Summary This position is located at the NCA Scheduling Office in St. Louis, MO. The National Cemetery Scheduling Office (NCSO) is a national call center responsible for delivering exceptional customer service to support Veterans and their eligible dependents for scheduling burials and memorial services in a VA National Cemetery. Responsibilities This is a bargaining unit position. This position is represented by AFGE. Please note that as provided for in the AFGE/VA Master Agreement the FIRST area of consideration for this position will be permanent employees of the local facility in which this position is being filled, the SECOND area of consideration will be employees at other VA facilities, and the THIRD area of consideration will be all other eligibles. The Program Specialist serves as a Learning Coordinator within the National Cemetery Administration (NCA), Field Programs, National Cemetery Scheduling Office (NCSO) in St. Louis, MO. The Program Specialist is an integral part of the NCSO training program and serves as a key technical advisor to the Program Support Assistants (PSA) and Program Analyst (PA) and other positions within the NCSO and Field Programs. The incumbent is responsible for all aspects of training to include, planning, developing, maintaining, and delivering operational training curriculum for the NCSO. Training delivery includes new employee training, employee refresher training, and leadership development courses. The incumbent collaborates with NCSO divisions on new content requirements, content updates, and training trends. This position also serves as the Learning Coordinator for other Field Programs offices and works with the National Training Center (NTC) for content development and integration of courseware into the Talent Management System (TMS). Salary Ranges: GS-9: $61,408 - $79,830 GS-11: $74,299 - $96,586 Work schedule: Required to work Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available Telework: Available Position Description Title/PD#: Program Specialist/PD1607611 The full performance level of this position is GS - 11. At the level GS-09, you will perform similar duties but under closer supervision. 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. Relocation Expenses: Not Authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all specialized experience and time in grade requirements within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement, 11/01/2024. 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 45 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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 your most recent non-award 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 non-award SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year time-in-grade. Specialized Experience: Experience that demonstrated a practical knowledge of the subject area of the position and of the methods and techniques of instruction. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Teaching or instructing in an adult education program, secondary school, college, military installation, or industrial establishment in the appropriate field(s). Supervising or administering a training program. Development or review of training/course materials, aids, devices, etc., and evaluation of training results. Work in the occupation or subject-matter field of the position to be filled that required training or instructing others on a regular basis. You may qualify based on your education and/or experience, as described below: GS-9 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: Develop program objectives into viable programs; Develop essential surveys and questionnaires to evaluate training needs and training outcomes; Instruct courses covering a wide variety of topics; Use a variety of teaching modalities to meet learners' needs; organize and interpret course materials to best communicate and motivate learning; Apply principles, practices, and techniques of adult learning and use effective oral and written communication skills; Collect, collate, research, analyze track and trend educational program information; Provide technical input for purchasing training; Develop and deliver briefings, develop surveys, questionnaires, assessments, spreadsheets, statistical and administrative reports; Develop guidelines, instructional methods, materials, etc., and new or improved applications of educational technology to training programs (This must be supported in your resume). 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 two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.B. or J.D., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-09 level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first year or 18 semester hours of graduate level education). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-09. For example, an applicant who has 1 year of graduate level education (18 semester hours) plus another 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required specialized experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position. GS-11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Develop program objectives into viable programs; Develop essential surveys and questionnaires to evaluate training needs and training outcomes; Instruct courses covering a wide variety of topics; Use a variety of teaching modalities to meet learners' needs; organize and interpret course materials to best communicate and motivate learning; Apply principles, practices, and techniques of adult learning and use effective oral and written communication skills; Collect, collate, research, analyze track and trend educational program information; Provide technical input for purchasing training; Develop and deliver briefings, develop surveys, questionnaires, assessments, spreadsheets, statistical and administrative reports; Develop guidelines, instructional methods, materials, etc., and new or improved applications of educational technology to training programs (This must be supported in your resume). 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 two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.B. or J.D., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-09 level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first year or 18 semester hours of graduate level education). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-09. For example, an applicant who has 1 year of graduate level education (18 semester hours) plus another 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required specialized experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analytical Thinking Communications Computer Skills Critical Thinking Education and Training Interpersonal Skills Planning and Evaluating Writing 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. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. 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. Additional Information Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary and performed in an office environment. The physical demand requires moderate amounts of walking, standing, bending, or stooping. In the absence of sufficient cemetery representative coverage, incumbent may be subjected to inclement weather in accomplishing their tasks. 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. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities (i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities), and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.