Clarification from the agency

Current, Permanent VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System Employees and CTAP Eligibles - Must be a current, permanent employee of the facility listed in the announcement.

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Duties of the Program Specialist include but are not limited to:

• Participates in the development, establishment, and implementation of operational policies related to the eligibility, admission, length of stay, behavior standards for guests, cleanliness and state of report of the facility.
• Provides support to community, guest, patient, military liaison, and clinical staff inquiries regarding policies, procedures, and standards.
• Participates in activities that ensure the facility is in compliance with health, safety, privacy, and sanitation rules and regulations.
• Conducts special studies or reviews.
• Assists with the financial and managerial processes involved with the Fisher House and Hoptel lodging programs.
• Reviews budget status and controls and makes necessary spending adjustments.
• Coordinates and supervises volunteers.
• Coordinates Fisher House events and supply management, both of which require knowledge and understanding of appropriated and non-appropriated accounts, to include general post funds.
• Executes training plans for Fisher House staff based on the direction of the Fisher House Manager.
• Participates in Fisher House outreaches both internally at the VA medical Center and externally at community events.
• Acts as the Fisher House Manager's designee and provides technical supervision to Fisher House staff in the absence of the Fisher House Manager.
• Assist the Fisher House Manager with monthly lodging reports to report to facility leadership and the National Program Office.
• Assists in the technical supervision of contracted Housekeeping staff & Security staff based on the direction of the Fisher House Manager
• Participates in meetings with contractors when requested by the Fisher House Manager.
• Operates as a purchase cardholder & alternate approving official for supply chain and operational needs.
• Participate in meetings with non-profit and volunteer groups to address Fisher House needs and coordinate events.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Fisher House Manager .

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: Sunday & Tuesday, 8:00am - 6:00pm and Wednesday & Thursday, 10:00am - 8:00pm, (Schedule may differ during initial training period.)
Compressed/Flexible: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist (Fisher House Assistant Manager)/PD91080O and PD91081O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

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
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• 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, 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, 09/14/2026.

• 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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.
• Applicants must be eligible under the VA Interchange Agreement, having served continuously for at least one year in the other merit system under this interchange agreement. For more information regarding the VA Interchange Agreement please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/competitive-hiring/.
• All Title 38 Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) employees must have served in their Excepted Service position for at least 90 days in order to be eligible for a position within the Competitive Service.
• Applicants who were previously selected under a Competitive Delegating Examining Office (DEO) announcement must have served in their position for at least 90 days prior to being eligible for other positions within the Competitive Service.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• GS-9 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 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 support, implementing and overseeing projects involving data, using a computer to process and analyze data pertinent to specific assignments or issues, identifying needs or problems and determining corrective action, assisting with development of policies and procedures, sorting and processing incoming correspondence, coordinating with others to accomplish work-related projects, gathering information, and entering data. 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,
• Combined Education & Experience: Possess a combination of qualifying specialized experience and education as described above to qualify at the GS-9 level. You must possess 6 months of specialized experience equivalent to GS-7 and 1 year of graduate level education. The applicant meets 50 percent of the required experience but none of the required education, since you do not have any graduate study beyond that which is required for GS-7. Therefore, you meet only 50 percent of the total requirement and are not qualified for the position (The applicant's first year of graduate study is not qualifying for GS-9). Transcripts must be submitted
• GS-11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: preparing budget or cost estimates for projects or activities; presenting budget estimates or requests to higher management; serving as a primary point of contact for program or service; maintaining a working knowledge of relevant laws, regulations, policies, standards, or procedures; interpreting and analyzing data or other information; maintaining computerized databases or information tracking systems; coordinating program activities to include equipment requests; communicating organizational strategies and goals; and collecting, compiling, and organizing information to assess program efficiency and make recommendations to higher-level management. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, have 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or have LL.M., if related OR,
• Combined Education & Experience: Posses a combination of qualifying specialized experience and education as described above to qualify at the GS-11 level. You have 9 months of specialized experience equivalent to GS-9 and 2 1/2 years of creditable graduate level education. You meet 75 percent of the required experience and 50 percent of the required education, i.e., you have 1/2 year of graduate study beyond that required for GS-9. Therefore, you exceed the total requirement and are qualified for the position (Your first 2 years of graduate study are not qualifying for GS-11. Transcripts must be submitted.

Preferred Experience: Fisher House or Temporary Lodging 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 duties and responsibilities of the position require mobility between various floors and rooms within the Fisher Houses and between the Fisher Houses and various other buildings at the hospital. Average physical ability, dexterity, and strength are needed for this position. This includes preparation for open houses and special programs, moving/lifting of equipment (e.g. 100 cup coffee pot, boxes of donated items, up to 40 pounds, etc.).Although some of the work is sedentary, the employee will be walking, standing, bending, climbing stairs and carrying some light items. The incumbent must be composed at all times while providing customer service to guests experiencing emotional and/or physical stress.

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.

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:

• Analytical Reasoning
• Communication
• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Technical Competence

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

During the application process you may 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.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

Areas of Consideration - Applicants will be considered based on the following areas of consideration.

• First Area of Consideration - (Career Transition Assistance Plan) (CTAP) - CTAP Eligibles (for displaced Federal employees).
• Second Area of Consideration - (Facility Employees) - Current, permanent VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System employees (this includes Outpatient Clinics, permanent employees of the Veteran Canteen Service assigned to this facility).
• Third Area of Consideration (Other VA Employees) - Current, permanent Department of Veterans Affairs Employees (VA employees who are located at other VA medical centers).