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Program Support Assistant

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Member Services, Health Eligibility Center (HEC), Enrollment Eligibility Division (EED)

Summary

This position provides first level administrative enrollment support services in the Health Eligibility Center's (HEC) Enrollment Eligibility Division (EED). VA Health Eligibility Center is VHA's authoritative source for enrollment and eligibility activities that support the delivery of VA health care benefits and is responsible for ensuring the integrity of VA's enrollment system.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/07/2026 to 04/14/2026
Salary
$43,078 - $56,001 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Smyrna, GA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy. (Ad hoc only)
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
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
CBZY-12927213-26-LMP
Control number
864177100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) VA-010, in-accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3304(a)(3) and 5 CFR 337.205(b)(1)-(4). ***Consideration will be given to the first 75 applicants. Any applications received after the initial cut-off is met will not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management.***

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Duties

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Duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Enters all data into the National Enrollment System based upon a Veteran's submission of application for benefits.
  • Processes requests to update Veterans' demographic, military and financial, eligibility and enrollment information by entering the information into the HEC database and transmits updates to Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities involved in the veteran's care.
  • Reviews eligibility documents such as DD-214s and enters information into Enrollment System correctly.
  • Assists Veterans in obtaining appropriate documentation needed to determine eligibility for medical care.
  • Assists in the investigating problems or situations related to eligibility that may require special attention.
  • Maintains basic knowledge of various VA directives, HEC policies and publications pertinent to eligibility.
  • Escalates complex cases using the appropriate disposition code for review by a Legal Administrative Specialist (LAS).
  • Applies rules and regulations relative to veteran's eligibility for VA health care benefits.
  • Answers incoming calls and initiates outbound calls to Veterans, agency staff and other outside sources.
  • Prepares and types letters, reports, tabulated data, memoranda, etc., in draft or final form from typed or handwritten draft and assists in compiling and maintaining data for a variety of reports.
  • Responsible for files maintenance, scanning and packaging of documents.
  • Sorts and distributes messages and incoming and outgoing mail for the Division, recording the receipt, suspense and completion dates as appropriate.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, 8 hour shift between 6:45am - 7:15pm.
Remote: This position is not authorized for Remote work.
Telework: This position may be authorized for Telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. (ad hoc only)
Virtual: This position is not authorized for Virtual Work.
Definition of Virtual work: Employee works outside of original hiring duty station at a VA-owned or leased space.
Return to Office (RTO): RTO exemptions will be considered and a determination will be made as part of the selection and onboarding process.
Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/PD03444A
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.
  • 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 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 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, 04/14/2026.

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-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
1) Performing data entry in a computer database.
2) Researching and applying federal regulations, directives, policies and procedures.
3) Responding to phone and written inquiries from customers at all levels.
4) Utilizing clerical software programs to complete administrative duties (i.e. Microsoft office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams).
5) Applying the Privacy Act and Freedom of Information Act when providing information verbally and in writing.

OR,

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have four years of education above the high school level obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university.

OR,

Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond two years. 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

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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.

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
  • Cartography
  • Computer Skills
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


USA Hire Assessments include 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.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) VA-010, in-accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3304(a)(3) and 5 CFR 337.205(b)(1)-(4).

Agency contact information

VHA National Recruitment Center
Phone
(844)456-5208
Email
VHANationalRecruitmentCenter@va.gov
Address
VHA Central Office - Member Services
3401 SW 21st St Bldg 9
Topeka, KS 66604
US

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https://www.va.gov/jobs/

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