Summary The Executive Secretary performs a variety of clerical and administrative duties which are auxiliary to the work of the organization and provides assistance to the Associate Director of Operations and the Associate Director, Patient Care Services. The incumbent is the primary office support staff member for both directors (and operates independently of any other such position in the office and/or as a team with the other secretarial support staff, as necessary. Responsibilities This incumbent serves as the Secretary (OA) for the Associate Director of Operations and the Associate Director, Patient Care Services . The secretary has extensive responsibility for coordinating work within the organization, where procedures and administrative controls are equivalent to those typical of a large, complicated office. Duties include, but are not limited to: Acts as office liaison, handling communication with persons, and/or groups within and outside of the facility. Reviews correspondence for appropriate disposition, gathering information and using knowledge of healthcare system's policies and other regulations when composing replies. Ensures accurate identification, reporting, trending, and education to provide efficient operations and protection of resources. Reviews all outgoing correspondence requiring signature to assure completeness, indicated clearances, adequacy and conformance to policy, views, tone and grammatical correctness. Coordinates arrangements for travel, arranging schedule of visits, making transportation and hotel reservations, and notifying organizations and officials to be visited. Monitors suspense items and follows them to a timely completion. Notifies the appropriate office subordinate management officials of the need for information or recommendation for administrative problems, and either prepares the response or follows up to ensure timely response by others. Alerts appropriate staff officials on new, updated and/or changes in policies and procedures providing recommendations, assigning action as appropriate and following up on procedural materials to ensure a timely response. Screens all visitors and telephone calls from within the facility, VISN, Central Office, congressional staff, veteran service organizations, local agencies, Veterans and their families, Federal agencies, State agencies, etc. Performs administrative work, which includes management of the office schedule and day- to-day plans. Develops routine plans and schedules using standard references and existing information. Exercises exclusive control over the Executive's appointments/calendar to set availability and priorities. Instructs and assists secretaries in the administrative and clerical offices on correct correspondence preparation and procedures. Directs the establishment and maintenance of the file and publications system of the Director's office, assuring compliance with governing regulations. Serves as timekeeper for assigned employees. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA) - Executive Secretary/PD03081 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 To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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 identification 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, 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, 06/18/2026. 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-8 position you must have served 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 as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: experience greeting and interacting with a variety of individuals from high-ranking executives to lower level employees; experience in an office or medical environment performing progressively complex secretarial duties; answering incoming telephone inquiries and correspondence; composing, proofreading, and editing correspondence, memorandums, policies, etc.; ensuring all correspondence, memorandums, policies, etc. contain correct format, grammar, spelling, and punctuation; utilizing microcomputer programs, such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook); scheduling appointments and conferences; interpreting rules, regulations, and policies; ensuring all correspondence, memorandums, policies, etc. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information 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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced 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/.
