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Program Specialist (WVPP)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration, Southeast Network, Ralph H. Johnson VAMC

Summary

Workplace Violence Prevention Program Program Assistant
Obtain certification as a Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior Facility Trainer certified to train all skills excepting Therapeutic Containment. Serve as PMDB Facility trainer. Obtain Talent Management System Administrator role. Assist in all elements of PMDB administration. Participate as a member of the Disruptive Behavior Prevention Program and provide administrative assistance to the Chairperson or designee of the DBC.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$61,722 - $80,243 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
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
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
CBTB-13099290-27-MAA
Control number
891758000

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Duties

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Knowledge in VA, JCAHO, OSHA and other guidelines associated with violence prevention, education, and training; knowledge of the proper procedures for preparing forms as requested by various services and committees. Ability to be a role model for quality customer service and conflict resolution including consistently communicating and treating customers in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner; strong organizational and planning skills; knowledge of CPRS and TMS; knowledge of MS Word and Excel or comparable word processing and data analysis software; knowledge of PowerPoint and SharePoint website management or comparable systems, strong verbal presentation and communication skills; physical ability needed to instruct and train staff in all levels of PMDB. Willingness to attain certification as a facility or master level PMDB trainer. The incumbent will be skilled in counseling adults regarding violence prevention and disruptive behavior; will apply and adapt this knowledge gained through extended professional experience to difficult and complex. work assignments where education activities incorporate facility and national goals. You apply professional knowledge and skills in evaluating the soundness of project proposals, providing technical guidance, assessing project performance and negotiating major plan changes.

You report to the Workplace Violence Prevention Program (WVPP) Section Chief and communicates daily to that individual. The supervisor sets overall objectives. You and supervisor, in consultation, develop deadlines, projects and work to be done. You delegate authority for the day-to-day administrative operations of the WVPP. The expectation is that you work on your own initiative under general administrative supervision. You, having developed expertise in the areas of education, is responsible for planning and carrying out the assignment, resolving most of the conflicts which arise, coordinating the work with others as necessary; and interpreting policy on his/her own initiative in terms of broad agency objectives. Within the delegation of authority, you determine the approach to be taken and the methodology to be used while keeping the supervisor informed of progress and of potentially controversial matters with far-reaching implications. In general, recommendations made by you are accepted. Controversial issues are resolved by consultation with the WVPP Section Chief, committee chairs, VA Police, and/or other relevant staff and ultimately reviewed by the Chief of Staff's office. Completed work is reviewed only from an overall standpoint in terms of feasibility, compatibility with other work in the agency. Efficiency is measured by timeliness of goal completions and workload management. Effectiveness is measured by specific goal achievements such as compliance with national mandates and program improvements.
Guidelines consist of Department of Veterans Affairs Directives, Public Laws. Federal Regulations, States Laws which provide policies and requirements of regulatory agencies. Guidelines further consist of The Joint Commission (TJC) manuals, local and VA medical center policies (MCPs) and standard operating procedures (SOPs), medical record publications and hospital publications. Considerable judgment is necessary in determining and interpreting appropriate guidelines and discretion must be exercised in individual situations not covered by established policies.
The training work involved in this position requires dexterity in maneuvering through a broad range of resources, educational concepts, reinforcement approaches and roadblocks.
The scope of the work is administrative and technical in nature, with the incumbent responsible for a full range of administrative and technical activities engaged in the WVPP arena.
You must utilize a high degree of interpersonal skills. The incumbent must communicate in a manner that reflects respect, understanding, diplomacy, and responsiveness.
The incumbent must have the ability to complete all hours of PMDB credentialling, to have a full understanding of the techniques and methods involved, and to actively train staff in all parts of PMDB . . . This will require physical effort, standing, walking, bending, sitting, and hands-on activity with employees during demonstrations of the techniques. Credentialing as a PMDB Trainer may also require travel.
Work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office or building. It may be possible to complete some tasks using video technology. This position will require occasional travel to other sites.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Telework: This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist (WVPP)/PD160380
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Requirements

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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, 11/20/2026.

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. 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.

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

  • 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: ability to be a role model for quality customer service and conflict resolution including consistently communicating and treating customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner; strong organizational and planning skills; knowledge of CPRS and TMS; knowledge of MS Word and Excel or comparable word processing and data analysis software; knowledge of PowerPoint and SharePoint website management or comparable systems, strong verbal presentation and communication skills; physical ability needed to instruct and train staff in all levels of PMDB. Willingness to attain certification as a facility or master level PMDB trainer.. OR,
  • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 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 an combination of specialized experience and education beyond one full year of graduate level education.
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/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

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/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

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

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and 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 well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. 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/.

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.

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:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


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.

Veterans Health Administration

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" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

Agency contact information

Manuel Argumedo
Phone
770-279-3413
Email
Manuel.Argumedo@va.gov
Address
Ralph H Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
109 Bee Street
Charleston, SC 29401
US

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