Clarification from the agency

All current and permanent employees of the VA New Jersey Healthcare System

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Major Duties:
Administrative/Management Support

• Provides for the overall administrative management and assistance for the executive office. This includes coordinating administrative policies, developing and implementing local policies, defining administrative requirements, coordinating responses to VISN action items and/or providing advice to the Executive team on related issues.
• Supports the management of the overall administrative operations for the various services and programs in conjunction with and at the direction of the Medical Center Director.
• Carry out various assignments of a comprehensive nature designed to assist the MCD and executive leadership in directing and evaluating the effectiveness of the numerous programs and activities, and responsible for maintaining minutes and follow up on all topics discussed during executive meetings and disseminating information to absentees and other responsible parties.
• Coordinates and collaborates on activities with other members of the executive office, services, and VISN and other offices as appropriate. The activities include coordinating meetings, special activities.
• Secures, coordinates and prepares statistical reports and other information for the staffing statistics, organizational charts, employee evaluations, etc. for MCD.
• Accordingly, s/he establishes and implements policies addressing secretarial/administrative practices. Completes assignments and special projects for executive leadership, as requested and provide guidance and oversight of executive office staff.
• Reviews, analyzes and interprets incoming requests, recommends appropriate action or suggests appropriate alternatives based on knowledge of internal operations, agency personnel policies, budgetary constraints, and work priorities.
• S/he routes matters requiring action to appropriate VANJHCS staff, and assigns coordinating action/responsibility; maintains appropriate suspense dates and records; and ensures that actions are completed expeditiously and accurately.
• Coordinates the administrative workflow of the executive office staff members and reviews and routes correspondence to appropriate Executive Team member and respective departmental Director/Manager.
• Serves as the liaison with the MCD organizational staff, VISN Offices and Human Resources Management Service concerning personnel related matters.

Manages Executive Schedules, Boards, Committees, Conferences

• Exercises complete control over the executive leaders' appointment calendar with authority for commitments of time. Screens calls and visitors, answering most questions and completing most business, and uses sound judgment in referring people to the VANJHCS Director. He/she makes the Director aware of problems/conflicts whenever necessary and follows through to resolution.
• Arranges meetings, develop agenda's, development and preparation of meeting/program materials, conference calls, frequently for large groups of senior level executives, from organizations such as VA, affiliated institutions, Veterans Service Organizations, Congressional offices, and State and City government, which includes the oversight of all logistics planning and preparation for meetings, including scheduling, mailings; travel, dining and lodging arrangements; special events for the VANJHCS Director's use, notification of individuals, and arrangements for equipment.

Public Work Contact

• Serves as the principal Executive Office contact for reception of in-person visits by patients, family members, concerned citizens, etc., and is also the first to receive incoming calls and letters.
• S/he uses sound judgment to rout issues to appropriate VANJHCS staff and works to ensure resolution and response.
• Maintains recordings of all meetings, suspense items and time sensitive documents between VANJHCS Director and Congressional offices, VA Central Office and VISN 2 staff, directors of other VA.

Supply Management

• Monitors the use of services, supplies, or equipment for the office.
• Ensures subordinate office support staff replenishes general office supply and equipment support services.
• S/he works with Veteran Canteen Service to ensure proper use of the funds and provides information to the Director on all proposed uses of the funds
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Preferred Experience:
Executive Correspondence Management
Broad knowledge of VA, VHA, VISN and local VAMC policies and procedures -including White House Hotline, Congressional correspondence, and PATS-R management

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Ad-hoc
Position Description/PD#: Administrative Officer/561-3139780
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 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 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, 10/16/2026.

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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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 and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: The primary purpose of this position is to provide for the overall administrative management and assistance for the executive office. This includes coordinating administrative policies, developing and implementing local policies, defining administrative requirements, coordinating responses to VISN action items and/or providing advice to the Executive team on related issues.

NOTE: 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 .

• OR
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M. in a field related to this position that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position

NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation

• OR

• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond .Possess equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first two years or 36 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is 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 MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

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.

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.