Cemetery Administration Specialist

Summary

This position is located at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Duties

The Cemetery Administration Specialist, will monitor committal services for compliance with the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) standards pertaining to the mission to "honor Veterans and their families with final resting places in National Shrines and with lasting tributes that commemorate their service and sacrifices to our Nation." The Cemetery Administration Specialist represents the cemetery and the entire NCA at committal services at the National Cemetery and at outreach events, answering questions and providing information to Veterans regarding memorial benefits. The representative is also versed in providing information to eligible family members of Veterans regarding any memorial benefits they may be eligible to receive. The Cemetery Administration Specialist performs a wide variety of administrative duties in support of cemetery operations. The specific focus is on working together with the Administrative Officer and/or Cemetery Administrator in planning and administering cemetery operations. Additional duties include, but are not limited to, investigation and determination of eligibility for interment activities; performing clerical, office automation, and typing duties in support of administrative and interment activities; utilizing computer software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams; ensuring required reports are completed accurately and timely; and serving as the clearing point for issues such as congressional or other inquiries regarding burial eligibility, continuation of reserved gravesites, determination of eligibility of widows, widowers, and children of eligible service members and decedents interred in the cemetery, remarried spouse interment requests, family requests for burial with parents, children, or siblings, and discrepancies involving names, service numbers, dates of service, rank, organization, or other identifying information. Performs other duties as assigned. Interment Scheduling and Coordination Receives and processes requests for interment, inurnment, and memorial services. Reviews burial requests to ensure eligibility documentation is complete, funeral honors are scheduled, and all required statutory documents are on file before interment. Ensures disinterment requests and exceptions to interment policy comply with state law and federal policy. Coordinates approved disinterments and exceptions with funeral homes, families, vault companies, and ceremony personnel to support operations. Determines funeral routes for processions based on cemetery operations and conditions. Maintains coordination with funeral directors, clergy, honor guards, and other personnel, ensuring seamless execution of ceremonies. Schedules committal services and coordinates burial operations with grounds and maintenance staff. Provides clear instructions to funeral directors and family members regarding required documentation and procedures. Provides expert guidance and corrective actions for non-standard events. Ensure all scheduling actions comply with established policies and timelines. Customer Service and Family Assistance Provides compassionate, professional assistance to grieving families and funeral home representatives. Explains burial benefits, cemetery policies, and available services. Responds to inquiries in person, by phone, and electronically, ensuring sensitivity and accuracy. Conducts cemetery tours and receives pre-need and flag applications. Performs other duties as assigned. Performs public outreach as needed. Work schedule: Required to work Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm. Due to the mission of the National Cemetery, the cemetery cannot be closed for more than 2 consecutive days at any given time. Additionally, when a Federal holiday falls on a Monday or Friday, staff may be required to work on that holiday or a Saturday. All staff is required to work Memorial Day and Veteran's Day each year. Staff will be required to work overtime, weekends, and holidays when necessary to meet the needs of the cemetery. Occasionally staff may be called back to the facility to perform emergency overtime work. Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available Telework: Not Available Remote/Virtual: This is not a virtual or remote position. Position Description Title/PD#: Cemetery Administration Specialist / PD137070 The full performance level of this position is GS-07. Relocation Expenses: Not authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required If interested in applying for this position you may preview the online application: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13103598 Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all specialized experience and time in grade requirements within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement, 11/12/2026. 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 within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05 grade level. 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 your most recent non-award SF-50 has an effective 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 tine-in-grade. 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. Must have the ability to type at least 40 words per minute. Must possess and maintain a valid REAL ID compliant state driver's license. You may qualify based on your education and/or experience, as described below: To Qualify for the GS-07 Grade Level Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level (GS-05) or equivalent. Specialized experience includes experience such as, but not limited to: gathering data, coordinating meetings, establishing and maintaining an efficient filing system, using computer software (i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, etc.) to generate a variety of reports, meeting internal and external customer needs and establishing priorities and meeting deadlines, serving as the clearing point for issues or problems that arise, skill in communicating with the public under stressful situations, and handling conflicts and problems with customers constructively and appropriately. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for specialized experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successful completion of 1 full year of graduate level education from an accredited college or university. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work; OR a Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): SAA is defined as (1) cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher our of a possible 4.0 for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last 2 years of undergraduate study; (2) GPA of 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years; (3) Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision or (4) Membership in a national honor society (other than freshmen honor societies). OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond 4 years of undergraduate level education earned). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Critical Thinking Self Management Customer Service Communication Writing 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; religions; 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: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is conducted outdoors in all weather conditions to include severe heat and cold. It involves walking, standing for long periods and carrying 23-35 pounds. Incumbent will be required to drive a government sedan, minivan, SUVs and/or pickup and must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license. Approximately one half of the work is performed in an outdoor setting; approximately on half of the work is performed in an office setting. 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. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment. Other Information

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.