Summary This position is located in the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Office of Information and Technology (OIT), Development, Security, and Operations, Enterprise Command Operations (ECO). The incumbent serves as Senior IT Analyst responsible for the full range of duties within one of more IT specialty areas required to support the DR/COOP and Devolution Division in support of our nation's Veterans. Responsibilities This position serves as the subject matter expert for the enterprise on NIST & FISMA standards for cyber security protocols. The position serves as the functional expert and enterprise control leader for Contingency Planning (CP). Serves as the expert for OIG audits ensuring the enterprise follows cyber security best practices. Works closely the Office of Cyber Security to develop policies for CP controls that ensure plans and exercises meet statutory requirements thus ensuring "authority to operate" ATO are granted for all systems. Undertakes enterprise operations of a special and/or critical nature; evaluates the impact of changes in business needs, evaluates feasibility, identifies solutions; and presents recommendations to senior management orally or in written reports. Directs and manages ongoing or ad hoc technical teams in the overall operations and maintenance of systems and infrastructure. Ensures appropriate documentation is developed to substantiate plans and procurements, and to ensure usability and effectiveness of processes and technology once implemented. Ensures VA policies comply with regulatory requirements and legislated mandates governing those programs. Provides technical direction to staff and contract team members. Documents statistics on planning, testing, and emergency communication capabilities. Attends and participates in a variety of management conferences and meetings with representatives of higher, lateral and lower echelons. Handles administrative personnel duties for their assigned division and provides leadership and project planning guidance to division analysts. Provides operational oversight of the change control and configuration management processes within their assigned division. Supports and assists the Director of Enterprise Command Operations and other IT pillars in support of planning, testing, and emergency operations stemming from a natural disaster or IT outage. Provides technical expertise and management on the implementation of assigned programs and projects. Researches, tests, and plans for the integration of new information technologies. Perform needs analysis to determine opportunities for new and improved business process solutions. Resolve conflicts in laws, regulations, policies, standards, or procedures. Review or conduct audits of information technology (IT) programs and projects. Support, implement, and manage national emergency preparedness equipment, processes, policies, and procedures. Coordinates with VACO and VA Program Managers on the operations, maintenance, and documentation needed for national satellite communications. This includes Iridium Satellite phones and VSAT systems under OIT control. Manage the internal relationship with information technology (IT) process owners supporting the service, assisting with the definition and agreement of Operating Level Agreements (OLAs). Participate in the acquisition process as necessary. Conduct import/export reviews for acquiring systems and software. Identify and address cyber workforce planning and management issues (e.g. recruitment, retention, and training). Lead and oversee budget, staffing, and contracting. This position is primarily aligned to the following NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework work roles of: Cyber Security 801 and 461. Additional duties may be required, within scope of the position description. For more information about these work roles, where they fit within the larger Cyber Workforce, and how they can support your unique career journey, please visit the Cyber Career Pathways tool on the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies website: https://niccs.us-cert.gov/workforce-development/cyber-career-pathways Position Description/PD#: IT Specialist/PD10089A Bargaining Unit: Yes Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required. Travel Required: Up to 25%. Occasional travel may be required as needed for this position. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 9:30AM to 6:00PM EST. (Tour of duty may be subject to change based on organizational needs). Compressed/Flexible: May be available/authorized, at Manager's discretion, determined by the Agency Policy. Telework: May be authorized at Manager's discretion. (Ad Hoc) Virtual/Remote: This is NOT a virtual NOR a remote position. Physical Demands: This position is sedentary working at a keyboard and monitor. Walking, standing, bending, or occasional lifting of boxes or IT equipment weighing up to 50lbs may be required. Subject to call back outside of regular tour of duty. Working Conditions: Work is performed in a typical computer operations environment. Rooms are well-lighted, air-conditioned office spaces with moderate noise from common office equipment. Computer equipment on the operations floor involves the use of high voltage electricity. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Selectee is subject to background/suitability investigation. Selected applicant will be required to complete an online onboarding process. This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing. Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required. To be considered for this position, applicants must complete all required steps in the process. 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/17/2026. 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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 level. 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. You must meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements AND Specialized Experience to qualify for this series as described below. Minimum Qualifications Requirements EXPERIENCE: To qualify for this position, you must have information technology-related experience demonstrating all of the four competencies listed below. Ensure that this experience is clearly described in your resume: Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services. Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. -AND- Specialized Experience for GS-12: You 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. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Such experience is typically gained in the IT field or through the performance of work where the primary concern is IT. Specialized experience is defined as: Experience in applying IT principles, cybersecurity standards, and contingency planning practices to support enterprise information systems and emergency preparedness operations. Experience includes analyzing and implementing IT solutions; managing or supporting network, infrastructure, or communications systems; conducting risk management or security compliance activities; coordinating contingency or continuity operations; evaluating emerging technologies; and providing technical guidance to support organizational IT operations and mission requirements. Experience communicating with stakeholders and coordinating across multiple organizations in support of complex IT initiatives is also required. 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. 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. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Education EDUCATIONAL SUBSTITUTION: There is no educational substitution for this position at this grade level. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This is not a remote position. OIT has multiple worksites at various duty locations, and the individual(s) selected may be assigned to any federal government work site. This announcement will NOT be used for changing duty locations. If selected, and you are a current VA employee, and not on an approved exemption, you will continue to report to your current duty location. If selected you will be required to report to one of the following locations: Albany, NY, Arlington, TX, Atlanta, GA Austin, TX Baltimore, MD Bedford, MA Boston, MA Chicago, IL Cleveland, OH Dallas, TX Denver, CO Detroit, MI Eatontown, NJ Hines, IL Houston, TX Little Rock, AR Long Beach, CA Los Angeles, CA Martinsburg, WV Miami, FL Minneapolis, MN Nashville, TN Oakland, CA Orlando, FL Philadelphia, PA Phoenix, AZ Pittsburgh, PA Salt Lake City, UT San Antonio, TX San Francisco, CA Seattle, WA Shepherdstown, WV St. Louis, MO St. Petersburg, FL Tampa, FL Washington, DC If space is not immediately available a temporary exception to telework may be granted. If/when workspace is identified, the employee is expected to report to their assigned duty location. A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay. Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/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 (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. 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/. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
