The Western New York Healthcare System is currently recruiting for one Program Support Assistant GS-6 for their Buffalo location within their Geriatric and Extended Care Service Medical Foster Home(MFH). The incumbent directly supports MFH programming and assist the MFH Coordinator and MFH Recreation Therapist in provision of administrative support to programmatic needs while serving and servicing Veterans and families.

Duties

Incumbent provides for the overall administrative support for the Medical Foster Home (MFH) program. Exercises independent and creative judgement in accomplishing major duties. This may include interpreting programmatic administrative policies, assisting in developing local policies, defining administrative requirements, and/or providing advice to GEC/ MFH Coordinator on related issues. The PSA possesses substantial awareness of GEC/ MFH details and action plans and commitments to ensure program is in compliance with VA Central Office (VACO), VISN, Joint Commission and other entities as appropriate. Provides operational support to MFH Coordinator, and performs a full range of clerical, business, and administrative duties that ensure timely awareness and professional response as befits. Handles numerous requests for information such as status of reports, suspense dates, etc. for matters requiring compliance and similar information on behalf of MFH. Establishes internal procedures to assist and secure adequate control in terms of MFH deadlines, progress reports and directives and uses own initiative in developing procedures which will increase the general flow of information, access to care and add efficiencies in the MFH administrative process. Independently secures required administrative and managerial support to meet the operating requirements. Maintains responsibility for MFH service correspondence. Prepares, edits and archives MFH official correspondence requiring signatures or approvals. Performs administrative duties for MFH and possesses substantive knowledge of and provides accurate advice and counsel on standard office procedures, reports, base requirements (fiscal/ education/ travel, etc.), and other matters necessary to assist MFH program and staff in day-to-day operations. Receives and distributes incoming MFH physical and electronic correspondence, memoranda, and other documents. Reviews outgoing correspondence for proper format and prepares correspondence for internal/external mail distribution per specification, regulation and/ or protocol per VAWNYHS. Schedules Veterans and families into MFH program and with consultations, referrals, outpatient and specialty appointments, obtains requisite clinical and administrative records coordinates meetings and/or schedules conferences. Maintains calendars and records appointments, reserves meeting rooms, supports meeting arrangements, and notifies attendees. Advises supervisor(s) of important office issues arising during his/her absence, ensuring coverage, and informs GEC Manager/ MFH Coordinator of significant items in reports, files and correspondence. Tracks and follows-up with clinical and administrative staff on action items and deliverables as necessary. Acts as a primary MFH (VATAS) timekeeper, may assist/coordinate TMS and travel arrangements as needed. Assists with base orientation/training of new employees. Formats and distributes relative MFH meeting minutes, memos, and other communications. Maintains calendars and coordinates meetings for MFH staff and administrative leadership as related to their respective roles. Processes and facilitates appropriate capture and distribution of all incoming correspondence and ensures timely follow-up. Perform other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Authorized Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/PD38736O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/02/2023. 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-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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. Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience in an administrative support role as a Program Support Assistant, Administrative assistant, secretary or typical admin support role in an office, or hospital setting providing administrative support to individuals in leadership positions. Comprehensive experience with various administrative/clerical tasks on a periodic and/or routine basis such as but not limited to: Writing correspondences, memos, report gathering, records management, data entry and Time keeping etc. Skill in oral and written communication. Extensive and thorough experience with Microsoft Office tools such as Word, Outlook and PowerPoint and other administrative Computer base programs and applications. Experience in in providing Customer Service to a multitude of individuals regarding complex and general inquiries that include, Clinical staff, Patients, and other stakeholders. Skill in performing routine tasks independently with little to no supervision. Experience gathering information for various reports, preparing reports for leadership. Knowledge and skill of Supply and logistics, experience ordering office supplies and equipment. Experience in planning, organizing, and implementing assigned tasks. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and ManagementAnalytical ReasoningControl of FundsCreative ThinkingData ManagementOral CommunicationWriting 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. The employee sits comfortably to do the work assignments. At times, there may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items, e.g., papers, books, files, 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 https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Contacts

• Address VA Western New York Healthcare System 3495 Bailey Avenue Buffalo, NY 14215 US
• Name: Tera Coddington
• Phone: 914-737-4400 X202452
• Email: [email protected]