Secretary (OA) Nursing (THIS IS A DETAIL OPPORTUNITY)

Summary

The incumbent is assigned as the Secretary to the Associate Director for Patient Care Services (ADPCS) for the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System (VATVCBHCS), providing clerical support and coordination in support of the numerous and diverse functional areas and programs within the VATVCBHCS.

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Duties

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Duties include but are not limited to:

• Screens all incoming correspondence and reports. Obtains background information on incoming correspondence, assembles and summarizes information before giving to the ADPCS or designee for action.
• Responsible for review and final preparation of all outgoing correspondence, reports, etc. Documents prepared in other areas are reviewed to ensure correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, format and style. The incumbent makes the necessary corrections whenever possible or returns to the writer for correction.
• Types a variety of documents into final form, ensuring correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, format and style. Documents include letters, memos, reports of contact, minutes of meetings, policy memorandums, position descriptions, performance standards, personnel actions, requests for supplies, etc.
• Responsible for delivery of reports and presentations prepared by the AD PCS to the appropriate sections and services.
• Acts as a resource person for staff in administrative matters dealing with correct office procedures, proper formats for various letters and reports, timekeeping regulations, locating specific health care system directives, agency policies and procedures, etc.
• Maintains a calendar of appointments, meetings, conferences, and deadlines for the ADPCS. Schedules appointments and meetings based upon personal knowledge of the ADPCS workload and commitments. Reminds the ADPCS of his/her appointments and assembles/provides necessary files or other information required by the AD PCS before scheduled meetings. Reschedules meetings when conflicts arise.
• Ensures the ADPCS, AD, and COS are kept apprised of each other's schedules. Maintains pending files of material to be presented at meetings.
• Establishes, maintains, and dispositions ADPCS's administrative files. Maintains the filing system, which includes correspondence, reports, personnel and training records, project files, publications, and other directive material. Personnel records include positions descriptions, organization charts, position listings, employee service record cards, etc. Directive material includes all VATVCBHCS policy memorandums and applicable VA Directives and Manuals. Incumbent posts respective changes to these policy memorandums, directives, and manuals as they are received and routes copies of these changes to the respective staff.
• Responsible for arranging official travel for the AD PCS. Prepares travel requests, arranges travel itineraries, modes of transportation and computes the estimated cost of travel and per diem.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 0800-1630

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA) Nursing (THIS IS A DETAIL OPPORTUNITY)/ PD00380O

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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 ( 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, 06/10/2026.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-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: Knowledge of the duties, priorities, commitments, policies, and program goals of the staff sufficient to perform non-routine assignments. Knowledge sufficient to recognize which information is or is not relevant to the problem at hand. Knowledge required to coordinate the work of the office with the work of the other offices and for recognizing the need for such coordination in various circumstances. Skill in applying basic data gathering methods, such as standard interviewing or surveying techniques to collect several types of factual information. Skill in transcribing notes in final form via applicable policy. Knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word, Access, Visio, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Publisher. Knowledge of correct grammar, style and format, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure and vocabulary. Knowledge of agency policy and procedures in preparing correspondence. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 4 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 and Associates Degree.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Customer Service
• Performance Management/Quality Improvement Principles
• Clerical

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note : A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

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: 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:

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

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.