Summary

The Assistant Director, MDE Acquisitions and Budget Staff, administers the international high value contract medical exam program with multiple vendors, oversees vendor performance, enforces the technical terms of contracts, such as coordinating contract modifications and monitoring spending. Monitors billions of dollars in contract spending to ensure expenditures align with approved budgets and spend plans ensuring Veterans receive timely and high-quality disability examinations worldwide.

Duties

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Specific duties include:

• Administering the international high value contract medical exam program with multiple vendors, overseeing vendor performance, enforcing the technical terms of the contract.
• Monitoring billions of dollars in contract spending to ensure expenditures align with approved budgets and spend plans.
• Providing technical and administrative supervision to a staff of administrative professionals and oversees the daily operation of the unit, ensures agency policies and priorities are being followed; develops performance standards; and evaluates work performance of subordinates.
• The incumbent gives advice, counsel, and instruction to employees on both work and administrative matters.
• Hearing and resolving minor complaints from employees; refers group grievances and more serious unresolved complaints to a higher-level supervisor or manager; effects minor disciplinary measures such as warnings and reprimands and recommends action in more serious cases.
• Interviewing candidates for positions in the unit; recommends appointments, promotions, and reassignments to unit positions; identifies and provides training needs; and finds ways to improve production or increase the quality of work within the area of authority.
• Monitoring completion of additional assignments Including special projects, preparation of recommendations for manual or regulatory change, and training materials.
• Analyzing and evaluating on a qualitative and quantitative basis the effectiveness of programs or operations in meeting established goals and objectives. Performs regular analysis of accuracy review results and identifies actual or potential problem areas, trends, significant program accomplishments, merit and deficiency situations, areas of Imbalance, or other similar factors.
• Coordinating goals, priorities, staff resources, productivity, quality, and general activities with higher-level management.
• The incumbent directs MDE operations for a worldwide program. Performs work associated with planning, organizing, directing, controlling, and evaluation of activities to support operational accomplishments for MDE program activities. This includes oversight and responsibility for the overall planning, directing, and timely execution of program operations, internal training, and data analysis, evaluation, and providing recommendations based on complex input to improve the effectiveness of work methods and procedures, management controls, information and documentation systems, and similar functions of program management.
• Serves as management advisor using a high-level of discernment and judgment to address a wide variety of interrelated subject matter, that can include contractual, programmatic, budgetary and other program office focus areas.
• Planning, developing, directing and assuming the implementation of an integrated operational and strategic planning in alignment with the budgeting process.

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday

Compressed/Flexible: Not Available

Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Manager (Assistant Director); GS-15 PD# 421070

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not 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 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
• 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:08/11/2026.

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 and/or education as described below:

GS-15 Grade Level:

• Specialized Experience: Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service. The applicant must document experience: (1) Managing performance and delivery of program operations to meet organizational objectives, and providing high-level strategic guidance and advice to senior management; collaborating with key stakeholders, overseeing data integrity and governance, and utilizing evidence-based decision-making to improve program performance; (2) Administering the high value contract medical exam program with multiple vendors, overseeing vendor performance, enforcing the technical terms of the contract Monitoring billions of dollars in contract spending to ensure expenditures align with approved budgets and spend plans; (3) Directing and managing a large-scale program, including planning, organizing, and evaluating program operations; (4) Providing technical and administrative supervision to an expansive team, effectively resolving administrative and operational issues, and ensuring adherence to agency policies and priorities; (5) Evaluating the effectiveness of program goals and operations through quantitative and qualitative analysis, identifying trends, problem areas, and areas for improvement.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.