Military

Program Support Specialist

Defense Human Resources Activity ยท Department of Defense
๐Ÿ“ Alexandria, Virginia GS-9/11 $70,623 - $133,142/yr
Posted: Oct 8, 2026 Deadline: Oct 22, 2026 (Closes in 6 days)

About This Position

This position is part of the Defense Human Resources Activity. The incumbent will serve as a Program Support Specialist for DPAC responsible for executing administrative policies and procedures.

Qualifications

You may qualify at the GS-09, if you fulfill the following qualifications: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service: Performing recurring administrative duties, coordinating office support functions, and maintaining organized tracking systems or databases to ensure efficient daily program operations; Gathering, compiling, and consolidating data or reports from established sources to assist higher-level analysts in evaluating program efficiency or compliance; Serving as an initial point of contact for office inquiries, distributing information to staff, and assisting in the preparation of routine correspondence or standardized meeting materials. OR; B.

I have master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B.

OR

J.D., if related; OR; C. You have some specialized experience as described in A, but less than one year; and you have more than one year but less than two years of education as described in B. You have computed the percentage of the requirements that you meet, and the total is at least 100%. (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by

  1. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the first year by
  2. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.) You may qualify at the GS-11, if you fulfill the following qualifications: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service: Analyzing administrative processes and operational data to recommend strategic adjustments to internal workflows, guidelines, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that enhance office efficiency.

Monitoring and coordinating administrative program areas (such as procurement tracking, records disposition, or contract deliverables) to ensure strict compliance with federal and agency regulations. Collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders to resolve moderately complex administrative issues, advising staff on regulatory applications, and drafting non-routine reports or briefings on program status. OR; B.

I possess 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or Ph.D.

OR

equivalent doctoral degree (such as LL.M.). OR; C. You have some specialized experience as described in A, but less than one year; and you have more than one year but less than two years of education as described in B. You have computed the percentage of the requirements that you meet, and the total is at least 100%. (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by

  1. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the first year by
  2. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.) 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: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.

Major Duties

As a Program Support Specialist at the GS-0301-9/11 some of your typical work assignments may include: GS-09: Duties Performs daily administrative and program support tasks, including organizing digital files and program records in accordance with established agency guidelines. Tracks operational and personnel data in standardized databases or tracking sheets, identifying and flagging missing information for higher-level review. Serves as a customer service and information liaison for the office, answering routine inquiries, assisting visitors, and routing incoming administrative and operational requests to the appropriate staff members.

Coordinates initial onboarding logistics for incoming personnel, to include account requests and logistical access. Reviews basic contract documents, monthly invoices, and Government Purchase Card (GPC) transactions for accuracy, highlighting discrepancies for higher-level review. GS-11: Duties Serves as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) or alternate COR, independently monitoring contractor performance against the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP), reviewing deliverables, and certifying invoices.

Supports the records management program by conducting routine audits, maintaining file plans, and adhering to proper lifecycle disposition procedures. Coordinates multi-divisional data calls by designing standardized response templates, tracking submissions, and consolidating quantitative and qualitative data for senior leadership review. Reviews and processes various administrative and operational requests, ensuring strict compliance with regulations and internal DoW financial guidelines.

Provides independent administrative and operational support for assigned programs, managing project milestones, tracking administrative actions, and presenting regular status updates to leadership.

Education

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY?

You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study.

Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. Foreign education may be qualifying if a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign education programs has deemed the foreign education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program or a U.S. accredited college or university has given full credit for the foreign courses.

Unofficial transcripts from U.S. Department of Education accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions listing your name, the name of the school, the date and degree awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned are acceptable for the application process. If selected, official transcripts are required before a firm job offer is made.

A photocopy of your degree/diploma is not acceptable. When relying on foreign education, submit transcripts and a copy of the equivalency evaluation results letter with a course-by-course listing. Documents must be in English or include an English translation.

The hiring employer for this position does not evaluate degrees from foreign colleges or universities. For further information, visit: Foreign Education

How You Will Be Evaluated

Once the application process is complete, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the Occupational Questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics): Competencies: Contracting/Procurement Planning and Evaluating Records and reports Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP):This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria AND 2) be rated well-qualified for the position AND 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. Well-qualified means you possess the type and quality of experience that exceeds the position's minimum qualifications.

Priority Placement Program (PPP) DoD Retained Grade Preference (RGP): To receive this preference, you must choose to apply using the (RGP) eligibility. If you are claiming RGP and are determined to be Well Qualified for the position, you will be referred to the hiring manager as a priority applicant. Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible (PPP DoD MRNG):In order to receive this preference, you must choose the (PPP DoD MRNG) eligibility, and fill out and submit the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician PPP Self-Certification Checklist and copies of the appropriate documentation.

Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) (PPP MSP): In order to receive this preference, you must choose to apply using the(MSP) (PPP MSP) eligibility. If you are claiming MSP (PPP MSP) and are determined to be Well Qualified (score of 85 or above) for the position, you will be referred to the hiring manager as a priority applicant.

Additional Information

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs: This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; Well qualified is defined as possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds the positions minimum qualifications. and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility.

For more information: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements: Persons with Disabilities - Schedule A Special Hiring Authority for Veterans Special Hiring Authority for Certain Military Spouses Other Special Appointment Authorities - Subpart F Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/register/) The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews, and once the selection is made, you will receive a notification of the decision.

NOTE: Declining to be interviewed or failure to report for a scheduled interview will be considered as a declination for further consideration for employment against this vacancy. Selective Service Requirement: Please visit http://www.sss.gov for more information. For more information, please visit https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DoDGenAppInfo%2012-1-2020.pdf?ver=ECNbdsHtGilTd3OENN4A0Q%3d%3d Other Notes: Re-employed Annuitant: This position Does not meet criteria for re-employed annuitant.

The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/140025_vol300.PDF?ver=LQ7feWw-8-5DI2tceUpmgA%3d%3d Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level).

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application.

Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents.

You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.

You will be taken to an online application.

Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.

NOTE: Resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.

You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://www.usajobs.gov, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application.

Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To preview the questionnaire, please go to https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13084857. Review the General Application Information and Definitions at: https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DoDGenAppInfo%2012-1-2020.pdf?ver=ECNbdsHtGilTd3OENN4A0Q%3d%3d As required by 5 C.F.R. ยง 302.106., DLA will provide Section 508 conformant ICT to employees with disabilities.

All ICT interfaces with the public related to vacancy announcements and career transition opportunities must conform to the applicable requirements in the current ICT Standards and Guidelines (36 C.F.R. ยง 1194).

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc.).

Your complete application includes your COMPLETE resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further. The following documents are REQUIRED 1. Resume: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages showing all relevant experience.

Your resume must address your qualifications for the position, and it may not exceed two (2) pages.

Your 2-page (or less) resume must be in PDF format, with no smaller than a 0.5" margin and no smaller than a 10-point font. If you submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit and/or does not meet the margin or font limitations stated herein, you will immediately be deemed ineligible for this position and will be removed from further consideration. Must include the work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed.

The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position. If multiple resumes are submitted by an applicant, only the last resume submitted will be reviewed for qualifications and referred for selection consideration, if eligible. The resume must not be more than 5MB and should be saved and uploaded as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages.

We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a font like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans.

Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.

  1. Transcripts: College transcript (s), required if qualifying based on education. We accept unofficial transcripts, as long as they contain your name, the name of the school, the date and degree that was awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned.
  2. SF50 All current and former civilian Federal employees must submit a copy of your MOST RECENT SF50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, salary, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation, i.e., Transcript of Service, Form 1150, etc. This is also a requirement to verify your Time in Grade (TIG).
  3. Veteran's Documents: If applying using veteran's preference or under a Veteran's hiring authority you must submit the following documents: DD214 showing character of service, SF-15 Form and VA letter showing final percentage, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty. PLEASE REVIEW THE BELOW LINK FOR OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS needed for proof of eligibility: https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DODCustomersRequiredSupportingDocumentation.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the Program Support Specialist position at Defense Human Resources Activity?
The salary range for this position is $70,623 - $133,142/yr. This is a GS-9/11 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Program Support Specialist job located?
This position is located in Alexandria, Virginia. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. Foreign education may be qualifying if a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign education programs has deemed the foreign education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program or a U.S. accredited college or university has given full credit for the foreign courses. Unofficial transcripts from U.S. Department of Education accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions listing your name, the name of the school, the date and degree awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned are acceptable for the application process. If selected, official transcripts are required before a firm job offer is made. A photocopy of your degree/diploma is not acceptable. When relying on foreign education, submit transcripts and a copy of the equivalency evaluation results letter with a course-by-course listing. Documents must be in English or include an English translation. The hiring employer for this position does not evaluate degrees from foreign colleges or universities. For further information, visit: Foreign Education
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Oct 22, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
Yes, a Secret clearance is required.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.