Duties

Summary

The Fire & Life Safety Program Manager performs duties related to fire protection. Knowledge to serve as technical authority and make significant, far-reaching decisions/recommendations in the development, interpretation and application of the fire and life safety policies, is required. Knowledge and experience to develop and manage a diverse and complex fire alarm system, fire protection system, & fire suppression system in a large organization containing multiple facilities is also required.
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Responsibilities

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Reviews plans for installation or modification of fire suppression systems, fire detection systems, and fire alarm systems.
• Inspects buildings and other structures in operation and during the course of construction and/or modification to ensure compliance with approved fire protection plans and testing procedures.
• Makes recommendations to address unsafe conditions or unsafe practices and initiates corrective action.
• Reviews building and other construction plans and specifications for adequate and appropriate life safety systems and equipment and to ensure that fire safe provisions are included.
• Provides technical assistance and guidance to Medical Center personnel, as
  well as other individuals directly involved in fire prevention work, regarding management of the fire suppression, fire detection and fire alarm systems.
• Facilitates periodic performance testing to determine whether fire protection
  systems are fully functional.
• Conducts or arranges for all scheduled testing, as required by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
• Provides oversight and evaluates contractor performance with regard to
  installation, modification or maintenance of the fire suppression, fire detection and/or fire alarm systems.
• Works with the facility's senior management to develop a written Life Safety,
  Interim Life Safety, and Emergency Fire Response Plans and may serve as a liaison with the local fire department and emergency responders.
• Ensures that facility fire drills are conducted, in accordance with applicable
  standards.
• investigates fire sites and makes determinations regarding possible structural,
  mechanical, alarm, fire extinguishing, or other safety system failures.
• Prepares reports on fire incidents, as required.
• Other duties as required.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday - - 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Safety and Occupational Health Specialist/PD19013-O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You will be expected to travel for this position - Occasional day trips to and from our three different Medical Centers and/or our six community based clinics.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
11

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• 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

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/26/2021.

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 this GS11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS09. 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:

Specialized Experience: One year(equivalent to at least the GS-9 level in the Federal service) that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this Safety and Occupational Health Specialist position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position? Specialized experience is experience where you:

• Managed safety or occupational health program elements.
• Developed and recommended safety and occupational health policy to higher levels of management.
• Applied safety and occupational health laws, regulations, principles, theories, practices, and procedures to advise on or resolve technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements.
• Developed safety and occupational health standards, regulations, practices, and procedures to eliminate or control potential hazards.
• Analyzed or evaluated new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of hazards.
• Designed or modified workplaces, processes, products, or other systems to control or eliminate hazards.
• Inspected or surveyed workplaces, processes, products, or other systems for compliance with established safety and occupational health policies or standards and to identify potential new hazards.
• Trained workers, supervisors, managers, or other safety and occupational health personnel in safety or occupational health subjects.
• Worked in occupational fields such as fire prevention engineer. OR,

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 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) (Transcripts required). 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 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). (Transcripts required)

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

• Analysis and Problem Solving
• Fire Management
• Project Management
• Safety Engineering
• 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: Long periods of walking, standing, kneeling or bending. In the event of emergency response, running may occur when responding to such incidents, i.e., fire alarm activations. Moderate lifting and carrying of equipment and supplies are required. Use of all appendages and good vision and hearing are a must. Emotional and mental stability are 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

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

Additional information

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 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/ .

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. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

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.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• If you are applying for Promotion you must include a copy of your most recent Performance Appraisal
• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing 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
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx .

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.