Summary
The Veterans Outreach Program Specialist serves as the principal outreach staff member for Military Reserve and National Guard members returning from the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND). The nature of the job requires travel throughout an assigned geographical area away from the Vet Center.
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Duties
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Major duties include, but are not limited to:
- Providing information, explanation of services, support, and connection to a variety of individuals of various educational, environmental, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, regarding benefits and eligibility to VHA, RCS, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and the National Cemetery Administration (NCA).
- Developing, managing, and distributing outreach materials to include brochures, presentations, flyers, fact sheets, web content, and other targeted information which highlights Vet Center services and locations as well as the combat Veteran experience.
- Creating presentations and materials with information in the appropriate format to allow the Veteran and/or Service Members, their families and representatives to understand the information they are receiving.
- Serving as a community liaison representing the Vet Center with organizations to include but not limited to Veterans Service Organizations, community groups, and others whose interest is in helping and protecting Veterans, their families, and their representatives.
- Collaborating closely with Vet Center direct service providers, helps initiate client referrals, and follows up to ensure client needs are being met timely.
- Collaborating, participating in the planning, coordinating, and executing of a variety of outreach events.
- Preparing documentation of contacts, client visits, and administrative activities in accordance with program guidelines and policies.
- Driving either a Government Owned Vehicle (GOV) or a Mobile Vet Center Mobile Vet Center to perform outreach services on a daily basis. Each Mobile Vet Center may be up to 40 feet long.
- Setting up and closing the Mobile Vet Center for operation, i.e., leveling the Mobile Vet Center, checking communications systems, electrical systems, etc.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday
, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Some nights and weekends may be required to meet mission.
Telework: Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#:Veterans Outreach Program Specialist (VOPS)PD# 76028A and PD# 76029A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
- To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
- Physical Requirements: Must pass pre-employment physical examination
- Subject to background/security investigation
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 08/06/2026.This position requires you to drive to various locations to interact with the target community in the mobile vet center. You must have and maintain a state issued driver's license. As part of the selection process your driving record will be verified and annually on your birthday should you be selected. It is a condition of employment.
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 closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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 applicants must meet all requirement by the closing date of this announcement as described below:
Specialized Experience (GS-09): You must have one full year of specialized experience, which equips you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the Veterans Outreach Program Specialist, GS-09 position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, this specialized experience must have been equivalent to the grade GS-07 level in Federal service to qualify at the grade GS-09.Examples of specialized experience include:
- Participating and assisting in the planning of outreach events and generating program refers.
- Providing individual and group presentations to inform others of various services.
- Distributing and assisting in the creation of marketing materials including, brochures, presentation, flyers, fact sheets, and web content.
- Accurately maintaining client records accordance with program guidelines and polices.
- Collecting outreach data and providing reports to leadership. OR
Education: To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.
OR
Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.
Specialized Experience (GS-11): You must have one full year of specialized experience, which equips you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the Veterans Outreach Program Specialist, GS-11 position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, this specialized experience must have been equivalent to the grade GS-09 level in Federal service to qualify at the grade GS-11.
Examples of specialized experience include:
- Working with in the community, developing, planning, scheduling, and conducting outreach events, and referral processes.
- Creating and presenting formal briefings to a variety of individuals with various education, environmental, ethics and cultural backgrounds.
- Developing, managing, and distributing outreach materials to include brochures, presentation, flyers, fact sheets, web content, and other targeted information which highlights services and locations.
- Preparing and maintaining records including documentation of contacts, clients visits and administrative activities in accordance with program guidelines and polices.
- Preparing and providing accurate reports and cursory analysis on outreach data as assigned in accordance with program requirements.
OR
Education: To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree OR (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M., if related.
OR
Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.
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 usually performed sitting at a desk, in news conferences, briefings, meetings, etc.; or riding in an automobile or on public transportation. A high level of physical energy is required, as the incumbent will be expected to meet with many people in many different locations in the course of a workday. Must be able to operate a passenger vehicle or larger vehicle that does not require a commercial driver's license. To operate the MVC. the incumbent uses moderate physical effort in operating hand and foot controls. When assigned to drive the MVC to outreach sites, the incumbent encounters all types of traffic and weather in route to assigned outreach site. Incumbent is responsible for driving the MVC in all types of weather and traffic situations.
If selected, the incumbent must:
- Submit a completed OF-345, Physical Fitness Inquiry for Motor Vehicle Operators. To drive a government vehicle, the incumbent will be subject to a pre-placement evaluation and once every 4 years through employee occupational health (EOH).
- Complete a pre-employment physical.
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/.
Education
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual
