Summary This position serves as a Supervisory Purchasing Agent for the Prosthetics Service within the VA Health Care System Columbia, SC and supported catchment area. The Supervisory Purchasing Agent assists the Prosthetics Manager in the overall management of Purchasing at this facility, with efforts directed toward Veteran satisfaction. You will be expected to model the utmost tact, sensitivity, diplomacy and compassion in order to achieve customer satisfaction. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: Supervise purchasing agents with authority to purchase individual items with values up to $25,000.00 on contract Clarify patient eligibility issues Consult with and advise patients on medically advisable equipment choices Coordinate delivery of Home Medical Equipment Assist Prosthetics Manager with budget estimate preparation Plan and organize work of subordinates Approve annual and sick leave for staff Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Work schedule subject to change based on agency needs. Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Preferred Experience: One year of Prosthetics Purchase Card Holder Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement,01/20/2026 . 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-7 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-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: Maintain good public relations with a large number of commercial prosthetic manufacturers and serves as interpreter of regulations and the representative of the Veterans Administration. Makes contact with private physicians and vendors who provide the desired prosthetic appliance or service required of the position on a daily basis since we currently serve over 45,000 patients in this area. Assists the Prosthetic program Manager in counseling veterans relative to all phases of the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Program. Coordinates the delivery of Home Medical Equipment, to include the provision of home oxygen therapy through contracted providers. 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. Preferred Experience: Ability to apply skill in dealing with a wide range of people, from a variety of backgrounds and educational levels, with differing medical problems, emotional problems and disabilities and to resolve their issues appropriately and quickly. Must be skillful in negotiating issues, such as termination settlements or other significant changes in the small purchase. 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: Must be able to lift at least 25 lbs.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 The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/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/. Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.
