Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results
 

Secretary (OA)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (CTVHCS)

Summary

Provides administrative support to the Office of the Associate Director for Patient Care Services (ADPCS) at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX. The position serves as principle clerical and administrative support position to the ADPCS and carries out and coordinates all clerical and day-to-day administrative support activities which are typically required to accomplish the work and objectives of the office.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/12/2026 to 03/17/2026
Salary
$55,882 to - $72,644 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 8
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Temple, TX
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
8
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CAZM-12907851-26-CG
Control number
860866900

Videos

Duties

Help

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Establishes and maintains logs showing the status of actions and correspondence.
  • Ensures that files include all required documents and all documents are properly signed.
  • Responds to routine and non-technical requests for information such as status of reports, suspense dates for matters requiring compliance and similar information readily available from files.
  • Receives incoming correspondence, screening material prior to distribution for suspense dates, establishing controls and following up with appropriate administrative staff as needed. Reviews correspondence prepared for the Office of Associate Director for Patient Care Services and prepares same, checking for spelling, typographical errors, and conformance to established VA and CTVHCS formats and procedural requirements.
  • Performs a variety of administrative support duties, such as making extensive travel arrangements; making complete arrangements for large conferences; composing complex and technical correspondence, locating and assembling information for various reports, briefings, and conferences; following up with staff members to ensure various commitments made at conferences and meetings are met; assembling and coordinating narrative and tabular material, etc. A qualified typist is required.
  • Performs primary timekeeper duties for the Office of the Associate Director for Patient Care Services and those individuals reporting directly to the Director and Associate Directors, that include posting of time, monitoring leave balances, ensuring exceptions are cleared and timecards are completed and signed in a timely manner. Enters overtime and/or compensatory time requests as appropriate and prepares memorandums as needed regarding tour of duty changes, etc. Prepares pay period exception reports for the T&Ls assigned to the Office of the Associate Director for Patient Care Services for each pay period. Frequently checks prior and current pay period exceptions ensuring they are cleared. Establishes suspense dates for exceptions with the appropriate supervisor. Updates timekeeping delegation of authority as required.
  • Manages the calendar of the Associate Director for Patient Care Services and the Staff Assistant to the Associate Director for Patient Care Services. Makes appointments based on personal knowledge of the schedule and commitments of the Office of the Associate Director for Patient Care Services. Reschedules and rearranges appointments as independently needed. This always involves multiple service chiefs and multiple logistical problems, requiring the incumbent to exercise initiative and creativity to accomplish. Exercises good judgment in rearranging calendar and meetings.
  • Schedules appointments and makes arrangements for time, participants, and location of meetings in accordance with instructions. Makes necessary arrangements for broadcasting through CCTV or V-tel, travel, schedules of visits, reservations, notifying organizations and officials to be visited, and submitting travel vouchers and reports.
  • Receives visitors and telephone calls to the Office, determines the nature of requests and directs callers to appropriate staff. Screens callers as appropriate. Provides the information desired when routine or procedural matters are involved.
  • Serves as patient representative and demonstrates creativity and initiative in resolving consumer problems expeditiously to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction. Shares these experiences and interacts with team members to ensure maximum dissemination of information. Refers irresolvable problems (with proposed alternative solutions) to his/her immediate supervisor in a timely manner.
  • Requests, records, and reports all training received by the AD staff. These duties include: preparing request for funds for registration fees and travel expenses, administrative leave, and vouchers for reimbursement; and preparing training reports for inclusion in the employee's Official Personnel File.
  • Responsible for arranging official travel for the AD. Prepares travel requests, arranges travel itineraries, modes of transportation and computes the estimated cost of travel and per diem.
Work Schedule: 0730-1600 OR 0800-1630, Monday- Friday
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD032440
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Help

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, 03/17/2026.

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-8 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Prepares a wide variety of recurring and nonrecurring personal and executive reports and other documents from information obtained from staff, files, and other sources; Enters overtime and/or compensatory time requests as appropriate and prepares memorandums as needed regarding tour of duty changes, etc.; Frequently checks prior and current pay period exceptions ensuring they are cleared; Reviews and processes incoming and outgoing correspondence, reports, and other materials submitted for the ADPCS signature; Receives and screens directives directed to the ADPCS and brings to the supervisor's attention those elements affecting the ADPCS' areas of responsibilities; Uses multiple office automation software with varied functions to produce a wide range of documents that often require complex formats, such as graphics or tables within text, editing and reformatting electronic drafts, and updating or revising existing databases or spreadsheets.
  • In addition to meeting the experience requirements, you must be able to type at least 40 words per minute.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  1. Manages and Organizes Information
  2. Interpersonal Effectiveness
  3. Clerical
  4. Attention to Detail
  5. 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. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

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.

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.

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.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

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

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

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


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.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.