Summary The Emergency Management Specialist is responsible for preparing for and carrying out or coordinating emergency functions to prevent, protect from, mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters. Serves and assists the various program coordinators relating to Emergency Management (EM), Safety, Pharmacy Cache, Clinical Support, and Law Enforcement. Responsibilities Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Coordinating the Healthcare System efforts and engaging staff, as well as the functions required to manage the Comprehensive Emergency Management Program (CEMP). Ensuring the emergency response results and conclusions lead to a continual improvement of the emergency management program throughout the healthcare system. Preparing for and carrying out or coordinating emergency functions to prevent, protect from, mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters. Assisting with the various program coordinators relating to Emergency Management (EM), Safety, Pharmacy Cache, Clinical Support, and Law Enforcement. Developing and coordinating all VAMC emergency plans and exercises in accordance with VHA directives and VHA Emergency Operations Plan. Collaborating with community partners to support the execution of national objectives. Representing Executive Leadership at key planning sessions, after actions reviews, and response planning meetings, conferences, forums and symposiums. Providing guidance and assistance in all employee and vulnerable patient/Veteran accountability efforts before, during and after an emergency. Ensuring all data on employee and patient/Veteran accountability is reported to the healthcare system Incident Command Center and VISN in a timely manner. Establishing relationships with the stakeholders and community in order to communicate and disseminate program information to ensure an understanding of the agency's mission and activities. Establishing, maintaining, and fostering strong working relationships with partners at national, regional and local levels. Performing other related duties as assigned. Physical Demands and Work Environment: The work is sedentary during non-emergency situations. However, participation in field exercises and operational support missions may require strenuous physical activity to include carrying persons and equipment, walking long distance, climbing, working long hours, long periods of standing, and bending and stooping. May include various housing and living conditions to include non-climate controlled, limited privacy sleeping facilities (for example, cots, tents, "hot-bunking", gymnasiums, or similar), limited shower and laundry facilities, and limited feeding options (such as shelf-stable meals, meals-ready-to-eat (MRE's), and field kitchens). During emergency situations the employee may be required to remain available 24 hours per day, seven days per week for multiple weeks and is subject to work under emergency notification and contact procedures. The EMS will be provided and must carry a government provided mobile communication device. The work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office; however, the employee may be required to work in a warehouse and store emergency management equipment in an outdoor storage facility and indoor storage rooms. The EMS will support site visits to all outpatient clinics to perform hazard vulnerability analysis, conduct drills, conduct training, and any other comprehensive emergency management implementation. Environment may be subject to adverse weather to include wind, precipitation, temperature and humidity extremes. Protective gear (gloves, hard hats, hearing protection, and similar) and adherence to safety precautions may be required. Travel by motor vehicle, train, boat, and aircraft within the United States may be required. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: This position may be authorized ad-hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Emergency Management Specialist/PD99789S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Requirements 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 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 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, 04/20/2026. 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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. Driver's License Requirement: A current valid state-issued driver's license is required. Note: We cannot accept photographs. Therefore, please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide your driver's license for verification purposes. ~AND~ In addition to the Driver's License Requirement, to qualify for this position at the GS-12 level, you must meet the following requirement: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of state and national laws, policies, precedents, regulations, and directives to plan, develop, and execute a comprehensive emergency management program to include catastrophic and mass casualty incident response capabilities, decontamination program capabilities, patient handling, and integrated incident command system; expert knowledge of emergency management program principles, concepts, practices, and functional areas; expert knowledge of advanced management and organizational principles and practices; expert knowledge of analytical and evaluative methods; and interpersonal skills to function effectively with management, staff, and community emergency management organizations. Preferred Experience: Applying data gathering methodologies to collect various @types of information, database entry programs, and database management. 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 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 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 received 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 http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
