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Secretary (OA)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
John D. Dingel VA Medical Center

Summary

The secretary as the principal executive office assistant and confidential secretary assigned Executive Leader (Associate Director, Chief of Staff, Associate Director for Patient Care Services, Assistant Director) at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center. This positions serves acts as office manager/secretary in the Executive Suite, coordinates & directs the flow of administrative work through the office.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
02/17/2026 to 02/25/2026
Salary
$50,087 to - $72,358 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6 - 7
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Detroit, MI
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—Ad Hoc telework may be authorized by the supervisor per agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
7
Job family (Series)
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
CBSR-12883768-26-LLL
Control number
857903600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to Status Eligible Candidates (Current, Permanent Federal Civilian Employee; Reinstatement Eligible; Veterans' Employment Opportunities Action of 1998; Veterans Recruitment Appointment; 30% or More Disabled Veteran; Persons with Disabilities; Military Spouse under EO 13473); and CTAP/ICTAP eligibles. Current Permanent John D. Dingell VA Medical Center Employees will receive first consideration (most recent SF50 required).

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Duties

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Major duties include:

  • Maintains Executive's monthly calendar and daily schedule; arranges meetings/conferences
  • Routinely composes non-technical correspondence, such as minutes. office procedures, policies, requests for Information concerning the organization's programs, letters of acknowledgement, commendation, or notification.
  • Prepares a wide variety of recurring and non-recurring personal and executive correspondence, reports, and other documents from Information obtained from staff, files, and other sources.
  • Tracks and ensures completion of Executive's action items and prepares daily signing folder for Executive's.
  • Uses word processing software to create, copy, edits, store, retrieve and print forms, memos, letters; uses database and spreadsheet software to create, enter, revise, sort, or calculate, and retrieve data reports; and uses graphic software to provide graphs and chart for reports and presentations.
  • Uses multiple office automation software with varied functions to produce a wide range of documents that often require complex fonts, such as graphics or tables within text, editing and reformatting electronic drafts and updating or revising existing databases or spreadsheets.
  • Independently plans and performs complex office automation duties requiring different approaches and methods from one assignment to another, such as using different packages to edit lengthy and complicated reports; collect, select, organize, and provide information; track status of a number of projects assigned to the organization; and resolve incompatibility problems in transferring text from one software package to another when menu options and specific software instructions are not available.
  • Prepares a variety of documents in final format for various signature levels
  • Takes and transcribes dictation from the assigned Executive. Proofreads/edits correspondence and documents for correct grammar and format.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8am-4:30pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Telework: AD-HOC may be authorized per Agency policy (Employees who telework on an occasional, episodic, or short-term basis, and have completed required telework training and telework agreement.)
Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD94211-A and PD94212-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • 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 or trial 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, 02/25/2026.

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-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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 one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Specialized experience is experience that includes but is not limited to: Technical knowledge of all hospital administrative principles, theories and practices. Skill in evaluating and recommending ways to improve the utilization of available resources and improve administrative management services. Skill and proficiency in the use and application of computer software and hardware and skill in the use of various office equipment. Communicate orally and in writing with a variety of individuals to obtain and provide information. Process routine administrative paperwork. Reviews and consolidate reports submitted by subordinate units and reviews all incoming and outgoing correspondence prepared by others for procedural and grammatical accuracy, conformance with general policy, and factual correctness. Comprehensive interpretive ability to document and summarize proceedings and conclusions at conferences and meetings. Knowledge of administrative regulations and operating procedures plus skill in applying techniques to evaluate clerical and administrative processes to advise staff in the various services. Maintains appointment calendar and schedules/coordinates meetings and conferences.
  • Typing Requirement: Applicants for this position must show possession of the (typing) proficiency requirement which is 40 words per minute typing speed.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Clerical
  • Computer Skills
  • Written Communication


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 sedentary. Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts; driving an automobile, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

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.



Additional information

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

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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.

VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

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.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Area of Consideration -
Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

  1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
  2. All other VA employees.
  3. Employees from other Federal Agencies
  4. Status Applicants
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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

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.

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