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Program Support Assistant

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

Summary

This position is located in Nutrition & Food Services (N&FS) at a Department of Veterans Affairs health care facility. The Program Support Assistant provides clerical, administrative, and technical program support to N&FS leadership and staff. Primary focus is on recordkeeping,office automation, data entry/maintenance, meeting coordination, purchase card documentation, and timekeeping support.

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
No
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 - 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
Not Required
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-13114982-27-KJH
Control number
892517500

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Duties

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Major duties of the position include, but are not limited to:

  • Maintains service files, trackers, and databases (e.g., spreadsheets, shared drives/SharePoint) to record and update operational information such as orders, receipts, inventories, equipment requests, training completions, and performance metrics; prepares routine status listings and standardized reports for supervisory review.
  • Collects and compiles program data from established sources; performs data entry and quality checks; resolves routine data discrepancies by contacting originators and updating records.
  • Drafts and formats recurring correspondence, agendas, meeting minutes, memoranda, and staff notifications; ensures outgoing documents are accurate, complete, and consistent with VA/VHA style and policy.
  • Coordinates calendars, schedules appointments/meetings, reserves rooms, and manages logistics.
  • Receives visitors and calls; provides information about N&FS procedures; routes inquiries appropriately; maintains professional customer service with Veterans, staff, and external parties.
  • Manages office supplies and service requests; submits and tracks work orders; monitors delivery and documents receipt.
  • Assists with Government Purchase Card (GPC) documentation and reconciliation in accordance with VA financial policy; compiles receipts, verifies supporting documentation, and uploads/records transactions in approved systems; flags variances for supervisory review and ensures timely monthly reconciliation.
  • Prepares simple, routine purchase requests in approved systems using predefined templates and item descriptions; routes for appropriate approvals; monitors order and delivery status.
  • Performs office automation using VA standard software (word processing, spreadsheets, databases, email, calendaring); creates templates and job-aids for routine tasks; provides basic user support.
  • Supports N&FS in Talent Management System (TMS) administration at the unit level (e.g., running user compliance reports, assisting with course assignments, tracking completions, and preparing roster updates).
  • Serves as primary or backup timekeeper: enters/validates time and attendance in the approved system; applies leave codes;monitors pending approvals; communicates with supervisors to resolve minor discrepancies.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/PD014530
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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, 11/13/2026.

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:

  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: perform administrative and clerical support duties such as, schedule and coordinate meetings, time keeping, process work orders, and coordinate travel; documentation and reconciliation with purchases; collect, analyze, and track data; data entry and quality review; provide clinical support and communicate with patients; organize office procedures; perform office automation duties using various software applications, including equipment management.

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

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.

TheCareer 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
  • Clerical
  • Compensation
  • Computer Skills
  • Contracting/Procurement
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Oral Communication
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • Written Communication


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?

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

Kristie Holt
Email
Kristie.Holt1@va.gov
Address
VA Central Texas Health Care System
1901 Veterans Memorial Drive
Temple, TX 76504
US

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