Program Specialist.
About the Role
This position involves performing a wide range of administrative, technical, and program support activities to ensure alignment with federal policies and organizational goals. The role supports approval, compliance, and liaison activities within the agency.
Responsibilities
- Independently perform administrative and technical tasks supporting approval, compliance, and liaison activities while ensuring alignment with policies and organizational goals.
- Review and cross-check completed work for clarity, format, and compliance; prepare statistical and narrative reports using various software tools.
- Assist with memoranda, budget and narrative reports, meeting coordination, and special projects impacting administrative and program operations.
- Manage internal and external correspondence, track suspense dates, determine proper disposition, and respond to inquiries within administrative responsibilities.
- Resolve education-related inquiries from SCOs and staff, follow up on required actions, and distribute correspondence for final review.
- Support leadership with administrative tasks such as travel, timekeeping, and policy updates; advise staff to ensure efficient team operations.
- Perform HR administrative functions, maintain employee records, and ensure timely completion of personnel actions, certifications, and timekeeping.
- Prepare SF-52s, update organizational charts and emergency contact plans, and coordinate performance appraisal documentation.
- Work with HR liaison to maintain accurate employee files and prepare confidential personnel materials.
- Maintain calendars for required reports, assist leadership with analysis, and serve as office timekeeper.
- Process IT and ISO access requests for systems such as LAN, Salesforce (eFORCE), TIMS, LTS, and WEAMS, including onboarding, access updates, and account terminations.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Requirements
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
- 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.
- Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized for employment.
- As a condition of employment, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: 07/28/2026.
Time-in-Grade Requirement: For a GS-09 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07 level. 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.
Minimum Qualification Requirement:
- Specialized Experience (GS-09): Specialized experience includes performing a wide range of administrative, technical, and program support activities requiring knowledge of federal laws, regulations, and policies related to education approvals, compliance, and liaison operations. Experience includes:
- Independently reviewing and routing correspondence.
- Analyzing information to determine appropriate disposition.
- Preparing statistical, narrative, and management reports using automated systems such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and other VA applications.
- Coordinating with internal and external stakeholders, responding to complex inquiries, and ensuring timely completion of suspense actions and reporting requirements.
- Supporting budget, meeting, and project preparation.
- Monitoring program workflow for alignment with organizational goals.
- Maintaining personnel records and preparing HR actions.
- Processing system access requests.
- Advising employees on administrative requirements.
- Assisting leadership on policies involving travel, timekeeping, and office operations.
- Education Substitution: You may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education, you must have:
- A master's or equivalent graduate degree in an accredited or pre-accredited college or university.
- 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree.
- Possession of an LL.B. or J.D. degree, if related.
- Combining Education & Experience: If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level, the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement.
- Volunteer Experience: 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; religious; 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.
- Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis.
Schedule
Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.
This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.
Physical Requirements
The work is mostly sedentary; however, some walking and bending will be required.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent.