Program Specialist (Controlled Substance Coordinator/ DEO Assistant)
What you'd do
This position is located at the Hershel "Woody" Williams VA Medical Center in Education & Learning Resources under the Chief Nurse, Education & Learning Resources and Designated Education Officer. This section manages all academic affiliation agreements with over 40 institutions of learning and is accountable for approximately 500 clinical trainees annually. The Program Specialist is responsible for planning, developing, and directing the administrative activities of the Trainee Program.
Major duties
Major duties include but are not limited to the following: Program Administrative Responsibilities 50% Provide managerial support to the Chief Nurse, Education & Learning Resources and Designated Education Officer for the planning, analysis and coordination of resident, medical student, and trainee education. Use analytical skills, judgment and discretion combined with knowledge of administrative principles, concepts, policies, and objectives to ensure program compliance with VA directives and academic regulatory requirements for all programs supported. Serve as the primary liaison with critical persons and groups both inside and outside the organization. Manage the data gathering and writing of multiple detailed reports, initiation and maintenance of VA educational activities including agreements, monitoring, and reporting of learner satisfaction and other data management including resident, medical and associated health trainee supervision. Develop budget requests for residents and associated health salaries, employee tuition reimbursements, educational membership dues, and other service costs. Perform management analyses and develops reports pertaining to program goals, operations, and assessments for planning phases of activities and the program. This includes the acquisition, development, analysis or use in planning efforts. Such assignments are broad and not adequately covered by manuals, previous reports or established management programs and require a great deal of creativity in designing methods to gather, analyze and present data. Responsible for identifying issues within the service which may require new or revised policies or procedures and brings them to the supervisor's attention for appropriate action. Responsible for obtaining timely actions, responses or decisions on request and ensures they are consistent with OAA and Huntington VAMC policy. Responsible for final analysis, recommends controversial actions to remedy critical problems alleviating any chance that accreditation may be threatened. Maintain program requirements/validation criteria for assigned area. Prepare reports involving trend analyses and follow-up in these areas for Quality Assurance Program, analyzes complex and critical data and recommends action. The employee also implements changes where possible, initiates training, and other actions necessary to improve customer relations Controlled Substance Coordinator 50% Distribute written policies and procedures and/or memorandums that promote commitment to corporate compliance and address specific areas of risk associated with non-compliance with controlled substance inspections and accountability in accordance with VHA directives and handbooks Maintain collaborative working relationships with VHA Controlled Substance Coordinators, as well as the CVAHCS medical staff, the executive leadership and other key VAMC stakeholders Utilize staff interviews, inspection reports, and auditing tools to identify weaknesses within the program Maintain awareness of laws and regulations, keeping appraised of current changes that may affect the Medical Center Controlled Substance Program through seminars, training programs, conferences, and personal contacts Establish procedures for data validation. This objective is to assure accurate, timely, and consistent submission of inspection reports, quarterly statistical data, and end of the year analysis Ensure the development and implementation of regular, effective education and training for all narcotic inspectors on issues relating to the controlled substance inspection compliance program. Establishes a mechanism for documentation and tracking of compliance related training to ensure that data is captured accurately and timely in accordance with VHA Handbook 1108.02, VISN 19, and the Inspector General Maintain open lines of communication such as participation in the monthly conference calls or personal contacts are effectively utilized to receive questions and address concerns regarding medical center compliance with current and future performance measures as they relate to compliance with the unannounced narcotic inspection program 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. Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc according to Agency policy Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist (Controlled Substance Coordinator/ DEO Assistant)/PD230830 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/21/2026. 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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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 as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: To qualify for this position at the GS-07 level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Using analytical skills, judgment and discretion combined with knowledge of administrative principles, concepts, policies, and objectives to ensure program compliance with VA directives and academic regulatory requirements for all programs supported. Manage the data gathering and writing of multiple detailed reports, initiation and maintenance of VA educational activities including agreements, monitoring, and reporting of learner satisfaction and other data management. Developing budget requests for residents and associated health salaries, employee tuition reimbursements, educational membership dues, and other service costs. OR Education: One (1) full year of successfully completed graduate level education or superior academic achievement, that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): SAA at the baccalaureate level in the coursework detailed above is fully qualifying. Applicants who wish to apply under this provision must submit proof from their educational institution that they meet one of the criteria listed below. To qualify for SAA, applicants must have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled and meet one of the following: Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university or major subdivision. A grade-point average of "B" (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. A grade point average of "B+" (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. For a list of recognized honor societies please visit http://www.achsnatl.org/quick_link.asp. For more information regarding SAA please visit http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-II/s2-e5.asp#e4f. OR Combination: equivalent combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education beyond a bachelor's degree may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-07 level. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. To qualify for this position at the GS-09 level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Program Specialist. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Using analytical skills, judgment and discretion combined with knowledge of administrative principles, concepts, policies, and objectives to ensure program compliance with VA directives and academic regulatory requirements for all programs supported. Manage the data gathering and writing of multiple detailed reports, initiation and maintenance of VA educational activities including agreements, monitoring, and reporting of learner satisfaction and other data management. Developing budget requests for residents and associated health salaries, employee tuition reimbursements, educational membership dues, and other service costs. Education: Successfully completed two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education or masters or equivalent graduate degree or LL.B. or J.D., in a related field of the position to be filled. Education at the graduate level must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ Combination: equivalent combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education in excess of the first year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-09 level. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
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