Lead Law Enforcement Specialist

Clarification from the agency

This position is open to permanent employees of LETC.

The Lead Instructor serves as the point of contact for a group of employees performing work at the GS-11 and GS-12 levels, providing leadership, guidance, and technical direction to ensure mission success.

Leadership:

• Instructs staff on specific tasks, offering guidance and technical direction as needed.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of procedures, policies, and directives to support staff.
• Assists the supervisor in planning work schedules, distributing assignments, and balancing workloads among employees.
• Reviews work to ensure assignments are completed on time and to the expected quality standards.
• Fosters effective communication within a diverse team environment.
• Coaches and mentors staff with varying skill levels, supporting professional growth and solution development.
• Encourages feedback from team members and incorporates their suggestions to improve work processes.
• Integrates the organization's vision into team goals, strategies, activity plans, and deliverables.
• Identifies and addresses problem areas, taking proactive steps to resolve issues.

Team & Personnel Management:

• Handles routine employee complaints, escalating more complex issues to higher-level supervisors as appropriate.
• Manages daily operations to ensure uninterrupted workflow between branches and divisions.
• Recognizes and rewards outstanding employee performance; supports promotions, reassignments, and personnel development needs.
• Reports to the supervisor on employee performance, training needs, and disciplinary concerns; recommends and facilitates staff training.
• Ensures accurate documentation of internal training records and coordinates updates to organizational systems.

Instruction & Course Development:

• Serves as a subject-matter expert and course developer, designing and delivering programs requiring expert knowledge in law enforcement, weapon systems, investigations (criminal/administrative), leadership, verbal de-escalation, evidence handling, executive protection, and other specialized subjects.
• Tailors programs to meet the unique needs of clients including the Department of Veterans Affairs, US Air Force, Federal Bureau of Prisons, US Coast Guard, and others.
• Develops and implements both long- and short-range training plans; establishes financial and procedural frameworks to ensure effective program delivery.
• Participates as an instructor in division courses and supports cross-training efforts to serve broader organizational needs.

Performance Evaluation & Adaptation:

• Monitors trainee progress, documents results, and recommends or delivers remedial or corrective actions as necessary.
• Assesses both individual and group performance in diverse training environments.
• Exercises discretion in meeting immediate training needs by adjusting material, class pace, or addressing individual learning requirements.
• Ensures performance objectives are met, directly supporting overall training goals.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm
Compressed/Flexible: Not available
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: PD19542A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing-designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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.
• Position must display operational skills and proficiency in handling firearms. Required to perform a semi-annual weapons qualification test commensurate with assigned duties and responsibilities. Position will be required to carry the duty firearm and associated law enforcement equipment.

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, 08/31/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade at any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

• Specialized Experience: Instructs staff on particular tasks and provides guidance and technical direction as necessary for accomplishing the work; maintains current knowledge of procedures, policies, and directives to provide to employees when requested. Reviews work and ensure assignments are completed in a timely manner with quality results. Effectively communicates within a diversified group. Identifies training needs for subordinate staff and informs them of available services and activities. Subject matter expert in multiple basic/advanced training programs. Develops and implements long and short-range training plans and formulates appropriate financial operating plans and program procedures to ensure the training program meets the needs and interests of the organizations served. Ensures that programs/courses are conducted within the parameters of sound professional methodologies and that all personnel are compliant with established training procedures. Serves as a technical authority on topics assigned with commensurate responsibility to maintain awareness of significant changes in the field. Some topics may be tailored to a specific audience and/or require visits to those sites to provide training, planning and coordinating criminal investigations at the various VA facilities and offices nationwide, which must be legally and technically correct in accordance with local and/or federal laws within complex and sometimes conflicting jurisdictional boundaries.

This position is covered by the Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment (30 Sep 96) of the Gun Control Act (Lautenberg Amendment) of 1968. An individual convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence may not perform the duties of this position.

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; religious; 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 the 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: Some courses are confined to a classroom setting, while others require walking, standing, bending, sitting, lying down, or crouching in positions that may be tiring or uncomfortable. Some incumbents are required to exert a great deal of physical activity associated with firearms and defensive tactics training. Travel to field locations to coordinate and present training may be involved. Administrative functions and processes are generally conducted in an office setting. Administrative investigations and police program assessments are conducted at the LETC or the host facilities' location. They may be called upon to defend themselves and staff members, patients, or the public against physical attack.

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/.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides 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: Instructs staff on particular tasks and provides guidance and technical direction as necessary for accomplishing the work; maintains current knowledge of procedures, policies, and directives to provide to employees when requested. Reviews work and ensures assignments are completed in a timely manner with quality results. Effectively communicates within a diversified group. Identifies training needs for subordinate staff and informs them of available services and activities. Subject matter expert in multiple basic/advanced training programs. Develops and implements long and short-range training plans and formulates appropriate financial operating plans and program procedures to ensure the training program meets the needs and interests of the organizations served. Ensures that programs/courses are conducted within the parameters of sound professional methodologies and that all personnel are compliant with established training procedures. Serves as a technical authority on topics assigned with commensurate responsibility to maintain awareness of significant changes in the field. Some topics may be tailored to a specific audience and/or require visits to those sites to provide training, planning and coordinating criminal investigations at the various VA facilities and offices nationwide, which must be legally and technically correct in accordance with local and/or federal laws within complex and sometimes conflicting jurisdictional boundaries. 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 2200 Fort Roots Dr., North Little Rock, AR 72114. This includes all locations that fall within a 50-mile driving distance from 2200 Fort Roots Dr., North Little Rock, AR 72114.

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:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

The application questionnaire includes a passing score based on the minimum level of required proficiency across these critical competencies. You must meet or exceed the passing score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the passing score.

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:

• All current, permanent VA Employees in the Law Enforcement Training Center (LETC)

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
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

*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
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

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 ELIGIBLE:
You must submit the following documentation demonstrating eligibility for CTA:

• 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