• Administration and Management
• Analysis and Problem Solving
• Attention to Detail
• Communication
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Effectiveness
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Project Management
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

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: Typical office work not requiring special physical demands. Work environment should be ergonomically appropriate.

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/.

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.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact 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.

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

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.

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.