Program Specialist

Full Job Description

Northport VA Medical Center is seeking one Program Specialist to support the Surgical Service.

The incumbent reports to the Chief of Surgical Service and assists Section Chiefs with resident coordination, credentialing and privileging support, affiliate communication, and daily administrative operations.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/13/2026.

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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05.

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: GS-07 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Analyzed problems to identify issues, develop alternative solutions, and present recommendations to improve operations.

Applied judgment to set priorities, implement procedures, and resolve routine and moderately complex issues.

Apply policies and guidelines to daily tasks, using judgment and consulting a supervisor when needed.

Used knowledge of organizational mission, programs, and support functions to promote efficiency and support program objectives.

Expert skills using spreadsheets, word processing, graphics, and database programs to create documents, track information, and support daily tasks.

Skilled in communicating effectively both orally and in writing. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 Full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement.

OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level..

GS-09 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: Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with internal and external customers.

Analyze issues, develop solution options, and provide recommendations with minimal oversight.

Expert-level knowledge of software applications, including spreadsheets, word processing, graphics, and databases, and the ability to use advanced features across these programs.

Exercise independent judgment when setting priorities, interpreting procedures, and resolving both routine and complex issues.

Apply in depth knowledge of the organization's mission, programs, and support functions to improve program efficiency and support operational decision making.

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.

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.

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/.

Major Duties:

Works directly with the Chief of Surgery as the Administrative Assistant providing day to day support to the Surgical Service.

Coordinate the training programs for residents, medical students, and trainees.

Confirm credentials, complete security clearance paperwork, ensuring all necessary forms are completed, signed, and sent to the proper departments.

Assist with creating/maintaining rotation schedules, monitor compliance with national guidelines, run monthly reports, send required reports to home institution.

Assign keys, parking information, DEA numbers (for writing prescriptions). Maintain rotation schedules, rosters, call schedules and attendance tracking for unpaid trainees, and timecards for staff.

Enters ePAS requests for all trainees, new and existing employees to ensure proper menus, security keys, person and user class, and appropriate access is assigned.

Enter JIT (Just-In-Time/user provisioning) for all incoming trainees. Process new hire paperwork for incoming trainees for all surgical service trainees.

Confirm credentials, complete security clearance paperwork, ensuring all necessary forms are completed, signed, and sent to the proper departments. Assign offices, keys, parking.

Liaison between Surgical Service and other facility services especially regarding OI&T equipment and application system request, and user access Compile/Maintain monthly and quarterly reports including required learning reports for staff (monthly), Affiliate reports (quarterly PIV report), and the VAMC Aggregate Report (which is used to maintain accurate allocated funds and billing).

Coordinates the process of obtaining new Affiliation Agreements (AA) and Program Letters of Agreement (PLA's) as needed and ensuring that existing AA's and PLA's are up to date.

Alternate timekeeper for Surgical Service T&Ls. Manage and coordinate all administrative duties relative to the resident and student onboarding process.

Lead TMS Administrator for Surgical Service: Assist employees with TMS issues, from trouble accessing learning to aiding with all levels of access. Performs other duties as assigned.

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: Full-time, Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD38459-0 and PD38437-0