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Program Support Assistant - Compensation and Pension

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration

Summary

The position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6), Charles George VA Medical Center, Asheville, NC (CGVAMC) in the Compensation and Pension Service. This position performs a wide variety of administrative and support tasks associated with maintaining the work of Compensation and Pension Service.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
01/29/2026 to 02/09/2026
Salary
$50,460 to - $65,599 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Asheville, NC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CBTA-12875093-26-KLL
Control number
855872900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current Asheville VAMC employees.

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Duties

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Work Schedule: 07:30 AM - 4:30 PM Monday-Friday
Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized.
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.

Duties:

The purpose of the work is to identify and procure data that allows Compensation and Pension leadership to assess the productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency of Compensation and Pension Service operations and to analyze and resolve problems in utilization, effectiveness and efficiency of the outpatient clinics, patient flow, and other vital areas of Compensation and Pension Service.

  • Provides data and makes recommendations to resolve conventional problems and situations in workflow, work distribution, clinic efficiency, patient flow, Performance Measures, and other areas of concern.
  • Identifies and procures data to support higher level information systems which reflect clinical practice and provider practice patterns; training and retraining Primary Care staff.
  • Provides direct program assistance to the Chief of Compensation and Pension. Compensation and Pension Service consists of Medical, Mental Health, and Audiology providers.
  • Responsible for development, organization, management and application of information systems pertaining to the operations of both C&P and Environmental Health (Special Registry) clinics.
  • Ensures collection of data for the clinical and administrative activities of Compensation and Pension Service.
  • Serves as the Environmental Health Coordinator (EHC) for the administrative aspects of the VA Registry Programs/Environmental Health Program (EH).
    • The administrative aspects of EHC includes but is not limited to: being the point of contact for veterans interested in Registry evaluations, disseminating educational information regarding Registry issues, evaluating if a veteran meets administrative criteria for inclusion in a Registry, educating and assisting veterans on the EH and Registry evaluation process, proper scheduling and coordination of Registry exams (to include the preparation and mailing of appointment letters), completing Registry Worksheets, updating applicable electronic records, tracking and sending follow-up letters, ensuring entry of the worksheet data to VA Web portal for Environmental Agent Service (EAS) Registry and proper disposition of examination records.
    • Ensures that timely follow up and scheduling as indicated is carried out, and that scheduling guidelines are met. Given the nature of environmental registry exams being one of flux, it is essential that the incumbent continually review SOPs/guidance from Post Deployment Health Services (PDHS) to ensure clinic practices meet expectations.
  • Clerical duties include: answering telephone calls, contacting veterans via telephone to schedule C&P evaluation appointments, making changes to scheduled appointments as needed, preparing reminder letters for scheduled C&P for mailing, preparing notification letters of scheduled C&P appointments for mailing to veterans without accurate telephone contact information, tracking notification letters, inputting veteran check-in/check-out in C&P department, arranging volunteer transport within the Medical Center as needed, assisting providers in securing ancillary testing for veterans within and outside of the VA system as required, sending and receiving fax transmissions, and
    mailing test results to veterans as needed at the direction of providers.
  • Provides data to the Service Chief to support statistical analyses of current clinical operations and clinic practice patterns. The data supports the ongoing efforts of the service Chief to proactively identify opportunities to maximize clinic efficiency.
  • Assures front line contact with patients and staff by setting the tone for perception concerning quality of C&P services at the VA.
  • A caring, compassionate and sensitive manner is essential when explaining VA disability claims procedures and determinations to veterans and their family members both in person and on the phone.
  • Must screen/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determine the nature of requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • 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.
  • 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 dentification 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/09/2026.

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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. 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-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Applicants who have the 1 year of appropriate specialized experience, as indicated in the table, are not required by this standard to have general experience, education above the high school level, or any additional specialized experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements.
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/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

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.

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.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

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