Plans and Operations Specialist (Title 32) (Permanent) Job in Richmond, VA

Vacancy No. VA-12817185-AR-26-049 Department Army National Guard Units
Salary $77,236.00 to $100,402.00 Grade 11 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/22/2025 Close Date 11/21/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Richmond, VA


Summary

THIS IS A NATIONAL GUARD TITLE 32 EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITION.

This National Guard position is for a Plans and Operations Specialist (Title 32) (Permanent), Position Description Number D1246000 and is part of the VA JFHQ DET HQ, National Guard.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

In order to be eligible for this position you must currently be an Enlisted Member (E8/MSG - E9/SGM) in the Virginia Army National Guard or Enlisted Member (E8/SMSgt - E9/CMSgt) in the Virginia Air National Guard.

Duties

As a Plans and Operations Specialist (Title 32), GS-0301-11, you will perform the below duties:

  1. Serves as the State NG focal point for Crisis Action Planning and the Officer in Charge of the Joint Operations Center (JOC) that remains operational 24 hours/7 days a week. Is responsible for the development of operational procedures that effectively and efficiently execute Civil-Military taskings from the National Command Authority, Governor or National Guard Senior Leader directed responses to Natural Disasters, Support for Civil Disturbance (MACDIS), Homeland Defense/Security, WMD response, Antiterrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP), the Critical Infrastructure Protection Program (CIPP), National Security Special Events (NSSE), and Continuation of Governmental Operations and Public Services, from the JOC.
  2. Responsible to establish and validate procedures, practices and tasks that provide command staffs located in the JOC, designated geographically separated Quick Reaction Force Platforms and the ANG Survival Recovery Center effective situational awareness and continuous command and control over tasked organizations and members. Responsible to plan for and physically establish a Joint Operations Center within the Joint Force Headquarters complex and Quick Reaction Force Platform Control Centers at designated locations across the state. Incumbent must plan for and establish appropriate security for the centers and their staffs; effective redundant communication processes to ensure safe secure receipt and dissemination of WARNORDs, OPORDs, FRAGORDs, Status of Forces and Resources and situational awareness reporting; and operational sustainment support for activated operational centers, quick reaction forces and equipment. Ensures self inspection procedures are developed, conducted, results evaluated and changes incorporated into operational procedures.
  3. Responsible for command and control crisis action training and certification program. Establishes, executes, evaluates and maintains the training program effectiveness through inspections, exercises and testing. Establishes and maintains training and certification documentation process for crisis action team members and controllers. Ensures newly assigned members and controllers receive orientation.
  4. Participates as an Operations Officer in the Joint Operations Center (JOC). Develops operational procedures to implement contingency and emergency plans. Coordinates with higher, adjacent, lower headquarters, Federal, state and local agencies as necessary, as well as other staff officers in the JOC to effectively accomplish emergency operations. Develops message routing procedures. Plans shift operations. Prepares operations orders. Develops after action reports to include cost factors. Identifies specific unit capabilities to support emergency operations. Identifies equipment and special civilian occupational skills needed for missions or command and control functions. Develops emergency response time estimates. Recommends improvement of NG resources to support emergencies. Coordinates operational control over committed NG forces during training simulations.
  5. Responsible for the administrative over-site of the command and control network to include defining required system capabilities, e.g. communications and collaborating with J6 administrators to identify specific equipment to meet mission needs; budgeting for and the purchase of crisis action infrastructure; and identifying and securing resourcing for full-time staffing for effective 24/7 continuous operations, as well as system readiness needs.
  6. Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED. If you are not sure you are eligible for military membership, please contact a National Guard recruiter prior to applying for this position.
  • This is an excepted service position that requires membership in a compatible military assignment in the employing state's National Guard, required prior to the effective date of placement.
  • Selectee will be required to wear the military uniform.
  • Acceptance of an excepted service position constitutes concurrence with these requirements as a condition of employment.
  • Applicants who are not currently a member of the National Guard must be eligible for immediate membership and employment in the National Guard in the military grade listed in this announcement.
  • Males born after 31 December 1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Federal employment suitability as determined by a background investigation.
  • May be required to successfully complete a trial period.
  • Participation in direct deposit is mandatory.
  • This position is not located at a bargaining unit.
  • All job seekers will be required to limit their resumes to 2 pages in length when applying for job opportunity announcements (JOAs)

Qualifications

NOTE: Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/DD/YY to MM/DD/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume.

NOTE: All job seekers will be required to limit their resumes to 2 pages in length when applying for job opportunity announcements (JOAs).

WHO CAN APPLY:
GROUP I - All qualified Male/Female Enlisted Member (E8/MSG - E9/SGM) in the Virginia Army National Guard or Enlisted Member (E8/SMSgt - E9/CMSgt) in the Virginia Air National Guard Military Technician Program.
GROUP II - All qualified Virginia Army and Air National Guard Male/Female Enlisted Member (E8/MSG - E9/SGM) or Enlisted Member (E8/SMSgt - E9/CMSgt) in the Virginia Air National Guard, regardless of employment status (Traditional, Military Technician or AGR). To be considered as a Group II applicant, proof of appointment/enlistment in the Virginia National Guard must be attached if the appointment/enlistment occurred within 60 days prior to, or during, the advertisement period.

Military Grades: Enlisted Member (E8/MSG - E9/SGM) or Enlisted Member (E8/SMSgt - E9/CMSgt)

GENERAL EXPERIENCE: Applicant must have experience serve as a Plans and Operations Specialist, develop plans and procedures, and coordinate preparations for state active duty and the operational employment of ARNG personnel and military resources.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicant must have at least 12 months of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-09 level, or equivalent pay band in other pay systems in the Federal government. This experience may also have been obtained in the private sector but must demonstrate that it is comparable to the GS grade indicated. This experience must include activities such as:

  1. Experience Serves as the State NG focal point for Crisis Action Planning and the Officer in Charge of the Joint Operations Center (JOC) that remains operational 24 hours/7 days a week.
  2. Experience being responsible to establish and validate procedures, practices and tasks that provide command staffs located in the JOC, designated geographically separated Quick Reaction Force Platforms and the ANG Survival Recovery Center effective situational awareness and continuous command and control over tasked organizations and members. Responsible to plan for and physically establish a Joint Operations Center within the Joint Force Headquarters complex and Quick Reaction Force Platform Control Centers at designated locations across the state.
  3. Experience being responsible for command and control crisis action training and certification program.
  4. Experience developing operational procedures to implement contingency and emergency plans.

Additional information

If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency (Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov)).

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application package, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Required Documents

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

1. Your resume showing:

  • Contact Information-your name and the best way to contact you.
  • Relevant work experience-include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (month/year), the number of hours worked per week and describe how you meet the required qualifications of the job. Federal jobs should include series and grade.
  • Education, certifications or licensures.

2. Other supporting documents: Most recent SF50 for current federal technicians.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application/Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To view the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12817185

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.

Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.

You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.


To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information

VaARNG Tech Jobs HRO
Address
VA JFHQ DET HQ
8000 JEFFERSON DAVIS HWY
BLDG 430
Richmond, VA 23297
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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