Duties

The Assault and Harassment Prevention Office (AHPO) serves as the principal advisor to the Deputy Under Secretary for Health on issues pertaining to the prevention of and response to sexual assault and sexual harassment within Veterans Health Administration. The incumbent is responsible for supporting national harassment and sexual assault prevention initiatives to support the Agency's goal of promoting a culture of respect and safety. The incumbent translates AHPO goals and strategies and implements managerial evidence-based practice applications throughout AHPO processes and systems. The incumbent is responsible for executive planning, organizational design, collation and analysis of data, and performance goals for the AHPO operations. Responsible for AHPO special projects as assigned, contributes to developing educational and awareness documents, participates in environmental scans, initiates review of proposals and actions requiring the concurrence or approval of the Director, Assault and Harassment Prevention Office. The AHPO incumbent briefs the Director, AHPO and other senior VHA leadership on progress of attaining program goals and objectives.

Major Duties Include:

• Coordinates, manages, and participates in the development and execution of the AHPO programs for use by the VHA Healthcare System.
• Coordinates, manages, and executes the administrative and logistical aspects of assigned projects.
• Liaisons with other program offices in Central Office and the field as required to help articulate national goals and strategies of the AHPO.
• Conducts research and literature reviews on a wide range of health care topics to help identify and shape important priorities for the Assault and Harassment Prevention Office.
• Prepares and coordinates reports, briefing materials, white papers, and other correspondence to aid in discussion with top-level officials internal and external to the Department.
• Has responsibility for assigned aspects of project management including convening appropriate project teams, coordinating project team meetings, preparing status reports, and preparing and presenting briefings.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level (GS-13) 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: Monday- Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Compressed/Flexible: May be available.
Telework: 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.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position is located in Washington, DC commuting area.
Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD03257-O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/20/2023.

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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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 as described below:

• GS-12 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-11) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
  • Managing a wide range of projects involving complex, sensitive, and/or controversial issues.
  • Coordinating, managing, and executing the administrative and logistical aspects of assigned projects.
  • Preparing and coordinating reports, briefing materials, white papers, and other correspondence to aid in discussion with top level officials internal and external to a department.
• GS-13 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-12) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
  • Serving as a subject matter expert on matters related to sexual assault, or intimate partner violence, and sexual harassment response and prevention.
  • Conducting research and literature reviews on wide range of health care topics to help identify and shape important priorities for the Assault and Harassment Prevention Office.
  • Managing a wide range of projects involving complex, sensitive, and/or controversial issues.
  • Coordinating, managing, and executing the administrative and logistical aspects of assigned projects.
  • Preparing and coordinating reports, briefing materials, white papers, and other correspondence to aid in discussion with top level officials internal and external to a department.
  • Having responsibility for assigned aspects of project management including convening appropriate project teams, coordinating project team meetings, preparing status reports, and preparing and presenting briefings.

Preferred experience, not required, but preferred:
Five years experience in sexual assault, intimate partner violence, or harassment prevention or response.

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

• Interpersonal Skills
• Partnering
• Planning and Evaluating
• Self-Direction
• Communication
• Analysis and Problem Solving
• Organizational Stewardship

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. Travel may be 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/ .

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

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 for this vacancy. To be well-qualified : applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. 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/ .

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

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.