Summary
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.
Duties
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. Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 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. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD041750 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorize Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Notifications: Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees. Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104 (1) and (3)] must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System. Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay. The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's. This position is not a Bargaining Unit position.
Requirements
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. To be considered for this position, you 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. Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Education
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: 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. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
How you will be evaluated
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.