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Program Support Assistant (OA)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Affairs Central California Healthcare System, Safety & Occupational Health Service

Summary

The Program Support Assistant (OA) will provide an elevated level of administrative and data support for the Safety & Occupational Health Service. The Program Support Assistant reports directly to the Chief of Safety.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$50,714 - $65,930 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
Yes
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
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
CBSW-13032837-26-MS
Control number
880298900

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Duties

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The Program Support Assistant performs a variety of administrative support duties. The following list includes some of the administrative duties performed:

  • Ensures briefings and correspondence are in the proper format in accordance to regulations.
  • Organizes and maintains filing systems.
  • Utilizes shared files on the network.
  • Schedules meetings, including securing locations, arranging for conference lines (such as VANTS lines etc.), notifying attendees, and scheduling appointments.
  • Tracks attendance of Safety and Health functions and records attendance in meeting minutes and if pertinent in the Learning Management System (LMS).
  • Works with LMS to support Safety and Health programs.
  • Aids in the filing and processing of submissions of findings, correction/remediation data and reporting associated with the environmental tour's programs.
  • Presents information in a summary report that may require graphical representations.
  • Maintains all Safety and Health program Fund Control Points (FCP) according to the Integrated Fund Control Point Activity, Accounting & Procurement (IFCAP) system, as required by Logistics Management Service, Fiscal Service and Consolidated Contracting Activity (CCA).
  • Supports functions in the execution of Fiscal Year End activities in financial management functions, provides tracking information and assists management and program managers in the budget preparation process.
  • Obtains requested items and procures such items.
  • Provides payments for permits and licenses related to enforcement agencies.
  • Communicates with the vendors for product information, billing, and reconciliation
  • Coordinates required funding with the COTR or program manager to enable prompt payments.
  • Inventories supplies, tracking product disposition and distribution of supplies.
  • Supports the safety and health division with office supply orders.
  • Maintains Service Contracts and will function as one of the Contracting Officer Representatives for the Safety Service.
  • Completes automated personnel actions in through automated system.
  • Coordinates VACCHCS updates of the personnel notification system to keep the database current.
  • Performs periodic inventories of the DECON supplies.
  • Prepares replies to general inquiries not requiring technical program knowledge.
  • Keeps suspense reports of and assures that all Service suspense items are met.
  • Serves as a key resource person for the front office.
  • Arranges and coordinates trainings.
  • Manages all work order requests and ensures building and maintenance issues are addressed.
  • Receives visitors and telephone calls and determines the nature of requests and directs callers to appropriate staff or personally provides the desired information.
  • Takes requests for appointments with supervisor and staff. Checks on individual availability and confirms appointment.
  • Arranges for transportation and lodging for visitors.
  • Prepares responses to letters/memoranda requiring the appropriate signature.
  • Inputs data and manages systems that consist of (but not limited to), family sick leave, training, timekeeping, travel, and personnel actions.
  • Receives, tracks and coordinates correspondence in both hard copy and by electronic mail. Screens literature prior to distribution and determines the organizational element to forward the material.
  • Distributes mail physically and electronically. Reviews mail and determines responsibility of action required.
  • Functions as the designated timekeeper and ADPAC for the service.
Program Support Duties:
  • Conducts workstation evaluations to identify specific problem areas.
  • Order, track, and distribute ergonomic equipment and a wide variety of Personal Protective Equipment.
  • Ensures waste is properly segregated, properly labeled in accordance with EPA and the State requirements.
  • Assists the Emergency Manager in planned and unplanned Emergency Management activities in the field and in the Hospital Command Center with the Planning Chief and Safety and Security Leaders.
  • Coordinates contingency telecommunication device testing.
  • Ensures that required action plans for preparation for various accreditation surveys are met and that survey preparation is documented properly. Coordinates and acts as liaison with Quality Management Service accreditation survey preparation.
  • Functions as the back-up Disaster Emergency Management Response System Coordinator.
  • Develops standard operating procedures for staff use.
  • Provides data or assists in the access of data needed by Safety Service staff, in order to compile reports and statistics, and comply with the Least Privilege Policy.
  • Performs other related duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 0800 to 1630
Telework: This position is not authorized for telework.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant (OA)/PD01805O

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 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, 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, 08/19/2026.

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. 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.

You may qualify based on your specialized experience as described below:

  • 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: Work consists of specialized duties with continuing responsibility for projects, questions, or problems that arise within an area of a program or functional specialty as defined by management. Work assignments involve a wide variety of problems or situations common to the segment of the program or function for which the employee is responsible. Each assignment typically consists of a series of related actions or decisions prior to final completion. Decisions or recommendations are based on the development and evaluation of information that comes from various sources. The work involves identifying and studying factors or conditions and determining their interrelationships as appropriate to the defined area of work. Program Support Assistant (OA). The employee must be concerned about taking or recommending actions that are consistent with the objectives and requirements of the program or functions. The work requires knowledge and skill to recognize the dimensions of the problems involved, collect the necessary information, establish the facts, and take or recommend action based upon application or interpretation of established guidelines. The work also requires practical knowledge, developed through increasingly difficult, on-the-job training or experience dealing with the operations, regulations, principles, and peculiarities of the assigned program, function, or activity .
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.

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
  • Creative Thinking
  • Customer Service
  • Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
  • Database Administration
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Manages and Organizes Information
  • 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.

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?

VA Central California Health Care System (VACCHCS), located in Fresno, California, is part of VA Sierra Pacific Network (VISN21), which includes facilities in California, Nevada, and Hawaii. VACCHCS is a 57-bed acute care, general medical and surgical center with state of the art primary, secondary and tertiary care in major diagnostic, and treatment specializations. In addition, a 54-bed Community Living Center (CLC) is located on campus and provides skilled nursing and rehabilitation care.

More History can be found here: https://www.fresno.va.gov/about/index.asp

Agency contact information

Marisella Souza
Phone
925-356-4088
Email
MARISELLA.SOUZA@VA.GOV
Address
Fresno VA Medical Center
2615 East Clinton Avenue
Fresno, CA 93703
US

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https://vacareers.va.gov/

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