Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (including the facility where this vacancy is located) including VA Title 38, Title 38 Hybrid, and Canteen employees serving on excepted appointments covered by the interchange agreement.

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The incumbent becomes a member of high level secretaries assigned to the Associate Director, Associate Director Patient Care Services, Chief of Staff; and Director's offices. The Secretary (OA) actively participates in the management of the Associate Director and Assistant Director Offices by performing various technical and administrative duties. The incumbent will normally work at one of the locations for the two divisions, but is required to work at the other location as necessary. The core duties of this position include but are not limited to:

• Serves as the initial point of contact for high-level visitors and callers to the Associate and Assistant Director.
• Establishes the nature and importance of contact.
• Reminds the Associate Director and Assistant Director of appointments and briefs them on the important matters to be discussed.
• Establishes priorities to ensure deliverable dates are met.
• Maintains tracking records of controlled correspondence, setting appropriate due dates and assignments; monitors responses for timeliness.
• Consistently adheres to ADP Security Policy/Procedures, maintaining confidentiality of staff and patient matters.
• Maintains supervisors meeting calendar; schedules meetings using Outlook calendar and notifies participants; assembles meeting information for supervisor. Uses judgment and initiative to cancel/reschedule meetings when scheduling conflicts arise.
• Maintains suspense systems to ensure items assigned for action are completed and submitted on time.
• Works effectively under the pressure of deadlines and with frequent interruptions.
• Arranges travel for supervisor including reservations, car, and notifying organizations/officials to be visited. Assembles documents for meetings included in the travel.
• 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.
• Considered an expert in his/her field, and will provide direction, leadership, and assistance to other clerical personnel, including administrative service chief secretaries.
• Possess the ability to train and instruct other individuals in the latest office management techniques.
• Responsible for receiving correspondence via electronic mail on Outlook.
• Must be proficient in the use of Outlook as well as other various electronic systems ( Vista, CPRS, etc).
• Must be proficient in word processing skills ( MS Word, Excel, Publisher, Powerpoint, etc).
• Responsible for providing pertinent background information and maintaining suspense files for timely response.
• Prepares numerous medical center memoranda and presents these in final form, establishes suspense files noting dates forwarded to various services for concurrence, as well as date forwarded to Medical Center Director for approval.
• Tracks all VISN tracking system reports and requests for information assigned to all services under the Associate Director's and Assistant Director's Offices.
• Primary timekeeper for the Associate Director's and Assistant Director's office and alternate timekeeper for the Office of the Director.
• Notifies personnel when performance appraisals or position descriptions are due for revision and/or update.
• Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy.
• 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)/PD300071 and PD30076
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 identification 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, 06/12/2026.

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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6.
• For a GS-8 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7.

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

GS-7 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 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.

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.

Typing Proficiency: A minimum typing speed of 40 words per minute is required. Applicants must either submit evidence of typing proficiency or self-certify by written statement their ability to type 40 wpm.

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 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.