Supervisory It Specialist (Infosec)

Summary

The Office of Information Security (OIS) provides information security and privacy infrastructure for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The office assures the confidentiality, integrity, and risk management, record management, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. In addition, the OIS team develops, implements, and oversees the training, communication how VA and its partners safeguard the personally identifiable information (PII) of Veterans and VA employees.

Duties

• Major Duties: Coordinate responses and follow-up actions to information security audits and external oversight organizations and maintain secure files of such responses and actions as required. Use information systems life cycle reviews and budget cycle approvals to promote information security objectives within VA. Ensures security standards, industry best practices, and evaluation criteria are integrated in all phases of information resources life cycle planning from capital investment review at the project imitation and design phase to acquisition approval, in-process reviews of operational systems, and planning for system replacement. Provide SME input to enhance the VA certification process and to ensure that systems undergo sufficient rigorous management review prior to accreditation. Influences, motivates, and challenges others; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations. Knowledge of the laws, regulations, and guidelines related to securing personnel, facilities, and information, including the requirements for handling, transporting, and protecting classified information and proper reporting of security incidents. Formulates effective strategies consistent with the business and competitive strategy of the organization in a global economy; examines policy issues and strategic planning with a long term perspective; determines objectives and sets priorities; anticipates potential threats or opportunities. Knowledge of how to perform one's job. Refers to specialized knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience. Identifies and analyzes problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes recommendations. Master cybersecurity risk management and be capable of supervising personnel/tasks in: the Assessment and Authorization (A&A) process; compliance and oversight of the PIV Card Issuing station audits; and management of VA's Governance Risk, and Compliance (GRC) capabilities Develop and supervise a full range of cybersecurity risk management compliance programs, working closely with facility- and executive-level management to isolate and define operating policies of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), National Cemetery Administration (NCA), and VA staff offices and vendors to identify critical systemic problems and develop appropriate solutions. Supervise cybersecurity risk management activities which are designed to improve VA's overall cybersecurity risk management policies and procedure Develop, design, and execute of strategic initiatives to meet Federal regulatory requirement and emerging technologies, as required by the Office of Management and Budget (0MB) based on guidance formulated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Facilitate innovative application of best practices and cybersecurity risk management methods. Prepare trends analysis to reflect shifts in IT security priorities. Supervise and keep abreast of all emerging compliance issues and policies and socialize with their team. Supervise, monitor and report compliance to VA policies, procedures, and processes at designated VA and non-VA facilities. Supervise the monitoring of compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations at designated VA and non-VA facilities and VA-wide programs. Develop assessment strategies ensuring they are sound and accurate. Supervise the implementation of new project reviews in accordance with the latest VA requirements. Assist managers and technical specialists in identifying business areas with potential for significant cybersecurity improvement. Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned Work Schedule: Monday through Friday (8:00am to 4:30pm and/or 7:30am to 4:00pm) Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Supervisory It Specialist (Infosec)/PD17198A

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/08/2026. Applicants must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below at a proficiency level equivalent to the next lower grade level in federal service You must meet both the Basic Requirement and the Specialized Experience to qualify for this series as described below. Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services. Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately. Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. AND Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-13 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as Experience developing, maintaining, and administering complex enterprise information security programs where solutions are not off-the-shelf, requiring interpretation of federal-wide laws, policies, and standards. Demonstrated experience applying and interpreting NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF) guidance, including leading or overseeing Assessment & Authorization (A&A) activities. Experience leading or contributing to enterprise cybersecurity compliance programs, including Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) capabilities. Experience monitoring enterprise cybersecurity posture through metrics, trends analysis, compliance assessments, and reporting to senior leadership. Experience modernizing, sustaining, or overseeing an enterprise Cybersecurity Continuous Monitoring (CCM) program, including automation, integration of risk data, and optimization of monitoring capabilities. Experience overseeing, selecting, implementing, or optimizing enterprise cybersecurity risk management tools (e.g., GRC platforms, vulnerability management systems, dashboards, RMF automation tools). Experience developing strategic roadmaps or modernization plans to improve continuous monitoring, technology adoption, or enterprise cyber risk visibility. AND-Selective Placement Factor: Do you have experience MINIMUM EXPERIENCE: 3-5 years or more of hands-on network, application and security experience. This qualification is essential for successful performance in the position and is required for applicants to be considered. Main Quality Ranking Factor (verbatim from the position description): Mastery knowledge of contemporary information technology including hardware, software, communications, networking, data management and administration, higher order computer languages, and expert knowledge of information security and VA's Information Security Program. Mastery knowledge of regulations, federal-wide laws, policies and standards related to CFO and CIO programs generally, and to information security, in particular. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing, to express thoughts clearly, and to develop ideas in a logical sequence. Explain the purpose, scope, method, and results of projects and studies to both technical and non- technical audiences. Ability to be persuasive and diplomatic in making presentations. 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/. Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume 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 sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. 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. This occupation is being considered for a Veterans Health Administration enterprise-wide Critical Skills Incentive (CSI). Candidates may be eligible for a lump sum CSI. The amount of lump sum CSI is determined based on appointment date and may be pro-rated as determined by the end date of the CSI. Eligible candidates will be required to sign a service agreement agreeing to an obligated service period and failure to complete the obligated service period may result in a debt for the unearned portion of the CSI. This occupation is currently approved for a Veterans Health Administration enterprise-wide Critical Skills Incentive through [insert date]. Candidates may be eligible for a lump sum CSI for a pro-rated amount if onboard prior to the CSI expiration date. Eligible candidates will be required to sign a service agreement agreeing to an obligated service period and failure to complete the obligated service period may result in a debt for the unearned portion of the CSI. Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. As 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.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online questionnaire and submission of the required documentation specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13047076. The application process is as follows: To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date, 09/08/2026. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. NOTE: Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_Assessments To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.