Summary The Telephone Operator position is in the Information Management Resource (IRM) Service, Telecommunication Section of G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center in Jackson, MS. This position provides administrative services to a VA General Medicine and Surgery Medical Center teaching hospital with an attached NHCU, and Research & Education Building. Responsibilities The duties of the Telephone Operator position include: Operating a three-position multiple computerized console for incoming and outgoing calls, as well as five UMC tie lines. Serving as Information/Receptionist, providing information such as location of offices, availability of assistance, location of admission office, location of administrative offices, and patient information. Alerting first responders to emergencies, advising them on emergencies and where personnel are needed. Working with Police and Engineer Services in conducting tests of the paging system and panic alarm system to make sure that they are always operational. Intercepting threatening or obscene telephone calls and request assistance in tracing them when appropriate, then notifying the immediate supervisor in writing. Disconnecting and reconnecting all patient telephones at the appropriate times. Maintaining a facility lost and found record. Maintaining the on-call schedules of medical, surgical and psychiatric physicians, residents, dental officers, interns, and technicians. Utilizing the Vista system to retrieve patient information, including location of patient. Ensuring that all computer input and output is handled with strict adherence to security and confidentiality policies. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, requiring occasional weekends and holidays; Subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Telephone Operator/PD06136A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary/trial period 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 dentification 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) Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/22/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Advancement to positions up to GS-5: Candidates may be advanced without time restriction to positions up to GS-5 if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade the employee held within the preceding 52 weeks under his or her latest non-temporary competitive appointment. 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: General Experience: To qualify for this position, you must have one year of general experience. Examples of general experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Using a switchboard to answer and redirect incoming calls; Researching information to provide to customers; Following privacy practices while obtaining patient information; Using a computer for electronic communication; Following procedures for routine and emergency calls; and Working with computerized databases. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Successfully completed two (2) years of education above high school level in any field which high school graduation is the pre-requisite. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. Note: Transcripts are required. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education and general experience which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. Note: Transcripts are required. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Computer Skills Interpersonal Skills Problem Solving 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: This position is mostly sedentary, with brief periods of walking to the information desk. During irregular hours, the operator works the tour without leaving the operator office since there is no relief operator available. The volume of traffic handled by the electronic console will vary from extremely heavy during regular administrative hours, to moderate during irregular hours. Dealing with distraught individuals, the public, and handling many complex calls requiring a high degree of personal involvement may create pressure and stress. 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/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. 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.
