Summary Position is located within the Social Work service line at Columbia, SC VAMC providing administrative support to programs administratively assigned under the Social Work Service line. The employee provides specific duties that encompass both administrative and clerical work in order to support the various office functions of each program. Responsibilities Major Duties include, but are not limited to: Processes incoming and outgoing materials such as correspondence, reports, memoranda, and other forms of written communication for each program assigned within Social Work Service. Composes and edits letters, pulls reports for accuracy and completeness, prepares presentation outlines/slides, develops standard or formal letters and replies to inquiries. Prepare a variety of recurring reports, reviewing outgoing correspondence for proper attachments or consolidating/coordinating submittals of information. Assist and notify supervisors of important office issues and brings significant items in reports, files, and correspondence to the supervisor's attention. Provides office supply and equipment support services, such as obtaining standard office supplies and services, procuring or justifying the full range of office services, or answering questions concerning policies and procedures related to support/office services. The incumbent follows up on all action items with appropriate program coordinators independently. Acts as liaison to program coordinators and staff within the VAMC and provides accurate advice on procedures, reports, requirements and other matters necessary to implement program policies, directives and instructions. The incumbent schedules non-patient appointments, coordinates meetings and/or conferences. Attends staff meetings, prepares meeting minutes and follows up on action items with appropriate staff. The incumbent also arranges for meeting space and support arrangements for large conferences. Incumbent sorts and distributes all mail for each specific program within SWS. Provides general calendar maintenance such as maintaining calendars and recording appointments, arranges for meetings and small conference administrative details and follows up on action items with appropriate staff members independently. Maintains mailboxes for the service by creating and labeling the mailboxes. As time and attendance keeper for each program within Social Work Service the incumbent posts daily time and leave information to employees' computerized timecards, ensuring accuracy and alerting employee and/or supervisor, as applicable, regarding discrepancies to be resolved prior to certification of timecards. Provides back-up for clinic cancellations. Gathers all planned leave from all T &L's to record in the daily SWS bulletin. Arranges and schedules for training courses, assuring all classroom requirements and/or equipment are available. Changes password, logs CEU credits for SWS, and ensures employees are under correct supervisor in TMS. Incumbent assists new program employees with Vendor Enrollment Form in order to do any traveling. Assists current employees in filling out travel form before signature of Chief of SWS to include making sure it is on the proper travel form for the correct year. Assists employees with motor trip ticket if employee is not flying. Maintains copies of approved requests, etc. for timecard files and documents timecard posting of "travel status" or "authorized absence" as applicable. Performs office automation duties using such software application as electronic mail, desktop publishing, calendar, spreadsheet, database, and/or graphics. Provides computer operator, clerk, and/or technician support directly to data processing centers, individuals or for computer functions within an organizational unit. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday: 8am to 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Support Asst (OA)/PD018440 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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, 07/06/2026. 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-6 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to where you are responsible for providing administrative support; collecting, compiling and tracking data and information; processing documents and reports; establishing, updating and maintaining office files and records; performing automation duties using such software applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, electronic mail, desktop publishing, calendar, database and/or graphics; and providing information and customer service. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. 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 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/.
