About this role
Job SummaryThe incumbent serves as a Program Support Assistant to the Chief Surgical Service in providing administration, clerical needs, and coordination of administrative needs for service personnel. The incumbent provides clerical and administrative support needs for the service, which has training patient care, research programs and an outpatient clinic, all of which require coordination and/or oversight by the Chief Surgical Service.
QualificationsTo qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/31/2026. 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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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 and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: providing administrative and clerical support to a multi-disciplinary team in support of the mission of the organization, strong ability to work independently to organize and prioritize duties and responsibilities, and manage and analyze various spreadsheets, queries and reports for statistical data. 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 DutiesMajor duties include but not limited to: The incumbent serves as an extension of the service Chief and is a first-echelon point of contact to resolve all administrative issues and problems, etc. Responsible for coordinating administrative duties for the subsections in an effort to guarantee the primary goal of optimally delivering high quality health care to the veterans. Expertise in broad administrative levels required to assist in meeting the needs of the service's long range planning. Maintains service Chief's daily calendar, makes appointments and arranges conferences and meetings without specific prior approval based on knowledge of Chief's schedule. Keeps service Chief's informed of meetings appointments and other commitments, assembles required files and information for meetings. Screens service Chief's visitors and calls. Answers questions and completes business involving established policy on routine matters. Places local, long distance calls for the service Chief. Screens all correspondence for the service Chief. The incumbent must have a high degree of analytical ability and clinical knowledge, including data collection from the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). Coordinates administrative details and activities for the service Chief as well as section Chief's and others as needed. Establishes and maintains liaison with professional and administrative personnel in all services of the medical center, appropriate personnel in the VISN, VACO and other VAMS's. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday Through Friday 7:30 am- 4:00pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/PD03681A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized 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.