Program Specialist

Summary This developmental position is in the VA Southern Nevada Health Care System, Social Work Service. The position composes of a career ladder structure to the full performance level of Program Specialist, GS-0301-09. The primary purpose of the position is to serve as the Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) Program under the direction of the Chief, Social Work at the VA medical facility as a primary person responsible for the facility SAMS Program. Duties The position serves as a Program Specialist assigned to the Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) Program under the Chief, Social Work at the VA medical facility as a primary person responsible for the facility SAMS Program. SAMS's focus is to provide personalized, supportive services to families, caregivers and survivors at the end of a Veteran's life and ensure Veterans without identified family receive dignified burials to honor their service. The incumbent serves in a developmental capacity at the GS-0301-07 level. Key functions will be like those described at the full performance level of the target position. Advancement to the Program Specialist, GS-0301-09 position description number will be recommended only after it has been determined that the incumbent meets all regulatory and statutory requirements, is satisfactorily progressing in the training, is successfully performing the currently assigned range of duties and responsibilities as outlined in this SOD. Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Ensures compliance with local policy and procedures pertaining to patients who expire while receiving Department of Veterans Affairs

• authorized care in a medical center, hospital, nursing home or domiciliary care setting. Ensures Veterans and their next of kin (NOK) receive respectful, compassionate and dignified care and services in accordance with Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and National Cemetery Administration (NCA), state and local law and regulations. Care and services reflect sensitivity to religious, cultural and special considerations of the Veteran and the NOK served. Supports health care management officials by advising and coordinating health care delivery systems and operations. Renders advice on operational policies and assures these policies conform with and are in support of administrative functions in coordination with the supervisor. Works closely with the Veterans Integrated Service Network point of contact, National SAMS Program, senior management officials and others to implement and evaluate policies, plans and internal operational systems. Advises Veterans and their NOK of burial benefits. Help NOK prearrange burial, interment, cremation, as desired by Veteran. Reviews eligibility and entitlement of burial and death allowances and advises on the process for applying for those benefits. Inform Veteran, caregiver and NOK of available supportive services within the medical facility. Reviews daily death notifications. Submits completed death certificates to designated Funeral Director and County Registrar's Office. Ensure Veterans with no relatives (unclaimed remains) are provided with a dignified funeral and burial at VA expense. Notifies clinical staff involved with care prior to death to contact the survivor within 24 hours of the pronouncement of death. Identifies, in collaboration with designated facility staff, a responsible funeral home for the unclaimed remains and prepares a purchase order and/or contract to this effect. Completes required VA authorizations to release personal effects and any remaining funds in the patient's account to NOK or designated party. Assists VA provider in contacting NOK so provider can request permission to do an autopsy. Records and transcribes consent as allowed. Coordinates with VA provider and NOK/legal designee in obtaining signed consent of Release of Remains. In collaboration with clinical staff coordinates release of remains with appropriate services/outside agencies in the event of autopsy, or organ/tissue/body donation. Follows local procedures for whole body donation. Collaborate with Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), Pharmacy and Prosthetics to administratively cancel all appointments to include orders. Coordinates with Pathology Services to complete all forms and paperwork required to release the deceased remains to selected funeral home. Prepares and provides military information forms to the funeral home representative. Requests death certificates from the County Registrar's Office for all external notifications of a Veteran's death and updates records as appropriate within VA system. Coordinates the dispositions of personal funds and effects with the Office of General Council for Veterans that have been adjudicated as incompetent. This may require the position to appear in person at county court houses. 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: Full-Time, Monday-Friday 0730-1600 Compressed/Flexible: will be discussed during interview Telework: not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD035130 Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/06/2026. 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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:GS-07: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: At the GS-07 developmental level, the incumbent will be assigned work and/or receive training with the objective of acquiring the qualifications needed to successfully perform duties such as applying organizational structure, policies, and procedures to the program's mission and administrative operations; applying analytical techniques to resolution of problems concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond a bachelor's degree. GS-09 Specialized Experience: 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