Summary The Primary Purpose of the Position is: To provide a variety of administrative, clerical, and technical support to the Chief, Audiology and Speech Pathology Service, Audiologists, Speech Pathologists, and Audiology Health Technicians. The position also uses office automation programs and software such as word processing, spreadsheet and database management in support of the clerical and administrative work. The Organizational Location of the Position is: Audiology and Speech Pathology Service. Responsibilities Duties may include but are not limited to: The employee plans, coordinates, organizes, and controls the various clerical, clinical, and administrative phases of the Audiology and Speech Pathology Program, and independent service that provides comprehensive treatment of speech, hearing and swallowing disorders. The employee supports the clinical and administrative section of the ASPS and acts as a liaison between the ASPS and other referral sources to the clinic. The incumbent performs duties with minimal assistance from the Chief, ASPS and must provide operational support using various methodologies that are analytical, administrative, interpretative and coordinative, Advises the staff regarding procedures, guidelines, qualify improvement issues and data collection and analysis. The incumbent provides the Chief, ASPS, with information for final presentation. Incumbent acts as a liaison between the ASPS staff and patients from clinics and referral sources both within and outside the medical center including Community Based Outpatient Clinics. The incumbent is responsible for coordinating clinical and administrative activities among the four campuses of the ASPS VANTHCS located at Dallas, Fort Worth, Bonham, and Tyler to enhance patient care. The incumbent must have knowledge and skills necessary to recognize the dimensions of problems, gather the necessary information, establish facts of the case, and take or recommend action based upon application or interpretation of established guidelines, The incumbent must take actions and/or make recommendations that are consistent with quality patient care. The incumbent performs work involving the collection, tracking, and/or compilation of data and statistical information in support of the Chief, ASPS, Provides support in the management of the Audiology and Speech Pathology program of the VANTHCS, The incumbent receives and initiates telephone calls for the ASPS regarding medical and non-medical appointments, questions, and complaints. The incumbent solves problems when possible or refers to other staff and appropriate personnel. The incumbent distributes information to appropriate staff and monitors schedules, consults, and staff assignments so workload is distributed to meet mandated performance measures. Telephone calls are forwarded to appropriate staff, when issues arise involving patients, family, staff, or visitors, the incumbent will make proper referrals if unable to resolve the issue. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant (Office Automation)/PD09133A 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. 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 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 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, 07/10/2026. 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-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Preparing a wide variety of recurring and nonrecurring correspondence, reports, and other related materials; Review and process incoming and outgoing correspondence, regulations, and directives; Reviews and finalizes correspondence/documents to final draft; Proficient in various office automation software and processing procedures; Receive telephone calls, greet visitors, determine nature of call or visit; Provides customer service to meet the needs of customers constructively and appropriately.. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have four years above high school. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond high school. 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 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/. NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. NOTE: If your school was accredited at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. 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/.
