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. This position is for Region 1 District 1, selectee will be required to report to one of the listed VAMC/HSC locations.

This position is directly accountable for providing operational leadership and direction regarding all law enforcement and security related matters within the assigned area to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Police Chiefs and staff. The position exercises initiative and executive leadership in creating and coordinating change management initiatives and maintaining programs. Represents the Regional Law Enforcement Director in their absence.

• Ensures all organizational programs and plans, based on new, progressive policies, are systematically integrated into an overall operational model.
• Establish processes for the field to execute, that Police Services towards the accomplishment of strategic goals.
• Responsible for the operation, direction, and control of the law enforcement and physical security activities of all Veteran Affairs Medical Centers/Health Care Systems, Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC), Veterans Benefit Administration Offices, and local National Cemetery Administration properties within assigned area.
• Perform a variety of operational duties in extremely complex and distinctively separate administrations that deliver healthcare, benefits and memorial affairs, which are constantly evolving and provide services to Veterans within a large geographic area.
• Serve as a principal advisor to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) Director, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Director and National Cemetery Administration (NCA) Memorial Integrated Service Network (MISN) Director for all operational law enforcement and security related matters.
• Conduct or oversee complex white-collar crime investigations alleged against VA Police Service staff for possible violations such as fraud, bribery, improper and false claims, violations of civil rights, embezzlement, kickbacks and excessive use of force.
• Assist in the conduct of regular examinations or studies of programs and staff performance to identify and report operating conditions and Police misconduct that have actual or potential adverse effects upon VA objectives and reputation; reflect inadequate standards of Police Service employee behavior, integrity, and adequacy; indicate lack of compliance with policies and regulations; and/or involve lapses or abuses of authority.
• Perform difficult and complex administrative investigations of mismanagement, conflict of interest, and/or unethical behavior and assist in special studies and cases involving misconduct of VA Police staff.
• Prepare reports, based on analysis and evaluation of evidence, that contain statements, facts, evidentiary documents, and records developed during course of an investigation and the position makes recommendations for appropriate action.
• Provide policy guidance and oversight on the distribution and allocation of available resources and is a key point of contact for the Network Director and the Office of Chief of Police.
• Communicate the status of systemic and significant issues within the area and provides operational updates to ensure compliance with Police Service and security regulations, directives and standard operating procedures that are established as well as recently introduced.
• Serve as a principal advisor to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) Director, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Director and National Cemetery Administration (NCA) Memorial Integrated Service Network (MISN) Director for all operational law enforcement and security related matters.
• Chair or participate in planning, financial and operation committees and boards.
• Oversee, through Chiefs of Police, criminal investigations, operations and protective intelligence products that interface with higher headquarters within all Administrations.

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.
• 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
• 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.
• Position must display operational skills and proficiency in handling firearms. Required to perform a semi-annual weapons qualification test commensurate with assigned duties and responsibilities. Position will be required to carry the duty firearm and associated law enforcement equipment.
  

• 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, 08/13/2026.

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 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:

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 position is required to exert considerable and strenuous physical effort when the position
conducts security surveys and inspections, which requires crawling in unusually confined building areas. May be called upon to defend themselves and members of staff, patients or the public against physical attack. A physical and psychological examination is required to completed annually.

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/.

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: Supervising admin staff and field law enforcement supervisors, ensuring organizational goals, regulatory requirements, and enforcement standards are met. Directing regional investigations, compliance activities, and enforcement initiatives, including reviewing casework, approving operational plans, and ensuring adherence to federal policies and safety protocols. Developing, implementing, and evaluating Law Enforcement regional strategies, policies, and performance metrics to improve effectiveness, consistency, and program integrity. Providing executive-level guidance, reports, and briefings to senior leadership regarding operations, risks, trends, and program outcomes. Ensuring compliance with legal authorities, policy directives, and administrative requirements while promoting accountability, workforce development, and operational excellence. Must have 3 years experience in Law Enforcement. Information about 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

• West Haven, Connecticut
• Augusta, Maine
• Bedford, Massachusetts
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Leeds, Massachusetts
• Manchester, New Hampshire
• Providence, Rhode Island
• White River Junction, Vermont

. This includes all locations that fall within a 50-mile driving distance from

• West Haven, Connecticut
• Augusta, Maine
• Bedford, Massachusetts
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Leeds, Massachusetts
• Manchester, New Hampshire
• Providence, Rhode Island
• White River Junction, Vermont

.

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.

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.

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 OSP/OSLE
• All other current, permanent VA employees

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.