Deputy Director

Clarification from the agency

This job is open to Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) applicants only. See the eligibility section in the questionnaire for full details regarding CTAP eligibility and the How You Will Be Evaluated section below for more details. The local commuting area for this position is defined as a radius of 50 miles from Washington, DC. This includes all locations that fall within a 50 mile driving distance from 10300 Spotsylvania Ave, Suite 400, Fredericksburg, VA 22408.

The Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) serves as the principal advisor and alter ego to the Chief of Staff (COS) in directing, coordinating, and overseeing the full range of executive operations, strategic initiatives, and administrative management functions in support of the Executive Directors, Head of Contracting Activity (HCAs) and OALC senior leadership. The incumbent exercises a high degree of independent judgment in managing sensitive and high-visibility matters, resolving complex operational issues, and ensuring the effective functioning of the front office and the broader acquisition organization.

Serve as the Deputy Chief of Staff and principal deputy to the Chief of Staff, a Senior Executive Service (SES) position. The incumbent shares in the direction and coordination of the Office of Operations and acts for the Chief of Staff within the scope of delegated authority. In the absence of the Chief of Staff, the incumbent assumes responsibility for front-office operations and exercises delegated decision-making authority on operational, administrative, and program matters.

Serve as the principal deputy to the Chief of Staff, assuming full responsibility for front office operations in the Chief of Staff's absence, including decision-making authority on time-sensitive and sensitive matters.

Plan, organize, and direct the daily operations of the Office of Operations, ensuring alignment with the priorities of the Executive Director and OALC leadership.

Manage the flow of information, taskers, and decision papers to and from the Office of the Executive Director, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and appropriate level of review.

As the first-line supervisor of five (5) FTEs, the incumbent performs the full range of supervisory duties, including:

Plan, assign, and review of the work of subordinate staff, setting priorities and deadlines consistent with front office and organizational needs.

Evaluate staff performance, prepare and deliver annual and interim performance appraisals, and identify and address performance or conduct issues, up to and including recommending disciplinary or adverse actions when warranted.

Approve leave, certify time and attendance, and manage staffing needs, including participating in the selection, hiring, and onboarding of new employees.

Identify developmental and training needs of subordinate staff and provide or arrange for training to build staff capability, including cross-training to ensure continuity of front office operations.

Lead or participate in the development of strategic plans, performance metrics, and organizational assessments for the acquisition enterprise.

Analyze proposed legislation, regulations, and VA/OALC policy issuances to determine impact on acquisition workforce management, strategy, and operations, and provide recommendations to senior leadership.

Coordinate the development and staffing of acquisition policy issuances, ensuring consistency with statutory and regulatory requirements (e.g., FAR, VAAR) and VA strategic goals.

Manage special projects and initiatives assigned by the OALC Chief of Staff, often involving novel or precedent-setting issues with enterprise-wide impact.


Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm EST.
Return to Office (RTO): RTO mandates are in affect and selectees will be required to report to in person work unless they have an approved exemption.
Location: The selectee will be required to report on-site at 10300 Spotsylvania Ave, Suite 400, Fredericksburg, VA 22408.
Telework: Available - Ad Hoc telework (situational telework) as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: PD005490
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• 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
• You 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 (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.

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. 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 one year probationary period or two year trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/07/2026.

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 by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-15 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-14. 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 some former Federal employees applying for reinstatement, as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. See the Required Document section below for more information regarding the SF-50s needed to verify time-in-grade.


Grade Requirement: IAW 5 CFR 330.607, CTAP eligible applicants must hold at least a GS-15 or equivalent grade (determined by your representative rate) in their permanent position of record by the closing date of this announcement. This must be supported by the SF-50 submitted. See the Required Document section below for more information regarding the SF-50s needed to verify.


You may qualify based on your experience described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-14 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
  • Experience in directing, coordinating, and overseeing the work of staff to accomplish mission priorities and align outputs with organizational standards.
  • Providing advice, counsel, and instructions to employees on work assignments and administrative matters to drive clarity, performance, and adherence to policy.
  • Evaluating staff performance by preparing and delivering annual/interim appraisals and addressing performance or conduct issues to improve outcomes.
  • Managing front office operations by organizing daily workflows and controlling taskers and decision papers to ensure timely, accurate executive readiness.

Evidence of this specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of like duties performed in positions held on your resume. You will also need to provide work experience information such as hours per week, full-time/part-time status, and starting/ending dates of employment (month and year format) to establish you have one (1) full year of specialized experience at the required grade level.

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: 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.

Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary. The incumbent may occasionally carry light materials such as briefing books,
laptops, or files. No special physical demands are required.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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 for this vacancy. To be found well qualified, applicants must meet the following qualifications:

• Leading multifaceted supervisory and managerial programs that integrate workforce planning, operational alignment, and enterprise-level performance oversight.
• Applying advanced advisory judgment to resolve complex operational and administrative issues impacting organizational mission execution.
• Evaluating staff performance through comprehensive assessment strategies, including targeted improvement plans and corrective action interventions.
• Conducting strategic planning and organizational assessments to optimize acquisition enterprise structures, workforce capabilities, and performance metrics.
• Overseeing executive correspondence governance by ensuring accuracy, compliance, and alignment with senior leadership standards across high-visibility initiatives.
• Establishing enterprise correspondence control systems that enforce suspense accountability, elevate quality assurance, and support executive decision workflows.

Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.


Local Commuting Area: The local commuting area for this position is defined as a radius of 50 miles from Fredericksburg, VA. This includes all locations that fall within a 50-mile driving distance from 10300 Spotsylvania Ave, Suite 400, Fredericksburg, VA 22408.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. 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:

• Accountability
• Administration and Management
• Customer Service
• Decisiveness
• Flexibility
• Interpersonal Skills
• Managing Human Resources
• Planning and Evaluating
• Problem Solving
• Resilience
• Strategic Thinking

A resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year, and indicates hours worked per week. If military or a civilian Federal employee, you must include your rank and/or grade. IMPORTANT NOTE: Only two (2) pages of your resume, starting at your work experience will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the specialized experience. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letters, links to additional information) will not be reviewed. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We may not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration.


Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be contacted for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

Area of Consideration: Eligible applicants will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)

During the application process, you will 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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume

*FOR CURRENT OR FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Please view the 'Current and Former Federal Employees: Validating Time-in-Grade and Eligibility' section below to ensure you are submitting the proper SF-50/s Notification of Personnel Actions.


The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Proof of Marriage Status
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Failure to submit any of the above required documents applicable to your submission may result in loss of consideration and a rating of ineligible due to an incomplete application package. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that their application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. We will not contact applicants for additional documentation, nor will we accept late or missing documents after the close of the announcement.


Current and Former Federal Employees: Validating Time-in-Grade and Eligibility

Required document to demonstrate eligibility:

• Most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which for current employees, must be effective the first pay period (01/11/2026 or later) of the current calendar year. The SF-50 should note your current position or most recently held position, tenure, type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive), grade level and duty location. (Text version SF-50s or Request for Personnel Action SF-52s are not acceptable.) Non-GS employees (including Federal Wage System and pay band employees) who do not receive annual pay adjustments in January, must submit a SF-50 dated within one year of the closing date of this announcement.

Required document/s to demonstrate Time-in-Grade (TIG):
TIG requirements apply to applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade at any time in the past 52 weeks, some former Federal employees applying for reinstatement, and current employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
Applicants who must meet TIG, in addition to their most recent SF-50, must submit:

• Official SF-50 that shows you hold or held the grade (or a higher grade) for the position you are applying for, or
• Official SF-50/s that show you held the next lower grade for at least one year for the position you are applying for. (Multiple SF-50s may need to be submitted to show this.)

Examples of appropriate SF-50s to include (in addition to your most recent SF-50) to meet TIG requirements include:
- Within grade increases (WGI) at the highest grade held; or
- Promotions to the highest grade held with an effective date that occurred more than one year from the closing date of the JOA; or
- SF-50s at the highest grade held with an effective date that occurred more than 1 year from the closing date of the JOA.
NOTE: Do not submit Award SF-50s (or other SF-50s that do not provide sufficient information to verify time-in-grade.)

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled Veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.

IF APPLYING AS A CTAP/ICTAP ELIGIBLE:
You must submit the following documentation demonstrating eligibility for CTAP/ICTAP:

• Resume
• Agency Reduction in Force notice;
• Most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location
• Most recent performance appraisal (must be fully successful or above)

Next steps