Emergency Management Specialist

Summary

The Emergency Management Specialist supports VHA's comprehensive emergency management program by planning, coordinating, and evaluating emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities. The position develops emergency plans and procedures, assesses program effectiveness, coordinates with internal and external partners, and provides technical guidance to strengthen organizational readiness and continuity of operations.

Duties

This announcement will close on 10/23/2026. The first 50 applications received will receive first consideration. Applications that are submitted after the initial cut-off number has been reached will not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management. Major Duties include but are not limited to: Develops, implements, and evaluates emergency management plans, policies, procedures, and programs to support preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities. Coordinates emergency management operations and contingency planning activities with federal, state, local, and organizational partners. Conducts program assessments, evaluations, and analyses to determine emergency preparedness capabilities, regulatory compliance, and program effectiveness. Provides technical guidance and consultation to leadership and stakeholders on emergency management requirements, policies, and operational issues. Plans, coordinates, and evaluates emergency management training, exercises, and operational readiness activities. Develops and implements corrective actions and program improvements based on assessments, exercises, and after-action findings. Coordinates emergency response activities, resource requirements, logistics, and continuity of operations during emergencies and disasters. Prepares analytical reports, operational briefings, recommendations, and other correspondence to support leadership decisions and emergency management initiatives. 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, 07:30-04:00pm Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: This position may be authorized for ad hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Ad hoc is defined as occasional, non-recurring telework. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Definition of Virtual Work: Employee works outside of original hiring duty station at a VA owned or leased space. Return to Office (RTO): RTO mandates are in effect and selectees will be required to report to in-person work unless they are approved for an exception or an exemption. Any approval for an RTO exception, exemption, or extension will happen after a tentative job offer, but before a final job offer. Position Description/PD#: Emergency Management Specialist/PD19029A and PD19030A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/23/2026. 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. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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 as described below: GS-12 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. Qualifying experience includes (resume must support three out of the four listed below): Applying emergency management principles, policies, and procedures to support preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation, and continuity of operations activities. Analyzing and evaluating emergency management programs, plans, or operational capabilities to identify deficiencies and recommend improvements. Coordinating emergency preparedness activities, contingency planning, training, or exercises with internal and external stakeholders. Developing emergency management plans, procedures, reports, or recommendations to support program requirements and operational readiness. GS-13 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Developing, implementing, and evaluating comprehensive emergency management programs, policies, and operational plans involving complex preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation, or continuity requirements. Conducting complex analytical and evaluative studies using qualitative and quantitative methods to assess emergency management capabilities, program effectiveness, and operational readiness. Providing technical guidance and advising organizational leadership on complex emergency management policies, regulatory requirements, operational issues, and program improvements. Leading or coordinating complex emergency management initiatives, contingency operations, training exercises, or interagency planning activities involving multiple organizations or stakeholders. 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

There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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/.