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Program Support Assistant (OA)

Department of Health and Human Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
988 & Behavioral Health Crisis Coordination Office

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland.


This announcement will close at 11:59 PM, on the day that 100 applications have been received or on the closing date, whichever is first.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted this week · Apply by 07/13/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 13, 2026
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
FEW vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$57,736 - $83,119 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 8
Promotion potential
9
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
HHS-SAMHSA-MP-26-12985544
Control number
874910800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Federal career or career conditional employees in the competitive service; displaced Federal employees with CTAP or ICTAP eligibility; Military Spouses; individuals eligible for VEOA or VRA appointments; 30% disabled veterans; foreign service employees; national service (Peace Corps/VISTA); USPHS officers and officer candidates; certain former overseas employees; former employees with reinstatement eligibility; Individuals eligible under a special authority and individuals with disabilities.

Duties

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WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING DAY TO DAY

As a Program Support Assistant (OA), you will use your knowledge and experience to optimize business results and customer experience by:

  • Coordinating administrative operations, managing inquiries, and partnering with internal offices to support program activities and organizational policies.
  • Preparing executive correspondence, reports, and documents with accuracy, compliance, and timely completion.
  • Managing executive calendars, meetings, travel, and briefing materials while using tracking systems and office tools to monitor projects.
  • Performing a wide variety of program support tasks, including purchasing supplies, tracking funding and expenditures, ensuring prompt payments, and providing staff with updated administrative guidance and office procedures.
  • Receiving and reviewing correspondence related to meetings, draft responses not requiring supervisory attention, and preparing and signing general information communications regarding schedules and meetings.
  • Performing program support tasks such as purchasing and expenditure tracking; and maintaining databases, reports, and project milestone tracking systems.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required
  • Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service - http://www.sss.gov
  • Suitable for federal employment
  • Meet time in grade restrictions by the closing date of the announcement
  • Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. All information concerning qualifications is subject to investigation.
  • Documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System.
  • All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.
  • All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date.
  • Probationary (or trial) period may be required.

Qualifications

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR


GS-07 Minimum Qualifications: You must have one year of specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following:

  • Coordinating administrative operations, managing inquiries, and partnering with internal offices to support program activities and organizational policies;
  • Preparing executive correspondence, reports, and documents with accuracy, compliance, and timely completion; and
  • Managing executive calendars, meetings, travel, and briefing materials while using tracking systems and office tools to monitor projects.


GS-08 Minimum Qualifications: You must have one year of specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following:
  • Providing administrative and operational support to leadership through program coordination, stakeholder communication, and interoffice collaboration;
  • Managing correspondence management activities, including preparing official communications, tracking assignments, and ensuring compliance with organizational procedures and deadlines; and
  • Planning and coordinating meetings, events, and travel while using databases and reporting systems to track program data.

In addition to meeting the specialized experience above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirement listed below:

QUALIFIED TYPIST (All Grades):
This position requires a qualified typist with a minimum typing speed of 40 words per minute.


Documenting experience: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational application questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

In accordance with Office of Personnel Management policy, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable, however, when documented by satisfactory evidence, such as a signed memorandum from the employee's supervisor or an SF-50 or SF-52 documenting an official detail or other official assignment. The documentation must indicate whether the duties were performed full time or, if part time, the "percentage of times" the other duties were performed. It is expected that this documentation is included in the employee's official personnel record. In order to receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your official position, you must provide a copy of the appropriate documentation of such experience as indicated above.

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; religious; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to gain employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience so it can be fully credited.

OPM Qualification General Policies Website

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon multiple factors, including funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives may require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives may include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc.

Bargaining Unit Position: Yes

Research position: No

Drug Screening Required: No

Applicants selected for this position will be subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug testing upon hiring.

Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans - https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/

Special Hiring Authorities for Military Spouses - https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/military-spouses/

People With Disabilities (Schedule A) - https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Individuals_with_Disabilities

Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP/ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an CTAP/ICTAP eligible see http://opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85.0 or above on the rating criteria for this position.

Reemployment Priority List (RPL): To receive selection priority for this position, individuals on the RPL must meet the qualification requirements, complete all required assessments and be rated as qualified. RPL candidates are ranked using Category Rating procedures.

Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

For Résumé Tips visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YX7o1PBoFk

For Application Tips visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqYkibnuiJU

For additional information about USAJOBS visit the Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/

In accordance with Executive Order 12564 of September 14, 1986, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is A Drug-Free Federal Workplace. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by Federal employees is inconsistent not only with the law-abiding behavior expected of all citizens, but also with the special trust placed in such employees as servants of the public.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this announcement. Evaluation will be based on your application materials (such as your resume and supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and the results of all required assessments.

Resume Requirement
Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages in length.

Minimum Qualification Question
As part of the application process, you must answer a minimum qualification question addressing whether you meet the Specialized Experience required for this position, as described in this announcement.
Your response must be supported by the experience documented in your resume. If your resume does not demonstrate the required Specialized Experience, you may be found not qualified.
Assessment Process

USA Hire Assessment
You are required to complete a USA Hire assessment for this position.

The USA Hire Assessments includes 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.

HR Resume Review
Human Resource (HR) Specialists will review your resume to determine whether you meet the required Specialized Experience.

Applicants who successfully pass all of the assessment(s) may be referred to the Hiring Manager for consideration.
You must complete all required steps in the process, including submitting an application and resume and participating in the assessments, to be considered for this position.
Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.


PHS Commissioned Corps (CC) Officers: PHS Commissioned Corps (CC) Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps may apply online to this announcement. Candidates will be referred as CC personnel and not as candidates for conversion to a permanent career or career-conditional appointment.

For Competitive Merit Promotion and Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) Applicants: The highest rated candidates will be referred to the hiring agency.

For Noncompetitive Applicants: All qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring agency.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
    • Accountability
    • Administration and Management
    • Attention to Detail
    • Customer Service
    • Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
    • Decision Making
    • Flexibility
    • Influencing/Negotiating
    • Integrity/Honesty
    • Interpersonal Skills
    • Learning
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Reasoning
    • Self-Management
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Teamwork
    • Written Communication
To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12985544

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Become a part of the Department that touches the lives of every American! At the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) you can give back to your community, state, and country by making a difference in the lives of Americans everywhere. It is the principal agency for protecting the health of citizens. Join HHS and help to make our world healthier, safer, and better for all Americans.

Agency contact information

HHS HELPDESK
Email
ASKOHR@hhs.gov
Address
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
5600 Fishers Ln
Rockville, MD 20857
US

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