The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Education Service (EDU), is modernizing its operations to provide world-class customer services that enable timely and accurate management of GI Bill education benefits with a single technology platform (or digital solution). VBA EDU is modernizing the way it operates which will bring new policies, processes and procedures.

Duties

Specific duties include: Provides guidance and advice on issues associated with technical training. Analyzes national training needs for VA Education programs (for employees, program participants and stakeholders) and plans projects to meet these needs. Identifies training needs using performance needs analysis tools, including but not limited to surveys, focus groups and other tools that provide feedback and priorities from employees, managers, supervisors, stakeholders, and program participants. Conducts and participates in conferences, workshops, and briefings for internal and external stakeholders to inform, obtain information and develop goals and programs relating to claims processors, Education Call Center personnel, Education Compliance Survey Specialists, Education Liaison Representatives, AC&L staff, School Certifying Officials (SCOs), State Approving Agencies (SAAs), and Education Service personnel. Designs, develops, implements, and evaluates training programs. These programs may be developed in-house, through contractor support, or by Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS); programs utilize all appropriate media (classroom, interactive television, videotape productions, computer-based and web-based training). Acts as executive producer and appoints hosts(s) for live interactive training over VBA network webinars and internet streaming video. Teaches, coordinates, and provides guidance to instructors, subject matter experts, and branch and functional area proponent offices. Independently plans and oversees administration of day-to-day training integration and coordination activities, to include the development, justification and execution of training, education, and professional development. Develops production schedules, determines program content, edits scripts, and produces graphic materials. Reviews completed lesson plans and time requirements with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from other teams to assure that scope of course content will meet the customers' needs and overall time allowances are compatible with individual lesson plans. Conceives and sketches training aids on new systems and components and reviews charts and drawings for technical accuracy. Reviews modifications to existing training to determine impact on training aids and lesson plans being used by stakeholders. Revises aids and courses and prepares instructions for revisions by SMEs. Plans and coordinates related training-aid development activities to ensure that component parts of major items and quantities specified will meet program requirements for training classes. Plans, promotes, and develops educational design strategies for educational programs/events and products by leading effective teams and providing clear direction. Evaluates program effectiveness by review of reports, direct observation, discussion with team members and consultation with customers. Reviews operations, including the meeting of program milestones, timeliness of special projects, efficiency of methodologies employed, procedures followed, and controls applied. The incumbent has the responsibility to independently carry out and/or coordinate the work necessary to complete the project assignment. Projects tasks are typically to (1) conduct training needs assessments to identify or validate requirements for training, (2) analyze and/or evaluate training programs and instructors, (3) develop new training products, or (4) select, negotiate the availability of, and supervise subject matter experts for course development, classroom training and broadcast duties, and (5) manage and administer training. 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. The grade progression for this position is GS 11/12/13. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Available per agency and program policy Virtual: This is a virtual position. NOTE: This is not a remote position. This position will be located at a duty station in either Atlanta, GA, Buffalo, NY, Muskogee, OK, or Washington, DC. The selectee must physically report to the local regional office in one of these locations as the official duty station on a routine basis. Current employees of the St. Louis Regional Office are eligible to apply and remain at their current duty location. Telework for this position is available per agency and program policy. Position Description/PD#: Training Specialist; 39107A, 39108A, 39109A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required.

Requirements

• 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

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:08/23/2023. 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. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service. 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. GS-11: 52 weeks at the GS-09 level. GS-12: 52 weeks at the GS-11 level. GS-13: 52 weeks at the GS-12 level. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. NOTE: To support your claim that you have the required time-in-grade, you must submit your most recent promotion, within-grade increase, or appointment SF-50. If you previously held a higher grade, you must also submit any SF-50 showing that grade. General Adjustment and Award SF-50's CANNOT be used for time-in-grade verification. AND Basic Qualification Requirement: Applicants must meet one of the below listed Individual Occupational Requirements to qualify for the GS-1712 series: Applicants must clearly demonstrate in their application how the standards are met. The basic requirement is to hold a degree in Education, or a subject area related to the position being filled; OR possess specialized experience that demonstrated a practical knowledge of the subject area of the position and of the methods and techniques of instruction. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Teaching or instructing in an adult education program, secondary school, college, military installation, or industrial establishment in the appropriate field(s). Supervising or administering a training program. Development or review of training/course materials, aids, devices, etc., and evaluation of training results. Work in the occupation or subject-matter field of the position to be filled that required training or instructing others on a regular basis. AND Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Specialized Experience GS-11: Experience in work related to processing education benefit claims and/or compliance & approvals for GI Bill schools. Experience in creation and delivery training content, including but not limited to experience in developing training content using Adobe products, Microsoft PowerPoint and/or any other instructional design software application. Specialized Experience GS-12: Experience in work related to processing education benefit claims and/or compliance & approvals for GI Bill schools. Experience in creation and delivery training content, including but not limited to experience in developing training content using Adobe products, Microsoft PowerPoint and/or any other instructional design software application. Develops classroom handouts, instructional materials, aids, and manuals and stays abreast of new trends and tools. Specialized Experience GS-13: Experience in work related to processing education benefit claims and/or compliance & approvals for GI Bill schools. Experience in creation and delivery training content, including but not limited to experience in developing training content using Adobe products, Microsoft PowerPoint and/or any other instructional design software application. Develops classroom handouts, instructional materials, aids, and manuals and stays abreast of new trends and tools. Instructs courses that cover advanced technical systems or subject-matter areas comparable to the upper-division undergraduate level. OR GS-11 Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have A 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 (official or unofficial) must be submitted when using any part of education to qualify. GS-12 Education: No educational substitute at the GS-12 grade level. GS-13 Education: No educational substitute at the GS-13 grade level. OR GS-11 Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned. When substituting you can use graduate level education you have earned beyond a Bachelor's Degree. Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-11. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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; 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. 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; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. 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/.

Education

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript to receive credit.

Contacts

• Address VBA Human Resources Center - Central Office 810 Vermont Ave NW Washington, DC 20420 US
• Name: Sandra Evans
• Phone: (410) 230-4537
• Email: [email protected]