Administrative Assistant

Summary

This is a developmental position, located at the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center (DC VAMC), office of the Associate Director for Patient Care Services (ADPCS). This position composes a career ladder structure to the full performance level of Administrative Support Assistant.

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Duties

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Major Duties are but not limited to:

• This position is responsible for a broad range of administrative duties required to administratively support seven clinical specialty service lines within the Nursing Service.
• Provides guidance to managers, supervisors and staff in personnel matters involving staffing, leave administration, employee relations, and training issues.
• Effectively enhances the ability of the office to support overall mission requirements through developing methods for automating administrative data collection requirements and reports.
• Acts as an Automated Data Processing Application Coordinator (ADPAC) for the specialty service line(s) assigned.
• Performs several roles as a VA TMS Administrator.
• Serves as a Key Coordinator for the Service Key Control Program.
• Performs time and attendance duties when staffing levels dictate the need for additional support.
• Prepares memos as needed for employees who need to request advance leave.

Data Collection, Management and Analysis:

• Performs work involving the collection, compilation, review, tracking, and provision of real-time data and statistical information in support of the organization's program operations.
• Evaluates internal programs, policies, procedures, and guidelines for administrative support program activities performed in all Patient Care service lines.

Resource Management:

• Plans and coordinates a variety of general office support services, including but not limited to requisitions, purchases, storage, maintenance of stock levels, installation repair, and maintenance and disposal of office equipment.
• Serves as the Fund Control Point Clerk/Requestor and manages office supply functions by initiating local purchases, sole source procurement, and GSA catalog purchases.

Government Purchase Card Duties: The incumbent is an authorized user of a Government Purchase Card (GPC), and maintains the card for the assigned Service line in accordance with all requirements for meeting the standards of documentation and reconciliation as set forth by VA Handbook 1730.1, Use, and Management of Government Purchase Card, dated August 27, 2008. Initiates purchases in support of events and supply needs of the Office of the Director of Nursing Services. As mandated by VACO and VISN 5, cardholders will be held accountable for the following but not limited too:

• Complying with all Federal, VA, and local acquisition regulations, using mandated socioeconomic entities and complying with the Javis-Wagner-O'Day Act and using mandatory sources.
• Ensuring the acquisition of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-designated products.
• Verifying funds availability prior to making purchases and complying with single purchase and monthly cardholder limits placed on card.
• Inputting of order into IFCAP, within one (1) workday of purchase with vendor, to include correct control point, cost center, and budget object class (BOC) for that transaction.
• Undelivered or partial and unmatched payments pending beyond thirty (30) days must be reviewed and necessary action taken.
• Reconciling payment charge from Government Purchase Card vendor within fourteen (14) calendar days of receipt of IFCAP purchase card message. All payments must be reconciled within 40 days.
• Ensuring purchases represent reasonable prices unless a premium is justified and documented.

Preferred Experience:

• Administrative experience within the last 3 years within medical setting
• Experience with timekeeping for a large unit
• Demonstrated customer service skills

Physical Demands: Work is primarily sedentary. Work will involve some walking between various offices as well as standing, bending, and lifting of objects or boxes weighing 20 pounds or more. Duties include a significant amount of work that will require viewing large amounts of information on a computer screen, and involve a considerable volume of typing.

Work Environment: Most duties will be performed in an office setting. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts, which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting, and training rooms, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:00pm, Monday - Friday

Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized

Telework: Authorized. AD-HOC Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Administrative Assistant/ PD21021O

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
• 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, 10/26/2026.

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. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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:

GS-6 Grade Requirements:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the Federal Service, that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of an Administrative Assistant, GS-6 position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position and that is typically in or related to the work of the positions.
• Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of the missions, policies, goals, and operating programs of the organization, as well as governing regulations, principles, and policies. Knowledge of clerical and administrative skills and service procedures, policies, priorities, program goals, organization, and functions of the office necessary to coordinate the procedural work within the office, as well as coordinate work with other offices and agencies. Ability to perform non-routine assignments, draft brief responses to routine correspondence, locate information in files, and prepare summary reports. Skill in communicating both orally and in writing, to include preparing and presenting both formal and informal reports and correspondence, coordinating and interacting with other activities, VA clinic staff and Veterans, and implementing new or changed procedures and policies.

GS-7 Grade Requirements:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the Federal Service, that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of an Administrative Assistant, GS-7 position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position and that is typically in or related to the work of the positions.
• Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Practical knowledge of the missions, policies, goals, and operating programs of the organization, as well as governing regulations, principles, and policies. Broad working knowledge of the complex care provided by the diverse specialty Service lines and providers in Nursing Service. Knowledge of various office automation applications such as Excel spreadsheets, word processing, graphics, and databases. Ability to perform non-routine assignments, draft brief responses to routine correspondence, locate information files, and prepare summary reports.

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

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

"Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing. As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care."

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.