Summary The Program Support Assistant provides administrative support to the Patient Advocate Office, assisting the supervisor with coordinating daily operations, manages meetings, phones, and office tasks to ensure Veterans, families, and visitors receive timely, accurate, and compassionate assistance. Responsibilities Administrative Operations Support (50%) Serve as central contact for the Patient Advocate Office; provide information and prepare responses. Maintain service chiefs' calendars; manage mail, calls, and visitors. Prioritize and distribute mail; screen calls/visitors and answer inquiries. Schedule appointments/meetings based on office priorities. Manage paperwork, track correspondence, and ensure timely follow-up. Serve as primary timekeeper: post leave, submit premium pay requests, audit timecards, and resolve exceptions. Maintain departmental files, VA regulations, reports, and suspense documents. Protect PHI/PII; follow all privacy, security, and HIPAA protocols. Participate in meetings and stay current on VA policies and required training. Monitor and order office supplies; maintain organized inventory. Coordinate office systems, provide staff training, and resolve workflow issues. Route complex concerns to appropriate staff; communicate details clearly. Identify workflow issues and suggest process improvements. Compile, analyze, and submit scheduled and nonscheduled reports. Summarize inquiries, identify key information, and prepare follow-up actions. Clerical Duties and Data Collection (50%) Greet and assist patients, families, and visitors; determine urgency of inquiries. Provide navigation and information support; promote a positive, patient-centered environment. Handle distressed callers with professionalism; triage and route concerns appropriately. Enter patient feedback into PATS-R daily; ensure accuracy and generate reports as requested. Assist Section Chief with required reports and compile workflow charts, staffing data, and organizational documents. Prepare charts, graphs, and narrative information using Microsoft Office. Perform other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Telework:This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/PD013410 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: May be required, depending on the needs of the organization. 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, 07/24/2026. 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-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: interpreting correspondence, mailings and directives; knowledge of basic organizational goals and daily operations; understanding of how different office functions connect; ability to recognize urgent matters and manage scheduling under pressure; familiarity with common computer systems and Microsoft Office; awareness of VA training programs and office tools; ability to use standard office equipment and prepare correspondence and reports; basic knowledge of VA policies to provide correct information; strong interpersonal and customer-service skills; proper telephone etiquette; ability to prioritize tasks, stay organized, and work accurately under pressure.. 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 in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) to meet the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). 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. 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/.
