Program Analyst, Sr — Salem VAMC

Job Summary:

Aptive Resources is seeking a Senior Program Analyst to support a time-sensitive research service infrastructure rebuild for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Research and Development (ORD), Salem VA Medical Center (VAMC) Research Service, under the Field Enterprise Research Support Services (FERSS) contract.

The Salem VAMC Research Service is undertaking a comprehensive foundation rebuild to address prolonged leadership gaps, misaligned staff duties, outdated workflows, fragmented processes, and compliance risks. This role will provide administrative and programmatic support to the Research Oversight Committee to ensure effective coordination and documentation, and will serve as administrative and subject-matter support in developing and maintaining Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), standard work documents, and guidance materials needed to stabilize and strengthen core research operations.

The successful candidate will operate with a high degree of independence and sound judgment, producing compliance-aligned documentation in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment, and coordinating across multiple stakeholders to keep restoration efforts on schedule.

This is a full-time (40 hours/week) position. This role can be remote; however, the client has a preference for candidates based in the Roanoke, VA or Salem, VA area to work onsite, and a hybrid arrangement may also be considered.

• Provide administrative and programmatic support to the Research Oversight Committee, including scheduling, agenda development, documentation, and follow-up on action items to ensure effective coordination.
• Lead and support the development, drafting, and maintenance of SOPs, standard work documents, and guidance materials aligned with compliance requirements and organizational priorities.
• Review existing workflows and processes to identify gaps, misaligned duties, and outdated procedures, and support development of updated, compliance-aligned documentation.
• Coordinate with Research Service leadership, committee members, and other stakeholders to gather input, validate content, and ensure documentation reflects current operational needs.
• Track and report progress on SOP development and Research Oversight Committee action items, escalating risks and delays as needed.
• Support broader Research Service stabilization efforts, including identifying workflow inefficiencies and process improvement opportunities.
• Maintain accurate records and documentation to support audit readiness and compliance reviews.
• Exercise discretion and independent judgment in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with minimal oversight.

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, health administration, public health, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience supporting program analysis, program operations, research administration, or administrative coordination in a complex organization.
• Demonstrated experience developing or maintaining SOPs, standard work documents, or guidance/process documentation.
• Experience supporting committees, governance bodies, or leadership-level coordination activities, including scheduling, documentation, and action item tracking.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment in ambiguous or fast-changing environments with minimal oversight.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex operational needs into clear, usable documentation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and SharePoint.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a public trust clearance.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States.

• Experience supporting VA, VHA, ORD, or federal healthcare research environments.
• Experience supporting research compliance, regulatory, or audit-readiness activities.
• Experience supporting organizational rebuild, stabilization, or change management efforts.
• Familiarity with research service operations, workflows, or governance structures.
• Experience working directly with committees or oversight bodies in a healthcare or federal setting.
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills under time pressure.