Program Specialist

Veterans Health Administration • Brockton, MA

9d • Hybrid

About The Position

This Program Specialist position is under the VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) and the Chaplain Service within the VA Boston Healthcare System, located at the Brockton, MA location. This Program Specialist position provides complex administrative and program support for the planning, coordination, and execution of services under the VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) and the Chaplain Service within a large, complex, 1A medical facility. This role is equally divided: approximately 50%-time supporting CDCE programs (including Voluntary Service and associated recreation/adaptive sports initiatives) and 50%-time supporting Chaplain Service operations.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Complete all required steps in the process.
• Complete an online assessment.
• 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.
• 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 (Effective May 7, 2025).
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Must serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period.
• 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07.
• 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: administrative oversight and operational support for dual service departments; coordinating volunteer, donation, and community outreach operations; managing service scheduling, logistics, and program support; utilizing automated systems (e.g., Office 365, PowerBI, VSSC, or database tracking tools) to evaluate program data and generate reports; managing department records and procurement activities; and communicating guidance on facility policies and procedures to internal leadership, community partners, and volunteers.
• 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. You must have an combination of completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education in excess of the first year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-09 level.
• A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
• Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment.
• If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.

Nice To Haves

• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's.

Responsibilities

• Studies, analyzes, and evaluates the needs of veterans, staff, volunteers, and community partners; develops and/or implements programs, policies, guidance, and solutions to meet those needs.
• Develops motivational materials, fact sheets, brochures, and informational resources to facilitate volunteer participation, adaptive sports programs, and community engagement.
• Provides advisory services to CDCE program managers on requirements, trends, and improvements.
• Reviews feedback data, performs studies, identifies trends, and proposes/implement solutions.
• Prepares required reports and maintains statistics for CDCE programs.
• Plans, conducts, and/or manages special projects or studies related to volunteer recruitment, retention, recognition, adaptive sports, donations, and community relations.
• Coordinates with non-profit organizations, Veteran Service Organizations, and external partners for working relationships, accreditation, and program support.
• Advises on human resources policies, staffing, employee relations, performance ratings, and benefits.
• Regularly assesses the resource needs of CDCE, Recreation Therapy and Chaplain Service.
• Monitors the utilization of resources, recommending appropriate actions to adequately maintain services and provides financial oversight recommendations to the Chiefs of CDCE and Chaplain service based on resource analysis.
• Performs budget execution functions to ensure expenditure aligns with plans.
• Maintains GPF accounts specific to Chaplain Service needs and coordinates donations/gifts.
• Maintains effective working relationships with community organizations and promotes good relations between the VA and the community organizations and VSO partners.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level