The Telephone Operator is located at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System (MVAHCS), within the Patient Experience Office. The service provides 24/7 coverage for both telephones and security services. The primary purpose of the position is to process incoming calls and other alarms.

Duties

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Operating a digital multi-line telephone system. Handling incoming commercial and FTS calls, local and information calls, calls pertaining to patients, and calls requiring employee location. Full working knowledge of the Medical Center and its many services and sections. Placing long distance and overseas calls. Correctly route calls when very little information is forthcoming from caller. Remaining calm, courteous, and efficient when a caller becomes angry and abusive. Knowledge of what to do and who to call when there is a systems failure. Handling emergencies calmly. Making proper response to alarms, knowing which ones take priority over all other activities. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Overnight shift, 11:00pm - 7:30am, may include weekends and holidays. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Telephone Operator/PD60683A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for eligible and highly qualified candidates Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Bargaining Unit: Yes, AFGE/1272 The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/13/2024. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: General Experience: Applicants mustpossess at least one (1) year of general experience with duties related to the position. General experience is progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position such as but is not limited to: customer service, receptionist duties, receiving and directing a variety of inquiries, and providing immediate communications throughout the medical center. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have two (2) years of education above high school. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of experience and education to qualify for the Telephone Operator position. Example: The position to be filled is a Payroll Clerk, GS-04. An applicant has 8 months of qualifying experience and 20 semester hours of college. The applicant meets 67 percent of the required experience and 33 percent of the required education. The applicant meets 100 percent of the total requirements and is qualified for the position. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: CommunicationsComputer SkillsProblem SolvingTeamwork 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: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. 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

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Minneapolis VA Medical Center One Veterans Drive Minneapolis, MN 55417 US
• Name: Amanda Martin
• Phone: 313-576-3024
• Email: [email protected]