About this role
Job SummaryThe Assistant Director (AD) is a senior leader in a Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Office and works alongside the Regional Office Director to ensure Veterans, their families, and other eligible beneficiaries receive timely, accurate, and high-quality benefits and services. The AD provides executive oversight of daily operations, aligns local activities with national priorities, and drives organizational performance and continuous improvement. Relocation expenses are authorized.
QualificationsTo qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: 07/24/2026. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: As a current Federal, GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-15 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-14 level. If you are a current VBA employee requesting a reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-15 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-15. 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. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience as described below: GS-15 Grade Level Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 grade level in the normal line of progression. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the executive-level knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of an Assistant Director in a Veterans Benefits Administration Regional Office. To be creditable, the experience must demonstrate all of the following activities, performed in a Regional Office, VA business line, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), or similar large, complex Federal or private-sector organization: Managing or directing program operations that deliver benefits or services to Veterans or comparable populations. Establishing priorities, determining resource needs, and allocating staff and funds to meet program objectives. Directing or coordinating personnel management actions such as hiring, performance management, labor/employee relations, organizational changes, or workforce planning. Conducting or overseeing complex program reviews, operational assessments, compliance reviews, or performance evaluations. Monitoring and controlling program effectiveness, including analyzing policies, directives, procedures, and long- and short-range organizational goals to identify improvement needs. Representing organizational leadership with internal and external stakeholders, including participating on committees, workgroups, or interagency engagements. Leading cross-functional teams or subordinate supervisors/managers to resolve operational issues, improve performance, or implement new policies or processes. 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; 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. 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. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The position is primarily in an office setting. This work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. Some travel may be necessary on occasion for training, meetings, or customer interactions. 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/.
Major DutiesThe Assistant Director's responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Oversees Regional Office (RO) operations to ensure timely, accurate, and efficient delivery of veterans' benefits in alignment with national policies and VBA/Veterans Affairs (VA) leadership priorities. Develops, implements, and monitors RO policies, procedures, and performance standards, ensuring compliance with VBA directives and consistency in service delivery across business lines. Analyzes operational and program performance data, identifies gaps, directs corrective actions, and ensures follow-up to improve quality, timeliness, cost efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Leads strategic planning and resource management, including development of short- and long-term goals, assessment of resource needs, and effective allocation of personnel, budget, and equipment. Evaluates organizational structure and workload trends, recommending and implementing organizational changes to meet evolving program and business requirements. Provides executive oversight of human resources functions, including position management, staffing decisions, performance management, labor-management relations, and escalation of employee relations matters. Ensures the effective management of RO financial resources, including formulation, execution, and oversight of the budget while ensuring compliant and efficient use of funds. Represents the RO in internal and external engagements, maintaining strong stakeholder relationships and supporting initiatives that advance VA programs, organizational culture, equal employment opportunity (EEO) principles, and workforce inclusivity. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Assistant Director/37863A Relocation Expenses: Approved. Relocation expenses and services (Permanent Change of Station - PCS) are authorized. PCS covers the relocation of a household for government convenience when transferring between duty stations. By accepting PCS, the selectee agrees to remain in Federal service for 12 months after the move. Failure to complete the service period may require repayment of PCS expenses. Click here for more information. Financial Disclosure Report: Required; This position requires completion of a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-450) under 5 C.F.R. § 2634.904(a). The selectee must submit the form before entering on duty and annually thereafter. Bargaining Unit: NoRequirementsAs a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will 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. Additional Conditions of Employment are as follows: 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 supervisory probationary or trial period Designated and/or random drug testing may be required Subject to Public Trust-High Risk background 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 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. PCS (BVO) Relocation Expenses are ONLY authorized for selectee/s choosing to physically relocate to the Official Duty location of San Diego. CA.