Summary This developmental position, located at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center, composes a career ladder structure to the full performance level of Veterans Outreach Program Specialist, GS-0301-09. This position functions as the Veterans Outreach Program Specialist / Survivor Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) Specialist and is responsible to manage the daily business operations of the SAMS program. Work includes program administration, providing decedent services, data and quality management. Responsibilities Knowledge of Decedent Affairs/Survivors and Memorial Support (SAMS) Program policies and procedures in accordance with VHA, VBA, and NCA guidance. Reviews daily death notifications for Veterans who expired at the Dayton VA Medical Center and within community hospitals or nursing home settings. Facilitates completion of death certificates with appropriate medical provider. Operate standard office equipment and programs. This knowledge will incumbent will be used to gather, analyze, and input data into the management information system. Facilitates the completion/scanning of death certificates with appropriate Dayton VA Provider. Manages and provides oversight of local tracking log for deceased veterans. Maintains an updated supply of all necessary forms for functioning of the SAMS program. Experience working with bereaved families, showing empathy and compassion while advising on burial benefits. Coordination with community funeral homes on the release of veterans remains for final disposition. Collaborates and maintains positive working relationships with both internal contacts/staff and community entities, funeral homes, nursing facilities, non-VA hospitals. Data entry experience with Decedent Affairs Data Collection Tool (DADCT) Manages and analyzes several databases for programmatic and administrative purposes to local, regional, and national databases to provide information and statistics to support the administration of the Survivors and Memorial Support (SAMS) program. Ability to maintain and update data monitoring systems to collect, analyze and report program data to local management, the VISN, and the National SAMS Program Team 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: Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Veterans Outreach Program Specialist/91675-S/91676-S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification 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 probation 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, 03/04/2026. 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. Time-In-Grade Requirement:GS-7Applicants 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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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 GS-7: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Collaborates and maintains positive working relationships with both internal customers and external customers. Data entry experience and computer experience. Operate standard office equipment. Maintain paperwork, forms, and resources. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one (1) full year of graduate level education in an accredited college or university. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the Program Specialist. NOTE: A transcript or course listing must be submitted if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Unofficial transcripts required. Applications submitted without this information will not be considered. OR, Superior Academic Achievement. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and successfully completed post-high school education to meet total qualification requirements for the grade level GS-07. Specialized Experience GS-9: 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: Maintaining paperwork, forms, and resources for death packets. Provides education and information to internal and external customers concerning end-of-life planning, including death, burial, and funeral benefits. Coordination with community funeral homes on the release of remains for final disposition. Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 year of graduate-level education or superior academic achievement, Note: One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7. Two full years of graduate education or a master's degree meets the requirements for GS-9. 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. Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the announcement. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administrative and Management Customer Service Database Administration Clerical 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: Some of the work involves regular and recurring physical exertion in standing, bending, kneeling, reaching, gripping, and walking. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. 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.
