Summary The position is in the Office of Business Integration (OBI), Benefits Management Services (BMS) Division. The incumbent serves as a Program Analyst, consultant, and advisor for the office, which serves as the coordinating body and focal point for business and information and technology (IT) integration activities. Responsibilities Specific duties include: Coordinating business IT initiatives across the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) in concert with the Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) Coordinating VBA business lines', and staff offices', efforts to implement short- and long-term plans to develop systems which support business processes to improve service to Veterans. Conducting or participating in the review of comprehensive program studies related to VA benefits and services, as well as making recommendations for program changes based on study results. Providing advice and assistance relative to the input for the design of modernized business processes and/or automated information systems; implementation of which will enhance the management and provision of claims and benefits services provided to Veterans, their dependents, and their survivors by VBA. Developing a comprehensive understanding of business processes and/or systems to support a requirement to drive conversations and actions described elsewhere in these responsibilities, including making recommendations, eliciting business requirements, and identifying and escalating risks. Ensuring VBA business lines' business systems concepts are consistent with existing and evolving business practices, as well as procurement and financial management policies. Developing and defending strategic plans, acquisition/investment strategies and policy for business systems development efforts Performing project management activities and analysis tasks, using standard tools techniques and methodologies to keep assigned activities on track at all phases. Integrating the work of a project team that spans multiple organizations and locations. Reviewing, revising, and developing policies and procedures for the utilization of business applications and systems within the VBA offices nationwide. Developing functional specifications to create and implement more efficient and effective business processes and automated approaches to provide improved service to VBA's customers. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The grade progression for this position is GS 11, GS 12, GS 13. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday 8:00AM - 4:30PM Compressed/Flexible: Available. Telework: Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Analyst; PD Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:11/25/2024. 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. To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50). The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. You must provide a copy of your most recent SF-50 that indicates proof of status, and shows Time in Grade (for example, you were a career or career-conditional employee) and identifies your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). 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 also submit your most recent promotion or within-grade increase in addition to your recent SF-50. If you previously held a higher grade, you must also submit any SF-50 showing that grade. DO NOT submit Award SF-50's and/or General Adjustment SF-50's as they cannot be used to prove time-in-grade. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09 level. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11 level. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 level. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-11 Grade Level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience which is equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-9 level) in the normal line of progression for the position. Specialized Experience: is defined as: Experience with VBA programs or business lines. Tracking and analyzing data and statistical information. Reviewing policies and processes coordinating and planning activities. Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. OR Combination of Education and Experience: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education, Equivalent combinations of Specialized Experience and Graduate level education. To compute, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify. GS-12 Grade Level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience which is equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-11 level) in the normal line of progression for the position. Specialized Experience: is defined as: Performing a variety of analytical, planning, evaluative, and advisory tasks Evaluating and measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of policies, processes/procedures, Preparing or developing business documents and requirements. Education Substitution: There is no Education Substitution at the GS 12 grade level. GS-13 Grade Level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience which is equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12 level) in the normal line of progression for the position. Specialized Experience: is defined as: Reviewing policies and procedures to determine the impact to field operations. Conducting evaluative studies to determine strengths, weaknesses, and best practices. Project/program management activities using a variety of methods and best practices. Demonstrated communication skills to prepare, present and articulate findings to management. Education Substitution: There is no Education Substitution at the GS 13 grade level. 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: Work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort 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/. Education Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript to receive credit. Additional Information This is a Bargaining Unit Position. VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. 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. 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), https://www.va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf