Program Specialist

Full Job Description

This Program Specialist GS09 role at the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System supports the Mental Health & Behavioral Sciences Service.

Manages resource administration, contracting and program coordination. Key responsibilities include overseeing equipment, space requests, and new employee orientation.

The role requires analytical skills to monitor budgets and evaluate program efficiency.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/17/2026.

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 GS09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS07. 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 GS7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Assisting with resource management by monitoring fund control points, compiling annual budgetary requirements for personnel and supplies, and identifying resource needs for program operations.

Contracting and procurement, such as serving as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to develop statements of work, inspect deliverables, and manage contract performance.

Additionally, specialized experience includes utilizing analytical methods to conduct workload studies, preparing personnel strength reports, and coordinating administrative processes like new employee orientation and equipment inventory.

Ability to interpret agency policies and standard operating procedures to resolve procedural problems and improve the efficiency of clinical program operations.

OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed 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. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have an appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate-level education beyond the first year. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED).

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Clerical Contract Administration Information Management 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: Toe work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort 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/.

Major Duties:

Major Duties: Serves as the primary Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to monitor contract performance, inspect deliverables, and process invoices.

Assists in developing and monitoring Fund Control Pointes, compiling annual requirements for personnel and supplies, and performing cost analysis studies.

Prepares recruitment and relocation incentive documents, tracks, specifically funded positions, and maintains accurate organizational charts.

Acts as the official responsible for all clinical equipment inventory, furniture request, and online space request preparation.

Independently coordinates clinical program changes involving consultants, supplies, and testing materials.

Manges special projects, oversees the Psychiatrist of the Day monthly schedule, and coordinates service-specific orientation for new staff.

Researches and analyzes VERA-CMI retention data, verifies expenditures with Fiscal Service, and transmits data to the VISN and VA Central Office.

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: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Telework Eligibility: Ad-hoc Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD10221A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized