Supervisory Program Specialist (Supervisory Staff Assistant)

Veterans Benefits Administration; Newington (CT); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) in the region seeks a Supervisory Program Specialist to join the leadership team. The role focuses on providing executive oversight of daily operations in a VBA Regional Office and collaborating closely with the Regional Office Director to ensure timely, accurate, and high-quality benefits and services for Veterans and their families.

The position emphasizes supervision of staff, program reviews, and change management to meet long-range goals, with

Qualifications

• GS-14 Grade Level Specialized Experience: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-13 in the normal line of progression.
• Expert knowledge of Veteran benefit programs or VBA law affecting compensation and pension benefits to provide authoritative guidance and direction.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive oversight of daily operations in a VBA Regional Office.
• Work with the Regional Office Director to ensure timely, accurate, high-quality benefits and services for Veterans and eligible beneficiaries.
• Supervise and direct personnel actions, program reviews, and organizational change to meet long-range goals.

Job description

The Supervisory Program Specialist is a senior leader in a Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Office who provides executive oversight of daily operations and works alongside the Regional Office Director to ensure Veterans, their families, and other eligible beneficiaries receive timely, accurate, and high-quality benefits and services. Relocation expenses are authorized for this vacancy announcement

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: 08/28/2026. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: As a current/former Federal, GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13 level. If you are a current VBA employee requesting a reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-14 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-14. 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

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience as described below: GS-14 Grade Level Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-13) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as expert knowledge of Veteran benefit programs or VBA business lines and laws affecting Veterans' compensation and pension benefits to provide authoritative guidance and direction on claims and appeals processing. Supervised, managed, or served as a project lead to accomplish performance and project goals; possesses knowledge and/or practical application of employee relations (e.g., performance or conduct based actions) and labor relations (e.g., grievance process or negotiations) practices. To be creditable, the experience must demonstrate all of the following activities, performed in a Regional Office, VA business line, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), or similar large, complex Federal or private-sector organization: Establishing priorities and determining resource needs to meet program objectives. Directing, coordinating and approving a full range of personnel management actions and organizational change proposals. Directing comprehensive and complex program reviews. Monitoring and controlling program progression and effectiveness through analysis of policies, directives and organizational short and long-range goals. Such experience may have been gained in federal or private sectors and is to be substantive and relevant to the position being filled. Candidates must also have demonstrated in their work experience or training that they possess, or have the potential to develop, the qualities to successfully supervise subordinates/teams and to share responsibility for directing and supervising the administrative work necessary to manage a successful program area

Volunteer Experience: 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; religious; 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

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment

Physical Requirements: The position is primarily in an office setting. This work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. Some travel may be necessary on occasion for training, meetings, or customer interactions. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/