Supports the Director of Special Reviews Division in advising the Secretary on all matters of the Department relating to accountability, including accountability of employees of the Department, retaliation against whistleblowers, and such matters as the Secretary considers similar and affect public trust in the Department.

Prepares reports and recommendations to the Secretary regarding matters of accountability and similar matters affecting public trust in the Department.

Conducts programmatic audits, reviews, and evaluations according to government auditing standards to identify systemic issues, gaps, and areas for improvement.

Conducts interviews, performs site visits, prepares and administers surveys, and drafts and revises reports.

Independently drafts audit or review plans, which include scope and methodology, applicable research, objectives audit questions, and data collection and measurement strategies (qualitative and quantitative analysis) that apply rigorous approaches for meeting objectives.

Provides expert quantitative/qualitative analysis that effectively and efficiently accomplishes audit, review or evaluation objectives..

Collaborates with VA administrations and program offices to develop and conduct evaluations, reviews, and audits to test compliance with the VA's implementation of recommendations from audits and investigations.

Documents the research process, findings, and implications; drafts sections of reports, prepares written analysis summaries when appropriate.

Prepares draft reports and briefings for agency and departmental decision-makers on findings, recommendations and implications on VA programs, practices, and policies. Incumbent must be able to utilize data to explain complex evaluations, statistical, and data analysis methodologies and findings to non-technical audiences and stakeholders.

Maintains competencies and training in areas related to government auditing and evaluation standards, data analytics, research methodologies, and qualitative and quantitative measurement methods.

Work Schedule: Required to work Monday through Friday with various tours available pending supervisory approval. May be subjected to change based on operational needs.
Compressed/Flexible: May be authorized by supervisor
Telework: Available - Ad Hoc telework (situational telework) as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: PD1600693
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this 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.
• This position may be filled at the facility where the position is located (VA Central Office, Washington, DC) or in person - telework authorized (e.g., the employee may work at a VA facility or other VA-leased space other than the facility that is hiring the employee)

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 probationary period 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, 01/09/2026.

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-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13. 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 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: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-13) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: leading complex, organization-wide programmatic audits (not financial or IT audits) or reviews according to government or private industry standards, or leading evaluations of organizational reporting climates (such as whistleblower reporting) applying customer experience initiatives and human-centered design approaches; independently planning and leading high-level interviews, employee focus groups, site visits, and surveys; independently analyzing complex qualitative and quantitative information to identify trends and root causes of non-compliance or deficiencies; or drafting written reports and conducting briefings for agency and departmental decision-makers on findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Accountability
• Analysis and Problem Solving
• Analytical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Auditing
• Communications
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Organizational Performance Analysis
• Planning and Evaluating
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

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.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/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:
A well-qualified candidate for the GS-14 Special Reviews Analyst position within the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection (OAWP) will possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level, with a demonstrated record of leading and executing high-impact, organization-wide programmatic audits, evaluations, and reviews in a large, mission-driven, and highly regulated environment.

This position requires a strategic, results-driven analyst with the ability to independently design and deliver rigorous, evidence-based evaluations that advance accountability, protect whistleblowers, and strengthen public trust in VA.

The well-qualified candidate will clearly demonstrate:

• Extensive experience leading complex, enterprise-level programmatic audits or reviews (excluding financial or IT audits), applying government or private industry standards to identify systemic risks and drive organizational improvement.
• Expertise in designing and executing audit and review plans, including advanced methodologies, scope definition, and data collection strategies that align with professional evaluation standards.
• Demonstrated success in assessing and improving organizational reporting climates, particularly whistleblower environments, using customer experience principles and human-centered design approaches.
• Proficiency in independently conducting high-level interviews, focus groups, site visits, and surveys, with a track record of gathering and synthesizing diverse stakeholder input to inform findings.
• Advanced analytical capabilities, including the ability to interpret complex qualitative and quantitative data to uncover trends, root causes of non-compliance, and systemic deficiencies.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, with experience producing influential reports and delivering briefings to senior agency and departmental leaders that inform policy and operational decisions.
• Ability to translate complex evaluation findings into clear, actionable insights for non-technical audiences, including senior executives and oversight bodies.
• Experience collaborating with internal and external oversight entities, including OIG, OMI, OSC, and GAO, with a demonstrated ability to coordinate corrective actions and monitor compliance.
• Commitment to ethical standards, confidentiality, and professional integrity, with a history of handling sensitive evaluations with discretion and impartiality.
• Sustained professional development in government or private sector auditing standards, data analytics, and performance measurement methodologies.
• Professional certification as a Certified Internal Auditor (for more than one year).
• Experience conducting audits or reviews focused on organizational culture, with measurable impact on accountability and employee engagement within the organization.

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/.

Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary and involves no unusual physical effort or environmental stress. Some travel may be 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/.

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 (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Accountability
• Analysis and Problem Solving
• Analytical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Auditing
• Communications
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Organizational Performance Analysis
• Planning and Evaluating
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

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.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact 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.

Writing Assessment may be used for applicants rated Best Qualified by the BQ Panel.

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

• All current, permanent VA Employees in the VACO Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection
• All other current, permanent VA employees
• All other applicants

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

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

• Resume

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to 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

Note: Failure to submit all documentation prior to the announcement closing will result in an ineligible rating. We will not contact applicants for additional documentation.

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.


SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 (Current Federal Employees must provide an SF-50 dated 1-12-2025 or later; Current Federal Wage System (WG/WL/WS) employees must provide one dated within one year of the closing date)
  • ATTENTION: You may need to submit more than one SF-50 if we cannot verify that you meet time-in-grade by your most recent SF-50. For example, if your most recent SF-50 is a General Adjustment, we need your most recent SF-50 dated 1-12-2025 and another SF-50 to verify time-in-grade. Examples of SF-50s for time-in-grade verification include your last within-grade increase or promotion to highest grade held. A promotion SF-50 shows when you started the grade level and a within-grade increase verifies that you were at that grade level for at least one year. Failure to provide your most recent SF-50 dated 1-12-2025 or later and other SF-50s to verify time-in-grade will result in you being disqualified. We cannot verify time-in-grade based on the grade and step you are currently on alone.
• Former federal employee applying under reinstatement eligibility must supply their latest SF-50 as well as any additional SF-50s needed to verify time-in-grade as stated in the above bullet.
• Award SF-50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50s to include in addition to your most recent SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old."

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