Summary

As a IT Specialist (PLCYPLN) in the Office of Chief of Staff, you will have the opportunity to enhance the productivity and efficiency of VA employees to deliver quality IT services to Veterans and their families.

Duties

• Contribute extensive substantive input to organizational goals and vision statements, official policies or directives, strategic artifacts, and other materials that impact the Department and the broader industry and public spheres, while ensuring proper compliance with relevant requirements.
• Review service performance reports to identify significant issues or variances, initiate corrective actions, and ensure outstanding issues are followed up.
• Develop methods to monitor and measure risks, compliance, and assurance efforts.
• Provide expert-level technical policy and planning guidance, as well as technical direction and oversight, to offices executing IT software and automation, information assurance, information security, technology investments, and initiatives.
• Direct and streamline IT guidance and provide oversight of all technical activities affecting the organization, including the development of IT and security policies, technical and strategic plans, system and network integration plans, engineering plans, and information assurance designs in support of OIT's critical systems.
• Evaluate program resourcing levels, identify poorly performing systems or contracts, and recommend corrective actions, including reorganization or reassignment.
• Lead and coordinate cross-functional, interagency, or Department-wide working groups to support program optimization and new program implementation.
• Coordinate and manage the overall service provided to a customer end-to-end.

This is a Non-Bargaining Unit Position.

This position is primarily aligned to the following NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework work roles:

NCWF Codes:

805 IT Program Auditor - Conducts evaluations of a IT program or its individual components to determine compliance with published standards.

801 Program Manager - Leads, coordinates, communicates, integrates, and is accountable for the overall success of the program, ensuring alignment with agency or enterprise priorities.

For more information about these work roles, where they fit within the larger Cyber Workforce, and how they can support your unique career journey, please visit the Cyber Career Pathways tool on the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies website: https://niccs.us-cert.gov/workforce-development/cyber-career-pathways

Position Description/PD#: It Specialist (Plcypln)/PD19825A

Travel Required: Occasional travel may be required as needed for this position.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8 am-4:30 pm

Compressed/Flexible: As determined by the Agency Policy.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Telework: Ad Hoc, as determined by Agency Policy.

Physical Demands: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.

Working Conditions: Work is normally performed in an adequately lighted, heated and ventilated. The work environment involves everyday risk or discomforts that require normal safety precautions.

Requirements

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.
• Selectee is subject to background/suitability investigation.
• Selected applicant will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required.
• To be considered for this position, applicants must complete all required steps in the 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 (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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/02/2026.

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-15 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-14. 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.

You must meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements, Specialized Experience to qualify for this series as described below.

Minimum Qualifications Requirements

EXPERIENCE: To qualify for this position, you must have information technology-related experience demonstrating all of the four competencies listed below. Ensure that this experience is clearly described in your resume:

1. Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
2. Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
3. Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
4. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.

-AND-

Specialized Experience for GS-15: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Such experience is typically gained in the IT field or through the performance of work where the primary concern is IT.

Specialized experience is defined as: Extensive senior-level experience advising and supporting the executive leadership on enterprise-wide IT strategy, policy development, and program execution. Mastery in leading high-visibility, cross-functional initiatives directly influencing organizational effectiveness, vision, and mission objectives within an Information and Technology office. Expert ability to develop, interpret, and implement complex IT and security policies, strategic plans, technical architectures, and governance frameworks across a Department. Additionally, provides authoritative guidance on portfolio development decisions, oversees major enterprise projects, resolves complex issues, and delivers recommendations with department-wide impact.

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; religious; 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.

Education

EDUCATIONAL SUBSTITUTION: There is no educational substitution for this position at this grade level.

Additional information

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

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

The 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 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/.

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.