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Emergency Management Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Fargo VA Health Care System
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The position of Emergency Management Specialist is located at the Fargo VA Medical Center, Fargo, ND, and is responsible for managing the health care system in sustaining national and regional support to the Comprehensive Emergency Management Program.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/12/2025 to 06/20/2025
Salary
$88,621 to - $115,213 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Fargo, ND
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSY-12750300-25-AM
Control number
838742900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Current permanent Veterans Canteen Service employees may apply and will be considered in the same manner as a current VA employee. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) eligibles may apply for consideration who are (a) preference eligibles, or (b) Veterans whose most recent military separation was under honorable conditions after substantially completing at least 3 years of continuous active military service may compete under merit promotion procedures.

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Duties

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The Emergency Management Specialist (EMS) is a high-profile position requiring daily interaction with the highest levels of medical center leadership, the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), VHA, the VHA Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and the community stakeholders. The EMS works with the VISN in coordinating and administering duties required to execute the roles and responsibilities under the VA's national level partners, Department of Defense (DoD), Department of health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as well as federal, state, and local agencies in the public and private sector.

Major duties and responsibilities include:

  • Coordinating the Healthcare System efforts and engaging staff, as well as the functions required to manage the Comprehensive Emergency Management Program (CEMP)
  • Ensuring the emergency response results and conclusions lead to a continual improvement of the emergency management program throughout the healthcare system
  • Preparing for and carrying out or coordinating emergency functions to prevent, protect from, mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters
  • Assisting with the various program coordinators relating to Emergency Management (EM), Safety, Pharmacy Cache, Clinical Support, and Law Enforcement
  • Developing and coordinating all VAMC emergency plans and exercises in accordance with VHA directives and VHA Emergency Operations Plan
  • Collaborating with community partners to support the execution of national objectives
  • Representing Executive Leadership at key planning sessions, after actions reviews, and response planning meetings, conferences, forums and symposiums
  • Providing guidance and assistance in all employee and vulnerable patient/Veteran accountability efforts before, during and after an emergency
  • Ensuring all data on employee and patient/Veteran accountability is reported to the healthcare system Incident Command Center and VISN in a timely manner
  • Establishing relationships with the stakeholders and community in order to communicate and disseminate program information to ensure an understanding of the agency's mission and activities
  • Establishing, maintaining, and fostering strong working relationships with partners at national, regional and local levels

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Emergency Management Specialist/PD99789S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this 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 dentification 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)

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/20/2025.

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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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.

IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-12 LEVEL YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING:

DRIVER'S LICENSE:
A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. Note: We cannot accept photographs. Therefore, please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide your driver's license for verification purposes.
~AND~
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position. To be creditable, experience must have been equivalent the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes applying the policies governing emergency management programs and operations; assisting with the execution of a comprehensive emergency management program; responding quickly to emergency situations; implementing a variety of emergency, contingency, and operations plans; applying basic data gathering methodologies to collect various types of information; using and managing database programs. This experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit.

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

  • Communication
  • Emergency Management
  • Incident Management
  • Planning and Evaluating


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: The work is sedentary during non-emergency situations. However, participation in field exercises and operational support missions may require strenuous physical activity to include carrying persons and equipment, walking long distance, climbing, working long hours, long periods of standing, and bending and stooping. May include various housing and living conditions to include non-climate controlled, limited privacy sleeping facilities (for example, cots, tents, "hot-bunking", gymnasiums, or similar), limited shower and laundry facilities, and limited feeding options (such as shelf-stable meals, meals-ready-to-eat (MRE's), and field kitchens). During emergency situations the employee may be required to remain available 24 hours per day, seven days per week for multiple weeks and is subject to work under emergency notification and contact procedures. The EMS will be provided and must carry a government provided mobile communication device.

Work Environment: The work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office; however, the employee may be required to work in a warehouse and store emergency management equipment in an outdoor storage facility and indoor storage rooms. The EMS will support site visits to all outpatient clinics to perform hazard vulnerability analysis, conduct drills, conduct training, and any other comprehensive emergency management implementation. Environment may be subject to adverse weather to include wind, precipitation, temperature and humidity extremes. Protective gear (gloves, hard hats, hearing protection, and similar) and adherence to safety precautions may be required. Travel by motor vehicle, train, boat, and aircraft within the United States may be required.

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.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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.

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.

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