Program Manager (Operations Chief)

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is open ONLY to current, permanent MDEO employees and current/former VA employees who are CTAP eligible.

Specific duties include:

• Carrying out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Plans and assigns work, sets priorities, advises employees on program goals and objectives, and makes decisions on work problems presented by subordinate employees.
• Assuring timely accomplishment of the assigned tasks by keeping in touch with the progress of work and adjusting in accordance with established priorities. Checking on work in progress and reviewing completed work to see that supervisor instructions on work sequences, procedures, methods and deadlines have been met.
• Evaluating program performance metrics, whether internally or externally produced, and briefs leadership on the implications of status, trends, and risk insights gained through the incumbent's analysis.
• Responsible for leading the operations team who monitors and evaluates performance of MDEO contract exam providers to ensure compliance with the Performance Work Statement.
• Serving as a key advisor to the Assistant Director and/or Deputy Executive Director on program policies, procedures, and contract effectiveness.
• Collaborating with VA/VBA contracting office(s), Veterans Health Administration, Office of Field Operations, and District Offices.
• Responsible for oversight of drafting procedures, directives, and guidelines, as necessary; develop and coordinate efforts between all employees and management to build consensus on the establishment of appropriate procedures; responsible for shepherding proposed procedures through the appropriate process and the final dissemination and implementation of newly devised procedures.
• Regularly advising senior management officials on complex, sensitive, controversial and highly sensitive issues which may impact or shape the future direction of MDE program.

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Manager (Operations Chief); PD 389790
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Conditions of employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

• 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
• Selectees are required to service a one-year supervisory probationary period if not previously completed in a Federal position.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements I-9 Acceptable Documents.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: 07/20/2026.

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.

• For a GS-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13 level.

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.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience as described below:
GS-14 Grade Level:

• Specialized Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience: The applicant must document knowledge of program management pertaining to planning, development and execution of worldwide programs and be able to prepare various documents including program justifications.

Volunteer Experience: 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.

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.

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.

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):

• Project Management - Applies principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, monitoring, evaluating, and managing projects and resources, including technical performance.
• Leadership: Inspires, motivates and guides others toward goal accomplishment; coaches, mentors, and challenges subordinates; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations; models high standards of honesty, integrity, trust, openness, and respect for the individual by applying these values to daily behaviors.
• Task management: Ability to plan, organize and prioritize multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Supervision: Ability to manage and/or supervise (plan, organize, direct, control, review, etc) the work activities of subordinates.
• Oral Communication: Expresses information (for example. Ideas or facts) to individuals (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial) makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Advisory: Ability to advise, provide managerial advice, and serve as a technical advisor to senior-level executives.
• Written Communication: Write material to include policies and portrayal of statistical data in a clear, concise, organized and convincing manner to internal and external contacts.

Supervisory Situational Judgement Test: Applicants will be required to complete a Supervisory Situational Judgment Test (SSJT) as part of the assessment process for this position. The SSJT evaluates judgment, decision-making, and leadership competencies associated with effective supervision in a Federal work environment. This is not a timed test, however, the assessment is expected to take approximately 45 minutes or less to complete. This assessment is required for all applicants. If you do not complete the assessment, it will result in an incomplete application and you will receive no further consideration. 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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package to include the documents detailed below. Resumes may not exceed two pages and must be legible for review of eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. Your resume and supporting documentation will be verified. Failure to submit the documents as specified may result in loss of consideration for this job announcement.

• Resume:
  • Contact Information:
    • Name and how best to contact you, including email address and phone number
  • Relevant Work Experience:
    • For each relevant work experience, make sure you include:
      • Job Title and Employer (including series and grade for any Federal positions)
      • Start and end dates with month/year (e.g., 05/2019 - 08/2022)
      • The number of hours you worked per week
    • Ensure work experience descriptions are aligned with the job announcement and address all required qualifications. Brief descriptions should demonstrate your ability to perform the tasks at the required level as stated in the job announcement
  • Optional Details:
    • When relevant, include:
      • Current Security Clearance
      • Job-related training
      • Language skills
      • Organizations and affiliations
      • Professional publications
      • Eligibility for special programs (e.g., military spouses, individuals with disabilities, etc.)
• A copy of your most recent NON-award SF-50. The SF-50 must indicate proof of status and should identify your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
• Your SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade To verify you meet Time-in-Grade requirements, also submit a SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade held (e.g. Promotion, Appointment, etc.).
• Current VBA Employees seeking a reassignment/change to lower grade: you must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (non-award) AND the SF-50 placing you into your current position.

Additional Documents accepted:

• Most recent Performance Appraisal (VA Form 0750)
• Award SF-50s
• CTAP documentation - RIF notice, SF-50 showing VA employee, and performance appraisal

Please use this checklist to make sure you have included all documents required for your application. You will not be contacted for additional information.

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