Department of the Air Force

PROGRAM SPECIALIST

Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia Full time

PROGRAM SPECIALIST

Department: Department of the Air Force

Location(s): Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia

Salary Range: $143913 - $187093 Per Year

Job Summary: Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information. The primary purpose of this position is: To serve as program specialist in the planning, programming and execution of both financial and manpower resources of the Chaplain Corps.

Major Duties:

  • Manages Strategy, Planning, Programming, Budget and Execution (SPPBE) oversight of Chaplain Corps financial resources AF-wide. Instrumental in assisting the career field managers in Chaplain Corps personnel and manpower issues. Develops manpower goals and objectives that translate requirements into validated positions. Provides direction and advice regarding manpower policies, procedures and guidelines. Influences a of variety of functional area organizations, including, but not limited to DoD and military Service counterparts, Joint Force Chaplain Corps, Air Force senior leaders, other Air Staff elements, Air Reserve Component, MAJCOM Command Chaplain offices, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Air Force Recruiting Service, Air Force Personnel Center and the Chaplain Corps College. Directs and/or leads broad studies involving major programs and policies that affect the Chaplain Corps mission. Interprets existing DoD, USAF, Air Reserve Component and Joint strategic plans and policies and formulates AF/HCP guidance consistent with higher level direction.

Qualifications: In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Administrative and Management Positions. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-13, or equivalent in other pay systems. Examples of specialized experience includes (1) working with advanced management and organizational principles and a comprehensive knowledge of Strategy, Planning, Programming, Budget and Execution (SPPBE) regulations, guidelines and processes; (2) managing military and civilian manpower including the impacts of manpower changes on military career field health; (3) advising and assisting with all matters impacting force management; (4) planning, organizing, developing studies or projects and negotiating effectively with management to accept and implement recommendations where the proposals involve substantial agency resources, require extensive changes in established concepts and procedures or may be in conflict with previous programming actions. FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-13 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-14 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks. NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Knowledge of DoD SPPBE system and policy, procedures and schedules for developing Program Objective Memoranda (POM), Budget Estimate Submissions (BES) and Execution Plans in support of the Chaplain Corps as well as methods for developing budget forecasts, cost projections, financial exhibits, unfunded requirements justifications, POM narratives, offsets, disconnects, reclamas and issue papers. Knowledge of issues impacting Total Force manpower and personnel, both military and civilian and methodologies to make adjustments to both, as the need arises, while staying proficient in manpower policies and processes. Knowledge of designated agency Chaplain Corps functions, operations, policies, procedures and practices and the concepts and theories behind the specialized work performed at various levels within the Corps. In-depth knowledge and understanding of Air Staff and Secretariat organizations, functions and responsibilities. Ability to gather, assemble and analyze facts, draw conclusions, conduct analysis, devise recommended solutions and package the entire process in briefings, papers or reports suitable for top management use and senior leader decision-making. Ability in oral and written communication techniques to effectively communicate Chaplain Corps issues and requirements clearly, concisely and tactfully. Ability to negotiate complex issues and maintain good working relationships at all levels internal and external to the designated agency. PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

How to Apply: The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 01/12/2026 To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12858004 To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: 1. Your Resume. If you submit more than one resume, only the most recent will be reviewed. The "most recent" is considered the resume with the latest timestamp. Resumes may not exceed two pages. The two-page resume ensures the most relevant experience is reviewed and considered, which is a common practice in both the public and private sectors. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Additional information on how to complete or update your resume may be located here. For qualification determination your resume must contain hours worked per week and dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Current Federal Civilian Employees may list any relevant performance related rating (given within the last three years) and/or incentive awards in your resume. Do NOT include photographs, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume. If the resume you submit contains such information you will not be considered for this vacancy. Your name, first and last, MUST be included on your resume. 2. A complete Application Questionnaire 3. Additional Required Documents (see Required Documents section). Ensure all submitted documents contain your full name. 4. Help recruiters find you. Make your resume and profile searchable, which means recruiters may contact you about possible jobs. Additional information may be located here. PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan. Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.

Application Deadline: 2026-01-12