Summary

This position is located at the National Cemetery Administration in Washington, District of Columbia. This is a detail position not to exceed 1 year,

Duties

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This detail position not to exceed 1 year is in the National Cemetery Administration (NCA), Human Capital Management (HCM), Office of Workforce Relations (OWR). The incumbent serves as the Program Manager for HCM, OWR, providing managerial oversight of human resources (HR) advisory services to NCA's Central Office.

Duties:

• Lead and manage NCA-wide HR initiatives to enhance the organization's workforce capabilities and effectiveness.
• Collaborate with subordinate managers, service activity leaders, and regional offices to produce formal studies on various HR topics impacting NCA personnel.
• Serve as the organization's expert on HR policies related to employee relations, labor relations, performance management, and reasonable accommodations.
• Act as the primary liaison with the VA Human Resources Administration (HRA), Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), and other government agencies to ensure policy compliance and effective implementation.
• Oversee the development, rollout, and evaluation of employee and labor relations programs to foster a culture of accountability, results orientation, and customer focus.
• Ensure VA Secretary's employee and labor relations initiatives are effectively managed and integrated within NCA operations.
• Supervise the staff of the Human Capital Management (HCM) Office of Workforce Relations (OWR), providing leadership, direction, and performance management.
• Plan, delegate, and prioritize work activities for the team, establishing performance standards and monitoring progress.
• Exercise managerial authority over personnel actions and develop strategic plans for current and future staffing, training, and program objectives.
• Collaborate with the HCM Executive Director to set goals, develop data-driven insights, and formulate policies that support high-level program management.
• Manage resources efficiently, address budget challenges, and identify innovative solutions to improve operations.
• Prepare position papers, secure technical and legal opinions, and provide expert advice to support organizational goals.
• Conduct performance evaluations, approve staffing decisions, and address employee grievances and serious complaints.
• Identify and implement strategies to eliminate bottlenecks, promote teamwork, and enhance business practices to improve overall productivity and service delivery.

Performs other duties as assigned.

This is a detail not to exceed 1 year

Work schedule: Required to work Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available

Telework: May be Available

Position Description Title/PD#

The full performance level of this position is GS - 15

Relocation Expenses: Not Authorized

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

If interested in applying for this position you ay preview the online application:

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13059546

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Subject to a background/security investigation.
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all specialized experience and time in grade requirements within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement, 09/28/2026.

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 within 45 days of 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 your most recent non-award 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 non-award SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year time-in-grade.

Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

• Must have the ability to type at least 40 words per minute.
• Must possess and maintain a REAL ID compliant valid state driver's license.

You may qualify based on your experience, as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-14 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: extensive experience leading and managing HR initiatives, including employee and labor relations, performance management, and workforce development. They should have proven skills in supervising HR staff, developing strategic plans, and implementing policies that foster accountability and results. Experience working with senior leadership and external agencies like VA HRA and FLRA is essential. Additionally, candidates should possess strong skills in resource management, process improvement, and resolving complex HR issues within a government or similar organization.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Critical Thinking
• Planning and Evaluating
• Administration and Management
• Analysis and Problem Solving
• Contracting/Procurement
• Lead or Supervise

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.

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.

Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary and performed in an office environment.

Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

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.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.

Additional information

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/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. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

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

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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

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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.