Summary The incumbent functions as an executive administrative assistant and provides administrative and support to the leadership team at the VA Western NY HCS. Assistance will mainly support the Chief of Staff and the Associate Director of Patient Care Center. The positions will be seated within the Buffalo VA Medical Center, with the possibility of occasional travel to the Batavia, NY Facility as needed. Responsibilities Receives calls and visitors to the Director's office, referring to staff members and forwarding to the Pentad calls or visitors requiring his/her attention. Maintains the Pentad's calendar, scheduling appointments, committing them to attendance at meetings and conferences without prior approval. Arranges conferences and meetings for the Pentad by selecting time and place, notification of participants and all other related details. Takes and transcribes minutes of meetings, preparing the agenda, coordinating information and preparing material to be discussed for various committees. Electronically maintains timecards for the Pentad and his/her subordinate offices and assures the electronic certification of timecards by the Pentad. Reads and reviews all incoming correspondence to the Director's Office, determining proper action. Prepares routine correspondence for the Pentad. Reviews outgoing correspondence and reports prepared by administrative and clinical services, ensuring proper format, mathematical correctness, correct grammatical content, ascertaining that all necessary coordination of facts has been completed. Reads directives and instructional material pertaining to administrative practices and clerical procedures in order to be aware of new, revised or amended procedures for such matters as preparation and processing of correspondence, reports and forms, filing, mailing procedures, etc. Prepares the Pentad and his/her subordinate staff's correspondence for the signature of the Director and maintains records and files for the Pentad. Includes assisting with preparation of documents for complex action items, administrative assistance with remediation actions and administrative support on facility improvement projects with limited direction. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00am- 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Admin Support Assistant/PD26146A 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 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/18/2026. 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-6. 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 as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: A basic foundation of administrative concepts, principles, and practices, and Department of Veterans Affairs regulations and directives sufficient to perform independently such duties as coordinating changes in administrative policies, devise and install procedures and office practices affecting the Pentad Official's subordinate organizations and foresee administrative problems and requirements and initiate action to ensure there is no adverse impact on the organization. A current working knowledge of Department of Veterans Affairs policy and procedures enabling the incumbent to respond to inquiries regarding policy and procedures in an accurate and timely manner. Knowledge of the substantive programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs as they relate to the local Medical Center and skill in adapting policies or procedures to local situations and establishing practices or procedures to meet local requirements. Skill in advising and instructing secretaries in subordinate offices and organizations concerning such matters as directives, reports, correspondence and telephone procedures. Knowledge and understanding of the Pentad 's philosophy, views and functions in order to ensure advice and direction which are consistent with the Pentad 's desires. Skill in operating a personal computer, software such as Excel, Word, etc., and other office equipment. Knowledge and understanding of medical terminology and other technical terminology in the fields of fiscal, supply, etc. Knowledge of Electronic Time and Attendance procedures. Knowledge of grammar, spelling, punctuation and required formats. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Clerical Communication Customer Service Teamwork 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 places no special physical demands on the employee. The work includes some walking, standing, bending and carrying of light items such as books and papers. 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 This occupation is being considered for a Veterans Health Administration enterprise-wide Critical Skills Incentive (CSI). Candidates may be eligible for a lump sum CSI. The amount of lump sum CSI is determined based on appointment date and may be pro-rated as determined by the end date of the CSI. Eligible candidates will be required to sign a service agreement agreeing to an obligated service period and failure to complete the obligated service period may result in a debt for the unearned portion of the CSI. This occupation is currently approved for a Veterans Health Administration enterprise-wide Critical Skills Incentive through [insert date]. Candidates may be eligible for a lump sum CSI for a pro-rated amount if onboard prior to the CSI expiration date. Eligible candidates will be required to sign a service agreement agreeing to an obligated service period and failure to complete the obligated service period may result in a debt for the unearned portion of the CSI. Receiving Service Credit for 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.
