Director, Project & Program Management

Veterans Affairs • $110K — $130K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years experience in project or program management at a leadership level.
  • Expertise in analyzing trends and utilizing data for performance improvements.
  • Experience in strategic planning and organizational vision development.
  • Skilled in coalition building across government and private sectors to achieve objectives.
  • Proven ability to enhance team dynamics and address workplace issues.

Responsibilities

  • Assist the ADUSFO in operational advisory and decision-making functions.
  • Serve as a consultant providing guidance on program office operations.
  • Oversee staff managing projects and programs to improve VBA performance.
  • Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of programs in real-world scenarios.
  • Lead planning and implementation of complex improvement programs.
  • Conduct organizational studies to assess and recommend best practices.
  • Articulate organizational problems and propose effective corrective actions.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive federal benefits package available to employees and their families.
  • Relocation expenses and services authorized for incoming employees.
  • Telework options available in accordance with agency policy.
  • Flexible work schedule available for employees.
  • Financial disclosure report required to ensure integrity in operations.
Full Job Description
Summary

This position serves as a principal operational advisor to the ADUSFO and as the Director of Project and Program Management within the Office of Field Operations (OFO). The incumbent exercises broad authority and responsibility for providing national leadership, strategic direction, and senior-level oversight of assigned programs, initiatives, and operations.

Duties

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Specific duties include:

  • Serves as a full operational assistant to the ADUSFO and exercises full responsibility as a Director to a business line under the Office of Field Operations.
  • Serves as an expert advisor and consultant to officials and managers within or outside the agency providing guidance and direction in the interpretation of and among program offices and activities aligned with OFO.
  • Provides day-to-day direction to a staff that is responsible for creating and managing central office projects and programs designed to improve VBA performance.
  • Monitor program and project effectiveness in experiments and in full operational implementation.
  • Provide leadership to staff members who serve as project managers and as consultants to senior level VBA management, area offices and regional offices, on highly visible, complex, and difficult issues associated with the effectiveness of VBA field operations as they relate to the delivery of benefits and services to Veterans nationwide.
  • Directs the staff's efforts in planning, organizing and conducting difficult and complex improvement programs involving people, processes and technology.
  • Conducts organizational studies of VBA field offices to determine strengths, weaknesses and best practices that can be modified or implemented nationally.
  • Articulates the nature of organizational problems, appropriate corrective actions to be taken and anticipated results.
  • Coordinates the implementation of VBA's national initiatives established to enhance the level of service to veterans.
  • Proposes new initiatives, which will enhance ongoing field operations and recommends changes in courses of action in response to adverse trends or results.
  • Coordinates the visits of staff members to area and regional offices to resolve highly sensitive problems.
  • Reviews the reports developed by staff members resulting from such visits and evaluations findings to assure consistency with OFO policies and strategies.
  • Provides feedback and recommends necessary changes before dissemination to OFO leadership.
  • Provides guidance to staff members on methods for managing projects and programs, articulating and formulating solutions to reduce or eliminate schedule, scope, and cost risks,
  • Leverages workload data to interpret trends and take appropriate actions, to include elevating issues and recommendations to OFO leadership.


Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 8am-4:30pm

Compressed/Flexible: Available

Telework: In accordance with agency policy

Virtual: This is not a virtual position

Position Description/PD#: Director, Project & Program Management; 39051A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized. Relocation expenses and services (Permanent Change of Station - PCS) are authorized for this recruitment. PCS is the relocation of a household due to government convenience in connection with the transfer between duty stations or facilities. In consideration of the payment of expenses for travel and transportation, the selectee agrees to remain in federal service for twelve (12) months following the date of transfer. Failure to complete all conditions of the obligated service may result in repayment of travel/transportation expenses. Click here for more information.

Financial Disclosure Report: Required

Requirements

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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:09/29/2026.

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-15 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-14 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-15 Grade Level:

Specialized Experience:

  • Experience in analyzing project management processes, identifying trends, and using data to monitor progress and determine program needs.
  • Experience in formulating strategies to enhance program efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance with regulations and new directives
  • Experience establishing organizational vision and implementing strategic plans in a continuously changing environment.
  • Experience building coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve agency objectives.
  • Experience with building teams and improving the employee experience through proactive practices to resolving conflicts, attend to morale and organizational workplace issues, handling administrative, labor management, and EEO issues, and taking disciplinary action as appropriate.


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: Employment is sedentary; the employee sits comfortably to do the work. There may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying light items, such as papers, books, small parts; or boxes. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

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/.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide 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 (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. 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/.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement.

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

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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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

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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.

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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.

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