Training Specialist (Lead Training Specialist)

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open ONLY to current, permanent employees of the Muskogee, OK Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Office Education Call Center division and current/former Veterans Affairs (VA) employees who are CTAP eligible.

The Lead Training Specialist (LTS) in the Education Call Center Division of the Muskogee Regional Processing Office (RPO). The Lead Training Specialist coordinates training and change within the office for the purposes of (1) advising and providing information on pertinent activity throughout the Education Call Center (ECC) to employees and managers; (2) explaining any changes to legal provisions, regulations, and related administrative practices and their application to specific cases through training efforts; and (3) assist the ECC and the Regional Office in how best to provide needed services to all required parties.

The Lead Training Specialist serves as a liaison between supervisors and employees and may plan and assign work and training as needed. The Lead Training specialist serves as the training specialist for all ECC training to include all annual required station training, initial training for all new hires, and ongoing training for the ECC. The ECC training program is a multifaceted program that is intended to address a wide variety of needs and objectives. Types of training may include: VBA program training, basic skills, customer service training, technical training, mandatory and quality improvement training.

Specific duties include:

• Serves as the training coordinator for employees in the Education Call Center. Responsible for planning, coordinating, developing, directing, and reviewing all training programs for the Education Call Center.
• Performs quality reviews for production employees to determine individual quality levels for individual performance standards
• Conducts specialized reviews to determine the accuracy of trainee call actions taken and error trends to evaluate performance.
• Prepares national ECC quality reports and provides feedback to appropriate officials.
• Provides training assessments to employees and managers detailing strengths and weaknesses and ways to improve performance.
• Serves as a technical advisor to Education Call Center Manager, reporting daily operational problems and develops solutions to achieve ECC goals and objectives.
• Ensures all program requirements imposed by Education Service, VA or others are met or implemented appropriately.
• Effectively communicates in person, via phone or electronically with employees, supervisors, claimants, and stakeholders with differing backgrounds and skills. Resolves issues independently.
• Provides management advisory services, including making planned, systematic studies of immediate and long- range training needs, conducting needs assessments throughout the Education Call Center, and advising on training effectiveness and training priorities.
• Consults with a variety of professional training associations to secure appropriate training programs and resources, to develop innovative training methods, course material, lesson plans, and new approaches to meet the training needs and objectives of the Education Call Center.
• Assists instructors (Coaches and SMEs) in the selection of material taught, reviews outlines and samples prior to the subject being taught and makes recommendations for further development of instructors through various seminars and training opportunities.
• Utilizes a variety of teaching methods and technology in the delivery and facilitation of training programs (Videotapes, satellite training, computer-assisted programs, and computer-enhanced presentations) for employees.
• Provides specialized instruction to employees on difficult call inquiries during on-the-job training and may provide assistance with guidance on the use of phone equipment, customer service handbook, and intranet/internet resources.

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, to be determined between 7:00 AM - 6:30 PM Central Time
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: This is a remote position.
Virtual: This is a remote position.
Position Description/PD#: Training Specialist (Lead Training Specialist); PD41875A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Conditions of employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may 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 Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, 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
• 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09 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 and/or education as described below:
GS-11 Grade Level:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level or higher in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as, but is not limited to:

• Experience in research, interpretation, and application of education benefits.
• Working independently with minimal supervisory intervention.
• Experience in providing internal training on GI Bill Education programs and procedures.

OR

Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or successful completion of three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or a LL.M., if related, and obtained in an accredited college or university.

One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one (1) year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours will be considered as satisfying the one (1) year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. Note: Transcripts are required.

Combining Education & Experience: If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement. Click here for more information
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.
Physical Requirements: The Lead Training Specialist (LTS) work is primarily sedentary, although some physical effort may be required to perform the duties of the position. The incumbent may sit to do much of the work and extensive use of the a computer is required. The nature of the work may place the incumbent in stressful situations and the incumbent must possess a high degree of emotional stability and the maturity and judgement to complete the work assignments. Some standing, walking, bending, and light lifting 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.

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 an interview.

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):

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

• Education & Training
• Technology Application
• Communication

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
  • Education/Certification/ Licensure:
    • When relevant or required for the position, include your possession of education/ certification/license and provide any required documentation such as transcripts, and/or details (type and date) of certifications and/or licenses
      • Education information should include:
        • Name of school/institution
        • Completion date
        • Degree type
        • Cumulative Grade point average (GPA)
  • 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.)
• Current Federal Employees:
  • Your most recent APPOINTMENT SF-50. The most recent 1XX or 5XX SF-50 proving status. This SF-50 should identify your appointing legal authority, position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
  • Your SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade and step (e.g., Within Grade Increase, Promotion, Appointment, etc.) in order to verify time-in-grade requirements.

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

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