This position is located in the Office of the Associate Director/Patient Care Services (ADPCS) at the Tomah VA Medical Center and serves as the principal administrative and clerical assistant to the Associate Director of the Patient Care Services.

Duties

The Secretary (OA) at the full performance level of a GS-8 performs a wide variety of general administrative and clerical functions in support of the ADPCS and takes action to provide consistency and continuity in the application of executive office administrative and procedural policies, processes, and procedures throughout the Service. Provides advice and guidance to subordinate staff offices concerning implementation and interpretation of administrative policies. Duties include: Receives all visitors and telephone calls for the ADPCS. Screens contacts to determine the nature and purpose, referring contacts or calls to the appropriate personnel within the Service or handles the matter based on experience and/or knowledge. Receives requests from other organizations within the Medical Center, VISN 12, VACO, and VA for information concerning programs under the ADPCS's control. Secures documents, regulations, specific statistical and narrative program data of a technical nature from Service files and prepares summary of information relevant to the problem or situation. Acts as liaison between the ADPCS and the Service personnel by providing timely advice on procedures, reports, requirements, and other matters to implement policies, directives, and instructions. Assists in responding to information and project queries. Researches, editorializes, and composes technical documentation for major programs and projects. Coordinates Service and facility-wide annual professional activities. Responds to administrative problems brought to the ADPCS's attention. Notifies the management official of the need for information or recommendations and prepares the response of follow-up to ensure timely responses. Assumes responsibility, in the ADPCS's absence, for ensuring requests for action and information are made know to the responsible Service personnel who can satisfy the request. Monitors activities to brief the ADPCS. Manages and maintains for Service and nursing employees the automated employee database, automated patient-unit employee count and record, and requests assistance from ADP coordinator. Oversees and is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of executive office files. Assists in conducting training classes for Medical Center support staff addressing correspondence, policy and procedures. Schedules appointments, coordinates meetings, and/or schedules conferences. Researches and provides background information. Transcribes conference calls and completes minutes for assigned committees. Serves a recorder for meetings or committees which the ADPCS chairs or participates. Controls the ADPCS and other staff members' administrative activities, schedules, and appointments. Makes all necessary arrangement for travel, arranging schedule of visits, making transportation and hotel reservations, and notifies organization and officials to be visited, and assists in the submission of travel reports and vouchers. Interprets the rules, regulations, and policies governing time and leave at all position levels in Patient Care Services (PCS) for both the GS and Title 38 pay schedules. Performs office automation duties using such software applications as electronic mail, work processing, calendar, spreadsheet, database, and/or graphics. Provides general office administration services such as maintain electronic files, solving operating or user problems or utilizing advanced software functions. Obtains and monitors the use of services, supplies, and equipment.-Performs other related duties as assigned. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pk Telework: 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. Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD04233O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved 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, 11/30/2023. 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. For a GS-7 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. For a GS-8 position, you must have 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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 s described below: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-6 Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in Federal Service. Specialized experience is defined as experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position would consist of: ability to make and keep the daily calendar; ability to check wit Director's Office for mail and suspense correspondence that needs to be answered by s certain date and time; ability to make all necessary arrangement for travel, arranging schedule of the visits, making transportation and hotel reservations, and assisting in the submission of travel reports and voucher; and take notes and pertinent data from t=staff meetings. GS-7 Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-6 level in Federal Service. Specialized experience is defined as experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience for this position would consist of: ability to organize and plan the activities of an office; maintain suspense systems to ensure items assigned for action are completed and submitted on time; skills in reviewing correspondence and documents prepared for signature by management to ensure compliance with regulations, rules of grammar, format guidelines, and special policies of the facility; meets and works with individuals at different organizational levels and persons of diverse backgrounds; knowledge of computer software such as database, spreadsheets, and graphic programs; skill in proofreading and final review of correspondence and reports; and skills in ordering supplies and submitting work orders for repairs or maintenance. GS-8 Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience for this position at this grade level would consist of: Reviews correspondence and documents prepared for signature by management to ensure compliance with regulations, rules of grammar, format guidelines. Skill in the use of a variety of computer software programs, database management, spreadsheets utilization, and graphic design programs; skill in proofreading and final review of all correspondence and reports; knowledge and skill in arranging and completing travel arrangements; experience and skill in transcription of clinical and/or administrative materials, compiling summaries of minutes and meetings, and preparing minutes and agendas for distribution; and skill in effective communications, interpersonal relations, skill in organizing and prioritizing requests, and appropriately relating to internal and external customers. Proficiency Requirement: In addition to meeting experience requirement, applicants for this position must show possession of the following skill. Ability to type 40 words per minute and have experience with personal computer office automation software such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and/or Spreadsheets. Applicants may meet this requirement by passing the appropriate performance test, presenting a certificate of proficiency from a school or other organization authorized to issue such certificates, by the Office of Personnel Management local office, or by self-certifying their proficiency. Performance test results and certificates of proficiency are acceptable for 3 years. Agencies may verify proficiency skills of self-certified applicants by administering the appropriate performance test. . You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: CommunicationsComputer SkillsCustomer ServiceInterpersonal SkillsWriting 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. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform this work. Working Conditions: The work involves everyday risks or discomforts, which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms, or libraries. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. This position is not suitable for Telework. 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.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Tomah VA Medical Center 500 East Veterans Street Tomah, WI 54660 US
• Name: Madeline James
• Phone: 504-812-1498
• Email: [email protected]