Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current, permanent, federal, employees of James H. Quillen VA Medical Center and CBOCs aligned under Duty Station #621.

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Duties:

The Voluntary Services Assistant serves as the Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE)/Voluntary Service Assistant of the facility's CDCE/Voluntary Service office. They will be reporting directly to the CDCE/Voluntary Service Officer/Chief. Due to the cross-cutting nature of this office, the incumbent shows a general understanding of the federal government, VA, and each of its Administrations, with a primary focus on VHA. The incumbent is responsible for providing CDCE/Voluntary Service program management and overall program operations support.
Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Providing support to the facility's CDCE/Voluntary Service operations as the first point of contact for potential volunteers, patients, visitors, service organizations, corporate and community leaders, donors, and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Exhibiting a high degree of tact, diplomacy, and courtesy with every interpersonal interaction daily.
• Communicating and coordinating on behalf of the CDCE/Voluntary Service Officer with services across the health care system, agency representatives (including VHA, VBA, and NCA), and community officials regarding programs, events, and activities.
• Maintaining many physical and/or electronic records for reports due monthly, quarterly, annually, and ad hoc.
• Serving as the primary timekeeper for all CDCE/Voluntary Service employees.
• Assisting the CDCE/Voluntary Service Officer in position management to project staffing needs, entering actions by Human Resources and employment decisions into HR Smart, USA Staffing, and any other relevant position management portals as determined by local, VISN, or national protocols.
• Responsible for clerical functions associated with the CDCE/Voluntary Service program management.
• Collaborating with CDCE/Voluntary Service Officer to complete equipment inventory surveys and ensures proper documentation of equipment assigned to the CDCE/Voluntary Service department.
• Receiving, processing, and tracking gifts and donations including accurate entry into the Voluntary Service System or subsequent electronic donation database programs.
• Coordinating requests and purchases of office operating supplies, generates reports from automated information systems, and completes other administrative tasks essential to the effective and efficient operation of the CDCE/Voluntary Service Office.
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday. Schedule determined by facility. Weekends may be required on occasion.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Voluntary Services Assistant/PD99769S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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, 02/27/2026.

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 described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: orders and maintains necessary level of needed forms and office supplies; maintenance of office records and files; Compiles data for reporting purposes; experience inputting data into a computerized database; experience recording and managing physical items such as donation; and utilizing interpersonal communication skills which foster effective working relationships. OR,

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Clerical
• Computer Skills
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Manages Resources

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: Work is moderately sedentary, although considerably variable. It requires a fair amount of standing, sometimes for long periods, walking, climbing stairs, and bending. Work may require some heavy to moderate lifting, transporting of materials, equipment and supplies for special events and other programs. Due to the diverse nature and scope of the work, it may require occasionally working in extreme temperatures (hot or cold). Driving or riding in a vehicle is also required on a routine basis to provide coverage, trainings, or other support at off-site clinics; attend outside community meetings; and support special events. Travel may also occur in support of outreach events and conferences. The incumbent must attend lengthy meetings both during and after regular scheduled work hours. Travel to other medical center facilities is often necessary. Work is primarily in a hospital setting involving possible exposure to contagious disease. The regular and recurring work environment involves everyday risks and discomforts requiring normal safety precautions typical of an office and a hospital. The CDCE/Voluntary Service office is a very busy environment with constant traffic from visitors, volunteers, etc. on a daily basis. Some duties may be performed off medical center property at other community locations or outpatient satellite clinics. Some travel may be required within and beyond the local community on some evenings or weekends.

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/.

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.

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.