Program Specialist

Summary

Summary

This developmental position is in the VA Southern Nevada Health Care System, Social Work Service. The position composes of a career ladder structure to the full performance level of Program Specialist, GS-0301-09. The primary purpose of the position is to serve as the Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) Program under the direction of the Chief, Social Work at the VA medical facility as a primary person responsible for the facility SAMS Program.

Learn more about this agency

Duties

Help

The position serves as a Program Specialist assigned to the Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) Program under the Chief, Social Work at the VA medical facility as a primary person responsible for the facility SAMS Program. SAMS's focus is to provide personalized, supportive services to families, caregivers and survivors at the end of a Veteran's life and ensure Veterans without identified family receive dignified burials to honor their service.

The incumbent serves in a developmental capacity at the GS-0301-07 level. Key functions will be like those described at the full performance level of the target position. Advancement to the Program Specialist, GS-0301-09 position description number will be recommended only after it has been determined that the incumbent meets all regulatory and statutory requirements, is satisfactorily progressing in the training, is successfully performing the currently assigned range of duties and responsibilities as outlined in this SOD.

Duties include, but may not be limited to the following:

• Ensures compliance with local policy and procedures pertaining to patients who expire while receiving Department of Veterans Affairs - authorized care in a medical center, hospital, nursing home or domiciliary care setting.
• Ensures Veterans and their next of kin (NOK) receive respectful, compassionate and dignified care and services in accordance with Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and National Cemetery Administration (NCA), state and local law and regulations.
• Care and services reflect sensitivity to religious, cultural and special considerations of the Veteran and the NOK served.
• Supports health care management officials by advising and coordinating health care delivery systems and operations.
• Renders advice on operational policies and assures these policies conform with and are in support of administrative functions in coordination with the supervisor.
• Works closely with the Veterans Integrated Service Network point of contact, National SAMS Program, senior management officials and others to implement and evaluate policies, plans and internal operational systems.
• Advises Veterans and their NOK of burial benefits. Help NOK prearrange burial, interment, cremation, as desired by Veteran.
• Reviews eligibility and entitlement of burial and death allowances and advises on the process for applying for those benefits.
• Inform Veteran, caregiver and NOK of available supportive services within the medical facility.
• Reviews daily death notifications. Submits completed death certificates to designated Funeral Director and County Registrar's Office.
• Ensure Veterans with no relatives (unclaimed remains) are provided with a dignified funeral and burial at VA expense.
• Notifies clinical staff involved with care prior to death to contact the survivor within 24 hours of the pronouncement of death.
• Identifies, in collaboration with designated facility staff, a responsible funeral home for the unclaimed remains and prepares a purchase order and/or contract to this effect.
• Completes required VA authorizations to release personal effects and any remaining funds in the patient's account to NOK or designated party.
• Assists VA provider in contacting NOK so provider can request permission to do an autopsy. Records and transcribes consent as allowed.
• Coordinates with VA provider and NOK/legal designee in obtaining signed consent of Release of Remains.
• In collaboration with clinical staff coordinates release of remains with appropriate services/outside agencies in the event of autopsy, or organ/tissue/body donation. Follows local procedures for whole body donation.
• Collaborate with Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), Pharmacy and Prosthetics to administratively cancel all appointments to include orders.
• Coordinates with Pathology Services to complete all forms and paperwork required to release the deceased remains to selected funeral home.
• Prepares and provides military information forms to the funeral home representative.
• Requests death certificates from the County Registrar's Office for all external notifications of a Veteran's death and updates records as appropriate within VA system.
• Coordinates the dispositions of personal funds and effects with the Office of General Council for Veterans that have been adjudicated as incompetent. This may require the position to appear in person at county court houses.

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 0730-1600

Compressed/Flexible: will be discussed during interview

Telework: not authorized

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD035130

Requirements

Help

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: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• 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 ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification 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, 10/06/2026.

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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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:GS-07:

• 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: At the GS-07 developmental level, the incumbent will be assigned work and/or receive training with the objective of acquiring the qualifications needed to successfully perform duties such as applying organizational structure, policies, and procedures to the program's mission and administrative operations; applying analytical techniques to resolution of problems concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement.
• OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond a bachelor's degree.

GS-09

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: applying organizational structure, policies, and procedures and skill in applying the program's mission, functions, objectives, work processes, and administrative operations; applying analytical and evaluative techniques to the identification, consideration, and resolution of issues or problems concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations; knowledge of contractual and procurement guidelines and requirements to prepare requests, evaluate proposals, and ensure quality measures are met.

(NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week)

OR,

• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. 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 (NOTE: If using education, you MUST submit transcripts at time of application)
• OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and graduate education beyond the first year or 18 semester hours to meet total experience requirements. (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

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:

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:

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 to 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 receive 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.

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

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced 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

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.



Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Job Description

Summary

This developmental position is in the VA Southern Nevada Health Care System, Social Work Service. The position composes of a career ladder structure to the full performance level of Program Specialist, GS-0301-09. The primary purpose of the position is to serve as the Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) Program under the direction of the Chief, Social Work at the VA medical facility as a primary person responsible for the facility SAMS Program.

Learn more about this agency

Duties

Help

The position serves as a Program Specialist assigned to the Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) Program under the Chief, Social Work at the VA medical facility as a primary person responsible for the facility SAMS Program. SAMS's focus is to provide personalized, supportive services to families, caregivers and survivors at the end of a Veteran's life and ensure Veterans without identified family receive dignified burials to honor their service.

The incumbent serves in a developmental capacity at the GS-0301-07 level. Key functions will be like those described at the full performance level of the target position. Advancement to the Program Specialist, GS-0301-09 position description number will be recommended only after it has been determined that the incumbent meets all regulatory and statutory requirements, is satisfactorily progressing in the training, is successfully performing the currently assigned range of duties and responsibilities as outlined in this SOD.

Duties include, but may not be limited to the following:

• Ensures compliance with local policy and procedures pertaining to patients who expire while receiving Department of Veterans Affairs - authorized care in a medical center, hospital, nursing home or domiciliary care setting.
• Ensures Veterans and their next of kin (NOK) receive respectful, compassionate and dignified care and services in accordance with Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and National Cemetery Administration (NCA), state and local law and regulations.
• Care and services reflect sensitivity to religious, cultural and special considerations of the Veteran and the NOK served.
• Supports health care management officials by advising and coordinating health care delivery systems and operations.
• Renders advice on operational policies and assures these policies conform with and are in support of administrative functions in coordination with the supervisor.
• Works closely with the Veterans Integrated Service Network point of contact, National SAMS Program, senior management officials and others to implement and evaluate policies, plans and internal operational systems.
• Advises Veterans and their NOK of burial benefits. Help NOK prearrange burial, interment, cremation, as desired by Veteran.
• Reviews eligibility and entitlement of burial and death allowances and advises on the process for applying for those benefits.
• Inform Veteran, caregiver and NOK of available supportive services within the medical facility.
• Reviews daily death notifications. Submits completed death certificates to designated Funeral Director and County Registrar's Office.
• Ensure Veterans with no relatives (unclaimed remains) are provided with a dignified funeral and burial at VA expense.
• Notifies clinical staff involved with care prior to death to contact the survivor within 24 hours of the pronouncement of death.
• Identifies, in collaboration with designated facility staff, a responsible funeral home for the unclaimed remains and prepares a purchase order and/or contract to this effect.
• Completes required VA authorizations to release personal effects and any remaining funds in the patient's account to NOK or designated party.
• Assists VA provider in contacting NOK so provider can request permission to do an autopsy. Records and transcribes consent as allowed.
• Coordinates with VA provider and NOK/legal designee in obtaining signed consent of Release of Remains.
• In collaboration with clinical staff coordinates release of remains with appropriate services/outside agencies in the event of autopsy, or organ/tissue/body donation. Follows local procedures for whole body donation.
• Collaborate with Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), Pharmacy and Prosthetics to administratively cancel all appointments to include orders.
• Coordinates with Pathology Services to complete all forms and paperwork required to release the deceased remains to selected funeral home.
• Prepares and provides military information forms to the funeral home representative.
• Requests death certificates from the County Registrar's Office for all external notifications of a Veteran's death and updates records as appropriate within VA system.
• Coordinates the dispositions of personal funds and effects with the Office of General Council for Veterans that have been adjudicated as incompetent. This may require the position to appear in person at county court houses.

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 0730-1600

Compressed/Flexible: will be discussed during interview

Telework: not authorized

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD035130

Requirements

Help

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: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• 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 ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification 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, 10/06/2026.

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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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:GS-07:

• 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: At the GS-07 developmental level, the incumbent will be assigned work and/or receive training with the objective of acquiring the qualifications needed to successfully perform duties such as applying organizational structure, policies, and procedures to the program's mission and administrative operations; applying analytical techniques to resolution of problems concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement.
• OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond a bachelor's degree.

GS-09

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: applying organizational structure, policies, and procedures and skill in applying the program's mission, functions, objectives, work processes, and administrative operations; applying analytical and evaluative techniques to the identification, consideration, and resolution of issues or problems concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations; knowledge of contractual and procurement guidelines and requirements to prepare requests, evaluate proposals, and ensure quality measures are met.

(NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week)

OR,

• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. 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 (NOTE: If using education, you MUST submit transcripts at time of application)
• OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and graduate education beyond the first year or 18 semester hours to meet total experience requirements. (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

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:

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:

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 to 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 receive 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.

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

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced 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

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.



Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.