Program Specialist

Office of the Secretary • Washington, DC

6h • Hybrid

About The Position

Primary purpose of this position is to serve as a subject matter expert and lead advisor on the development, drafting, coordination, and oversight of VA regulations. The incumbent is responsible for managing the full lifecycle of federal regulations impacting programs and services administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, including the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and National Cemetery Administration (NCA).

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Must complete all required steps in the process.
• In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment.
• The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• 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.
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a one year probationary period or two year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• 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-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13.
• 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.
• Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to some former Federal employees applying for reinstatement, as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
• Resume must include job title and employer name, number of hours worked per week, start and end dates (including month and year), list of duties and responsibilities for each position held.
• In addition, if the experience was a federal position, you must list series and grade for each position held.
• Failure to include this information may result in an ineligible rating.
• A full year of work is considered to be 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.
• Work is primarily sedentary, but some light physical effort may be required.
• Serves or served in a senior regulatory or legal advisory role with direct experience in: leading the development and clearance of complex federal regulations; interpreting and applying statutory and administrative law; coordinating with OGC, OMB, and oversight entities on rulemaking; and advising senior leadership on regulatory compliance, legal sufficiency, and implementation strategy.

Nice To Haves

• May be authorized for Virtual Work.
• Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
• VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service.
• Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Responsibilities

• Develops and drafts regulatory amendments to title 38 Code of Federal Regulations, that comply with the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), Executive Orders, Office of the Federal Register guidelines, and VA internal processes.
• Independently identifies regulatory needs arising from new legislation, litigation, program changes, or external recommendations.
• Provides technical assistance to senior leaders and program managers, translating complex legislative provisions into regulatory language and ensuring the intent of Congress is clearly reflected.
• Develops briefing materials and, talking points, for regulatory initiatives and ensure that all communications reflect the Department's policy position and legal interpretation.
• Coordinates clearance and consultation with legal counsel, program leadership, and policy offices, to manage the preparation of justifications, impact analyses, and responses to public comments.
• Monitors legal and regulatory trends, court decisions, and Congressional activities that may prompt regulatory action, to proactively plan for regulatory adjustments to mitigate risks and maintain program integrity.

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.
• VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies.
• 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.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed