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Administrative Officer

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Benefits Administration
Columbia Regional Benefit Office

Summary

The Supervisory Administrative Officer, Chief, Support Services Division (SSD) directs a program encompassing financial, technical, administrative, and professional work encompassing timely and cost-effective support services to a VBA Regional Office. Incumbent is responsible for management of all financial and administrative activities of the VBA Regional Office.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Ad-hoc /situational as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$125,776 - $163,514 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
Yes
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
High Risk (HR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
319-26-JML-13039721-NBU
Control number
881202400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open ONLY to current permanent employees of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and/or Veterans Affairs (VA) CTAP eligibles. Employees may apply either as promotion eligibles or request consideration for a reassignment/change-to-lower grade via this vacancy announcement.

Duties

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Specific duties include:

  • Keeps the Division Chiefs, Director, and Assistant Directors informed on matters that affect the station or require attention.
  • Gives advice and recommendations on the administrative feasibility of operating plans, suggestions, and proposals.
    Reviews existing support service programs and recommends modification for improvement as needed.
  • In partnership with the Director and Assistant Director, develops, recommends, and implements a variety of programs, the failure of which would have extreme adverse impact on the overall operating capacity of the office services.
  • Presents regular briefings to the Division Chiefs, Director, and Assistant Directors, providing workload status, progress on projects, and making upper management aware of all issues or problems with which he/she should be acquainted or must become involved.
  • Conducts detailed studies and analysis of organizational functions and work processes during all phases of RO activities and provides appropriate recommendations.
  • Oversees the financial and budgetary operations through the subordinate supervisor and is responsible for coordinating and managing the exchange of information between the Finance staff, and operating divisions.
  • Acts in an advisory capacity to the Director and/or Assistant Directors relative to the availability of funds for personnel additions, procurement of equipment and significant expenditures for contractual services.
  • Serves as Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Official who manages the PIV issuance process at the Regional Office and is responsible for the total scope of the chain trust of the process.

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Compressed/Flexible: Compressed schedule may be an option with approval from the Division Chief and agency policy.
Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Administrative Officer; PD399310
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Required. This position requires completion of a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-450) under 5 C.F.R. ยง 2634.904(a). The selectee must submit the form before entering on duty and annually thereafter.
Bargaining Unit: No

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or trial 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Additional Conditions of Employment are as follows:
  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period
  • Selectees are required to service a one-year supervisory probationary period if not previously completed in a Federal position.
  • 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 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:08/24/2026.

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: As a current Federal, GS employee you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

  • For a GS-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13 level.
  • If you are a current VBA employee outside of the commuting area seeking reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-14 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-14.
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.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience as described below:
GS-14 Grade Level:
  • Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-13 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is experience in a multifaceted program of services, management programs, and budget/fiscal and administrative operations for a federal office. The experience should demonstrate the following:
  • Preparing administrative study findings, recommendations, plans and reports.
  • Providing advice on programs and procedures pertaining to facilities, budgets, security, safety, and other administrative program activities.
  • Presenting position papers and technical presentations to top management or the public involving finance and administrative program issues.
  • Conducting independent evaluations of finance and administrative functions.
  • Preparing and monitoring complex budgets and resolving financial management issues.
Supervisory/Managerial Abilities: Candidate must also demonstrate experience or training they possess, or have the potential to develop, the qualities or successful supervision as follows:
  1. Assign to and review work of subordinates, train and work effectively with subordinates from a variety of backgrounds and with different levels/areas of training.
  2. Accomplish the quality and quantity of work expected within set limits of cost and time.
  3. Plan own work and carry out assignments effectively.
  4. Communicate with others effectively both orally and in writing in working out solutions to problems or questions relating to the work.
  5. Understand and further management goals as these affect day-to-day work operations.
  6. Develop improvements in, or design new work methods and procedures.

Volunteer Experience: 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.

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts; driving an automobile, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

The 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 your current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. 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/.

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.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), https://www.va.gov/EMPLOYEE/documents/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf

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: Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. 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 (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Accountability
  • Customer Service
  • Decisiveness
  • Flexibility
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Problem Solving
  • Resilience

Additional competencies to be assessed:
  • Technical Competence: Understands and appropriately applies procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to VBA financial and administrative programs and other Federal (or similar) programs.
  • Leadership: Inspires, motivates, and guides others toward goal accomplishment; coaches, mentors, and challenges subordinates; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations; models high standards of honesty, integrity, trust, openness, and respect for the individual by applying these values to daily behaviors.
  • Oral Communication: Makes clear and convincing oral presentations to individuals or groups; listens effectively and clarifies information as needed; facilitates an open exchange of ideas and fosters atmosphere of open communication.
  • Written Communication: Expresses facts and ideas in writing in a clear, convincing, and organized manner.
  • Problem Solving: Identifies and analyzes problems; uses sound reasoning to arrive at conclusions; finds alternative solutions to complex problems; distinguishes between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical decisions; provides solutions to individual and organizational problems.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13039721The 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.

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 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.

Veterans Benefits 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." How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?

The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families, and other beneficiaries.

The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence ("I CARE").

As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips.

Agency contact information

Jennifer Lott
Phone
601-364-7010 X45121
Email
jennifer.lott2@va.gov
Address
Columbia Regional Benefit Office
6437 Garners Ferry Rd
Columbia, SC 29209
US

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https://vacareers.va.gov/

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