About this role
Job SummaryThe position is located under the Veterans Transportation Service at the Gulf Coast VA Health Care System. Attention to detail and strong customer service are mandatory duties for this position. The Beneficiary Travel Program provides transportation at Government expense to beneficiaries and their attendants traveling to and from VA facilities and other places for the purpose of examination, treatment, or care. Serves as the primary contact to Veterans & vendors for patient transportation needs.
QualificationsTo qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/28/2026. 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 by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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 the most recent SF-50 has an effective date 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 time-in-grade. Note: 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. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have at least at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-05) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Transportation Assistant. Qualifying specialized experience includes applying transportation regulations and practices to perform a wide variety of administrative support; coordinating travel arrangements; maintaining records, utilizing databases, reconciling records and generating reports; investigating/resolvingissues and taking corrective actions; and communicating effectively with a wide variety of individuals. 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/.
Major DutiesDuties: - Performs work involving consult management, appointment scheduling and admissions scheduling. - Arranges all modes of transportation via air ambulance, commercial air, taxi, ambulance, bus, and/or contracted transportation services. - Independently manages the Travel Program. - Authorizes obligations and requests for additions, deductions, and/or movement of funds. - Maintains manual and electronic accounting records. - Determines appropriate fund control points to utilize and enters authorizations. - Receives invoices for payment of transportation services; investigates authorizations, orders, and/or utilizes computer systems - Secures reservations and tickets from carriers. - Prepares appropriate documentation and/ or scheduling for traveler according to government rates or substantial rates. - Collects, compiles, and tracks data in support of the beneficiary travel program. - Performs analysis of data and generates a variety of reports. - Prepares detailed reports of funds deposited and withdrawn monthly and on demand as needed. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday through Friday, 8:00AM - 4:30PM. Tour of duty to be determined by supervisor, based upon the needs of the facility. Telework: This position is not authorized for telework. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Transportation Assistant/PD03558A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not AuthorizedRequirementsYou 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. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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.