Program Specialist

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/01/2024. 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 by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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 s described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of the missions, organizations, programs and requirements of TMS program; Knowledge of management principles and processes; Skilled knowledge of data collection methods and techniques for assessing program development and improving organizational effectiveness and efficiency; Knowledge and technical expertise of computer software packages including WORD, Excel, Outlook, Power Point and VistA; Knowledge of medical center policies pertaining to procurement of supplies and equipment; Knowledge of TMS programs and objectives; Knowledge of budgetary and financial relationships; Knowledge of administrative duties including business letter writing, filing, office management and billing; Knowledge of the mission and goals of Mental Health Services OR, Education: 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 an LL.M., in a field related to this position 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. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond (2) full years graduate level education and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Stress Tolerance Teamwork Technical Competence 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: Position requires walking, standing, bending, typing on the computer, and prolonged periods of sitting. Ability to carry/transport boxes of donations, equipment, and VA promotional materials. Position requires the emotional stability to handle demanding situations, challenging Veteran behaviors, multiple demands and a high volume of workflow. 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/.
The incumbent serves as the Program Support Specialist to Montana VAs Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Program in Mental Health and reports to the Administrative Officer for Mental Health.. TMS is a noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic pulses to the brain to stimulate nerve cells to improve symptoms of depression. It is often used for treatment-resistant depression, when first line treatments (i.e., medications and psychotherapy) have been ineffective.