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Program Support Assistant

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (CTVHCS)

Summary

The Program Support Assistant (PSA) serves as the primary service-level representative for all logistical functions within Specialty Care. This includes, but is not limited to, the oversight and coordination of contracts, equipment, supplies, inventory management, and all budget-related activities not directly associated with recruitment and retention, patient access, or care in the community.

Overview

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Accepting applications
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$45,409 - $59,031 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - Travel to Austin, Waco and Killeen as need per equipment needs.
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
CAZM-13043308-26-RMP
Control number
881572200

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Duties

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The Program Support Assistant will perform a variety of duties, including but not limited to the following:

  • Ensure that each sub-specialty possesses the equipment, supplies, and resources necessary to successfully fulfill its mission.
  • Provide senior leadership with data-driven findings, assessments, and recommendations aimed at improving operational effectiveness and efficiency.
  • Manage procurement actions for supplies and equipment at both the facility and VISN levels, ensuring compliance, fiscal responsibility, and timely acquisition.
  • Maintain and update a comprehensive equipment lifecycle plan for all major assets within the service.
  • Serve as the primary budget and finance coordinator for the service, responsible for the full scope of budget formulation, justification, execution, and ongoing financial oversight.
  • Develop and submit annual budget requests, preparing supplemental funding requests, conducting detailed financial reporting, and ensuring full compliance with fiscal regulations and organizational policies.
  • Responsible for monitoring annual budget execution, making necessary adjustments, reallocating resources to meet clinical and operational priorities, and submitting resource management requests for funding, space, and other essential needs.
  • Prepares detailed budget reports and formulates new requests base on comprehensive financial analyses and productivity data, presenting these findings to senior leadership with clear justification and evidence-based recommendations.
  • Evaluate the financial impact of equipment and supply acquisitions, disposals, and upgrades, as well as the implications of new or revised programs within the service.
  • Review historical expenditure patterns, operational trends, and utilization data to develop projections, prepare budget justifications, and integrate validated requests into a coordinated and comprehensive service-line budget forecast.
  • Collaborate closely with the service's Administrative Officer to prepare, manage, and monitor all service-related contracts and purchased services.
  • Draft detailed Statements of Work (SOWs) for contracted healthcare services, reviewing and evaluating proposals for technical adequacy and cost effectiveness, and overseeing the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) functions for all service contracts.
  • Ensure that contract execution aligns with budget availability, workload requirements, and operational priorities by maintaining accurate and up-to-date information on the service's current budget and resource allocations.
  • Evaluate contract performance, identifies potential risks or deficiencies, and recommends corrective actions to ensure high-quality service delivery and fiscal stewardship.
  • Serve as the Equipment Inventory Listing (Ell) specialist for the service, responsible for conducting monthly, quarterly, and annual equipment inspections across three operational sites: Austin, Temple, and Waco, Texas.
  • Collaborate closely with Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) to coordinate and manage all equipment and supply needs, including telehealth technology, and ensures that all requests are properly submitted, documented, and processed through the appropriate supply and distribution channels.
  • Review, prioritize, and approve equipment requests for the service, exercising delegated authority to determine operational necessity, validate alignment with clinical priorities, and sign all required procurement and request forms in a timely manner.
  • Perform periodic equipment reviews and inventories to confirm safe operation, identify deficiencies, and support decisions regarding upgrades, replacement cycles, or decommissioning.
  • Work closely with Specialty Care subspecialties to assess equipment needs, determine required resources, and support the prioritization of purchases essential to maintaining access to care and the delivery of high-quality healthcare services to Veterans.
  • Ensure that all Specialty Care programs maintain the equipment readiness necessary to support uninterrupted clinical operations and optimal patient outcomes.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Position Description Title/PD#: Program Support Assistant/674-013570
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Telework Eligible: Yes- Ad hoc only
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary; however, occasional physical activity may be required when troubleshooting equipment and peripheral devices. The position may involve periods of standing and walking throughout the facility and associated outlying buildings. On occasion, the PSA may be required to stoop, lift, or move boxes-up to a maximum of 50 pounds-containing training materials, computer software, or computer equipment.

Requirements

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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, 08/31/2026.

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-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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. 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.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below: You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

GS-06 grade level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the federal service; experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: Performing administrative and clerical support duties such as, scheduling and coordinating meetings, responding to email and written requests; Collecting, analyzing, and tracking data for reporting on cases and status of suspense items; Understanding and applying laws, VA regulations and guidelines, and facility directives accurately; Organizing office procedures and reports; Performing office automation duties using various software applications such as databases, spreadsheets, and software programs to support the department needs.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
Budget Administration
Administration and Management
Problem Solving
Contracting/Procurement

There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level.

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: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds

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.

Additional information

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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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.

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.

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.

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?

The Department of Veterans Affairs - Central Texas Health Care System is located in Temple, Texas, which is centrally located between Austin and Dallas. It is one of the VA's largest integrated health care systems with facilities in Austin, Brownwood, Cedar Park, Palestine, Bryan-College Station and Waco. Texas has no State Income Tax.

The Central Texas Veterans Health Care System is a Complexity Level 1A medical center facility with over 4,000 employees which serves 39 counties in Central Texas and consists of two hospitals located in Temple and Waco; one clinic in Austin; four community based outpatient clinics in Brownwood, Cedar Park, College Station, and Palestine; a community living center (CLC) situated at each of the Temple and Waco campuses; one domiciliary in Temple; a Blind Rehabilitation Unit in Waco; a rehabilitation unit for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Waco and Serious Mental Illness Life Empowerment (SMILE) in Waco; a rural community outreach clinic in La Grange; and an outpatient clinic annex in Temple. It also has employees at two Vet Centers in Austin and Harker Heights, and a VA-DoD Sleep Clinic in Killeen.

Agency contact information

Ryan Pearson
Email
RYAN.PEARSON@VA.GOV
Address
VA Central Texas Health Care System
1901 Veterans Memorial Drive
Temple, TX 76504
US

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