Program Specialist

There is a nationally recognized initiative to seamlessly transition the health care of injured and ill service members and Veterans from the Department of Defense (DOD) to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system. The Program Specialist is seen as one of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) representatives to the military installation and must represent the VA in many aspects of the patient care coordination, transfer and outreach.

**Qualifications:**
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 04/27/2026. 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 within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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 7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: managing and evaluating programs and policies; knowledge of healthcare service and delivery systems; administrative management in a healthcare facility; developing, gathering and applying new data; preparing reports, briefs and presentations; interpreting guidelines, policies/procedures, handbooks, and Federal regulations. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree or two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B or J.D in a related field of the position to be filled. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Education cannot be credited without documentation. TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and specialized experience equivalent to GS 7 described above to meet the total experience requirements. I have computed the percentage of the requirements that I meet, and the total is at least 100%. Education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Education cannot be credited without documentation. TRANSCRIPTS 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/. Preferred experience: Experience working in a federal healthcare setting, particularly with Veterans, Service members, or military families. Knowledge of VA and DoD healthcare systems, policies, and procedures. Prior experience coordinating transitions of care, patient navigation, or case management. Strong data analysis and reporting skills; proficiency with VA data management systems. Familiarity with HIPAA and regulations governing the handling of PHI and sensitive Veteran data. Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder engagement skills. Experience developing or implementing quality improvement or process improvement projects. Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and adapt to evolving priorities. Ability to troubleshoot complex problems as they arise. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, CPRS, JLV (electronic health record (EHR) systems). Demonstrated competency and sensitivity to the unique needs of Veterans and military populations.