Program Support Assistant

Summary

This position description is located at the Department Veteran Affairs, Richmond, Virginia, in the Nutrition and Food Service Department as the Program Support Assistant to the Administrative Officer, Nutrition and Food Service. The primary purpose of this position is to provide a wide variety of administrative, clerical, and technical support to Nutrition and Food Service.

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Duties

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• Receives request for information, advises when the information can be furnished, and provides it personally from files and records or follows up with staff to see that it is provided. Provides work involving the collection, compilation, and/or tracking of data and statistical information in support of the NFS program operation. Reviews documents and reports for completeness and enters patient information into an automated tracking system or creates spreadsheets to track them.
• Provides a wide variety of recurring and non recurring correspondence, reports, and other documents.
• Collects, assembles, and complies data for recurring, special and one time administrative and management reports.
• Performs database full searches. Prepares, executes and/or track program specific information.
• Uses email to compose and retrieve correspondences and electronic health care records to access and retrieve confidential patient information.
• Schedules appointments, coordinates meetings, and arrange conferences. Serves as timekeeper for the site and maintains service record cards for all employees.

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: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm

Telework: ADHOC

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant 99930-A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO):

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.

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 06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS 05 . 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:

• Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience that equipped them with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-05) 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 and skill in applying analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to issues or studies of the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations and substantive administrative support functions (internal activities or functions such as supply, budget, procurement, or personnel which serve to facilitate operations); knowledge of pertinent laws, regulations, policies and precedents that affect the use of program and related support resources such as budget, procurement, Human Resources, Joint Commission, travel, and time and leave; knowledge of work processes and administrative operations to increase organizational effectiveness; developing new or modified work methods, organizational structures, records and files, management processes, staffing patterns, procedures for administering program services, guidelines and procedures, and automating work processes for the conduct of administrative support functions or program operations; assisting in the development of and changes to policies and procedures at the local level while adhering to National Directives; analyzing problems and presenting written and oral recommendations, taking into full consideration the wide range of factors and requirements applicable; coordinating a credentialing and privileging process and reconciling contradictory requirements; adjusting to changes in policies, procedures, and work deadlines; leading or participating in interdisciplinary team development and task accomplishment; communicating verbally with a variety of people from different backgrounds and different levels of understanding; and using computer equipment with a wide variety of software such as Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, Access, and other databases to extract and organize data, produce letters/memorandums, and prepare a variety of working documents. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Successful completion of a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree, two (2) full years of graduate level education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D. in a related field that demonstrates my ability to perform the duties of this position. NOTE: This education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university. If you select this option, you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate-level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. NOTE: The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. If you select this option, you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

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

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.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66 .

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: NOT Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): NOT Approved

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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.