Summary The Mental Health Service of the New York Harbor Healthcare System is comprised of three sections located at both the New York and Brooklyn campuses in addition to Chapel St. and St. Albans. Each section. The incumbent will function as Secretary/Program Assistant to the Chief of Staff of Mental Health, Chief Psychiatry and Administrative Officer of Mental Health. This is a temporary detail not to exceed 120 days. Responsibilities The incumbent is delegated authority in varying degrees to carry out those duties not requiring the personal attention of the Administrative Officer. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Manages and oversees the STARS Program (Substance Abuse Tracking and Report System for the City of New York). Arranges for training for the new clinicians, reports any problems and manages all of the sites by reminding the clinicians and coordinators that Program Reports and updates are required within a specified time frame. The hospital credentialing depends upon the timely expedition of these reports. Manages and oversees data collection for SUDS (Substance Use Disorder) related performance measures is also responsible for analyses and reporting of data collection. Will perform this work with minimal supervision and will demonstrate initiative in continual improvement of data collection and analysis. Provides assistance in the management of an organization by supporting analysis, planning, controlling, and monitoring personnel, supplies, equipment, facilities and/or financial resources. Types and proofreads technical and clinical manuscripts for publication in medical journals as well as grant proposals and speeches for presentation at professional meetings. This will involve knowledge of medical terminology that is highly specialized. Types in final form from rough drafts or oral instructions a variety of material such as correspondence, memoranda and statistical reports. Receives incoming correspondence and drafts replies to items as authorized by supervisor. Receives and screens telephone calls and makes decisions as to whether calls have to be directed to the attention of the Director, Chief of Psychiatry and/or Administrative Officer. Monitors the correct entry of statistical data for the Director, Chief of Psychiatry and/or Administrative Officer. Ensures that all the program reports such as annual reports, etc are completed in a timely manner and supervises staff for correctness of format. Organizes MH Service staff meetings for the Director of Mental Health. Keeps list of attendees, advises members of changes in schedule and takes minutes during meetings. Makes arrangements for scheduling outside speakers. Submits minutes and agenda to QM. Maintains supervisor's appointments schedule without supervision. Prepares travel requests for all program employees. Makes all off station travel arrangements for Director, Chief of Psychiatry and/or Administrative Officer. Supervises the procurement of supplies and equipment for the program and ensures that equipment is maintained properly. Serves as primary timekeeper for the service, updates leave calendar and informs ACOS/MH, Section Chiefs, and AO/MH of leave requests. Received inquiries from other services within the medical center, other agencies and federal officials. These may be handled through secretarial knowledge or referred to other employees. Demonstrates the facility policy of service excellence through phone and personal contacts. Prepares correspondence for the signature of the Chief of Staff and maintains records and files for same. Prepares and distributes monthly, list of staff physicians, residents and interns on duty at this division. Coordinates and prepares the monthly WHEN schedule and OD & ER backup schedule for Mental Health Service. Maintains schedule of activities, conferences, and meetings for ACOS/MH. Prepares and updates all 52s for all personnel changes within the Mental Health Service. Monitors and evaluates clinical credentialing activities and works with the AO/MH, Chief of Psychiatry and Psychology Service, to assure compliance. Also maintains an updated file on all Psychiatry/Psychology Service Staff credentialing such as licensing, registration certificates, etc. and the expiration of such. Acts as liaison between the numerous hospital staff members, VA Medical Center's QA/URC office and the Psychiatry Service QM office. Assist in training the clerical staff and will assist in reviewing procedures in the Mental Health Services. Specifically: Reviewing current administrative practices and procedures such as, pertaining to the SAR's program, TEMPO reports, input and follow-up on JCAHO data requirements and training follow-up, etc. used by staff and making sure they are consistent with those of the service and the NYHHS, such as related to personnel administration, timekeeping, project tracking and files management. Bringing any deficiencies to the attention of AO/MH. Preparing and updating the WHEN Schedule. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: NOT ELIGIBLE FOR TELEWORK Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA) - DETAIL/PD009320 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) Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/22/2026. 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: Prepares, edits, proofreads, and finalizes reports, correspondence, memoranda, statistical reports, and presentation materials, determines appropriate routing and priority handling for telephone calls and written correspondence, staff meetings, prepares agendas and minutes, coordinates attendance, and arranges outside speakers and conference activities, experience as timekeeper , maintains leave calendars and attendance tracking, prepares and updates schedules and related staffing schedules, utilizes Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, VistA, and other VA systems to manage administrative and reporting functions, provides administrative coverage and support for additional clerical areas and special projects as assigned, coordinates travel requests and arrangements Typing requirement: Must be able to @type 40 words per minute (wpm). 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 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. 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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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. 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/.
