Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open to current and permanent Lexington VA employees only.

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The secretary serves as the principal administrative support for the Director, and is responsible for carrying out and coordinating all the clerical and daily administrative support activities of the office. Major duties include but are not limited to:

• Ensures service level timecards are posted accurately and timely.
• Reviews correspondence and documents prepared for signature by an executive team member to ensure compliance with regulations, rules of grammar, format guidelines, and special policies of an organization.
• Maintains tracking records of controlled correspondence, setting appropriate due dates and assignments; monitors responses for timeliness.
• Arranges travel to including preparing documents for the meeting, making reservations, and notifying organizations/officials to be visited for supervisors.
• Prepares agendas, minutes, and presentations for meetings as directed by the supervisor.
• Manages administrative support tasks such as timekeeping, ADPAC duties, work orders, supplies, etc.
• Responds to inquiries from staff and stakeholders with appropriate routing and/or feedback.
• Handles problems of procedural and general nature, tactfully referring calls and concerns to appropriate areas or resolving issues independently.
• Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions.
• Consistently communicates and treats internal and external customers in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner.
• Provides internal and external customers with consistent information according to established policies and procedures.
• Handles conflict and problems in dealing with customers constructively and appropriately.
• Maintains director's personal file of correspondence, investigations, information, effectiveness reports, and similar subjects, in adherence with records management guidance.
• Manages purchase order requests from director's control point fund, in compliance with established policies and regulations.
• Follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files containing sensitive data and protects data from unauthorized release.
• Establishes priorities to ensure deliverable dates are met.
• Maintains suspense systems to ensure items assigned for action are completed and submitted on time.
• Research information from a variety of sources including correspondence files, on-line agency documents, medical center services, etc. to present accurate summary information to supervisor.
• Coordinates information with internal services as well as external customers, such as UK, VISN, VACO, and Congressional offices.
• Utilizes modern techniques of automation and office management, to include word processing, telecommunications, data processing, electronic mail, etc.
• Sends and receives various types of correspondence, both written and electronic, including replies to Congressional inquiries, White House correspondence, VA Central Office referrals, letters from Veterans, visitors, vendors, etc.
• Correlates data into useful format using Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and other software applications.
• Creates spreadsheets with formulas and charts or graphs.
• Maintains director's Outlook calendar and schedules appointments.
• 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 7:30am-4:00pm
Telework-ADHOC: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD300710 and PD073930
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, 04/13/2026.

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.
• For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-8.

In addition to the Time-in-Grade requirement, applicants must have the specialized experience as described below.

GS-8 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing;
• Ability to prioritize duties in order of importance, need by using services, ensuring timeliness and accuracy;
• Knowledge and skill in use of computer hardware with the ability to load and operate various software applications, i.e., Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, etc., as well as the medical center system utilizing VISTA;
• Knowledge of grammar, spelling, capitalization and punctuation to transcribe material dictated accurately; and
• Knowledge of policies and procedures, as well as an understanding of hospital operations.

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 may require some physical effort such as standing, walking, bending, or sitting. May require moving and picking up of corrugated packing boxes containing files during purging and storing of records. The employee works in an office setting involving everyday risks or discomforts where normal safety precautions are required.

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.