Staff Assistant

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Project Manager in Durham, NC, to oversee facility construction projects, lease projects, and space/function changes. The role coordinates activation efforts and ensures work adheres to VA policies and priorities.

The position requires leadership of multidisciplinary teams, strong planning, and effective communication with stakeholders. Regular, on-site hours Monday through Friday apply, with no telework option.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience in project management or a Master’s degree with relevant coursework.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams on complex projects.
• Knowledge of federal policies, regulations, and healthcare facilities operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide full lifecycle project management for assigned VA facility construction and activation projects.
• Lead internal and external teams to develop complete, compliant design packages.
• Ensure projects align with VA regulations, priorities, and fiscal constraints.

Skills

Project Management

Leadership

Team Coordination

Stakeholder Communication

Strategic Planning

Education

Master's Degree

Job description

Summary

The Project Manager is a staff-level position responsible for the overall project and activation of facility construction projects - lease projects - and space/function changes. The role provides oversight for Activation and Space projects assigned through the Business Operations Manager - ensuring all projects are executed efficiently - within scope - and aligned with VA policies - regulations - and strategic priorities.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/01/2026. 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-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 as 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: Project Management. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Master's Degree. 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 . Preferred Experience: Project Management (1-2 years of experience - knowledge of the fundamentals of project management in related industry - healthcare facilities - construction - supply chain - IT - engineering - finance) 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/.

Duties

• Duties Include but not limited too: Major Duties and Responsibilities Project Leadership and Oversight - Serves as the Project Manager for assigned projects and provides full lifecycle project management - control - coordination - and execution
• - Leads internal VA and external multi-disciplinary design teams - including contracted design services - in developing complete and compliant design packages
• - Demonstrates Technical Competence by applying knowledge gained through formal training and extensive experience
• evaluates technical information and advises others on technical matters
• - Applies Technical Credibility by correctly interpreting and applying principles - procedures - requirements - regulations - and policies related to specialized architectural - engineering - and construction expertise
• Program Analysis & Strategic Support - Supports strategic planning by developing and maintaining statistical data used for decision-making
• - Designs and oversees cost-effective programs and develops tools/methods to evaluate program activities and effectiveness
• - Conducts trending analysis and evaluative work related to service department operations to support continuous improvement
• Correspondence & Policy Compliance - Reviews outgoing correspondence for accuracy - proper format - completeness - and compliance with VA policies - instructions - directives - and supervisory intent
• - Provides guidance to services and programs regarding correspondence composition - procedures - directives - and policy requirements
• Professional Conduct & Confidentiality - Maintains confidentiality of all office matters and exercises discretion in handling and releasing sensitive information
• - Ensures that all duties and responsibilities align with VA regulations - organizational standards - and professional expectations
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
• 7:30am-4:00pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Staff Assistant/PD063300 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized