Program Support Assistant

Summary The primary purpose of the position is to assist the Fisher House Manager in providing temporary lodging - a "home away from home" - to family members of patients being treated at the Miami VA Healthcare System by participating in the direct, on-site management and administration of the Fisher House program. The organizational location: The position is at the Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center Fisher House, Office of the Assistant Director, Miami VA Healthcare System. Responsibilities Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Serves as the point of contact for initial inquiries regarding policies, procedures, standards; lodging eligibility; referral processes; staff volunteer opportunities; responsible for monetary and offer of in-kind donations. Conducts orientation and ensures all Fisher House standards and house rules are followed. Serves with full program authority in the absence of the Fisher House Manager including supervision of staff and volunteers. Receives and addresses guest complaints using tact and diplomacy. Enforces compliance of program expectations, including the removal of the guest. Complies with health, safety, privacy, sanitation rules and regulations. Will assist with monitoring cleanliness and safety of the communal living areas and guest rooms as needed. Assists in the preparation and tracking of work orders relative to repair and maintenance issues. Plans and develops controls and procedures regarding acceptance of donation and gifts. Assists in the development and update of informational bulletins, brochures, and resident packets. Ensures funds are protected and accounted. Implements Fisher House Manager's new procedures, regulations and guidelines concerning operations. Establishes and maintains various automated databases on program operations such as occupancy, referral sources, average length of stay, guest demographics, etc. Assembles facts, evaluates information, and drafts reports and correspondence for Top Management and Central Office. Responsible for staff support to ensure effective planning, operation, and evaluation of an active well-balanced Voluntary/Community Relations Program. Authorized to terminate volunteers who fail to follow established procedures. Has the latitude to reassign volunteers as required and to counsel them concerning violation of rules and regulations. Available to give lectures and presentations to the community as well as organizes tours of the Fisher House to interested community partners and other agencies on the Fisher House mission. Develops information and communication for use on multiple platforms within and outside of Miami VA Health Care System, including electronic, print, and graphic design content to support the electronic Fisher House newsletter and the Fisher House website. Prepares a monthly house calendar, weekly house bulletins and promotional materials for events within the house for guests staying at Fisher House. Uses specific digital and social media platforms including writing, editing and graphic design relevant to support a broad base of initiatives, program launches, issues, and efforts to support the broadest methods of communications with the widest audience possible. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/PD077580 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this 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 or trial 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, 06/05/2026. 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- 7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS- 6. 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: 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: Coordinating meetings and scheduling conferences; Assists in the development and update of informational bulletins, brochures, and resident packets. Participate in activities that ensure the facility is in compliance with health, safety, privacy and sanitation rules and regulations. Utilize multiple digital tools including SharePoint database, Microsoft Excel, Word, and Publisher to track inventory, generate reports, and maintain accurate property records. Coordinating the integration of community volunteer participation by developing and implementing a comprehensive proactive community relations plan. Managing budget status and controls and makes necessary spending adjustments. Processing incoming and outgoing materials such as correspondence, reports, memoranda, and other forms of written communication; Assists in the preparation and tracking of work orders relative to repair and maintenance issues. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Accountability Attention to Detail Communication Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Technology Application Written Communication 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 minimally sedentary. Frequent walking, climbing stairs, standing, carrying household items and files and driving an automobile to and from project sites are required. No special physical demands are involved. Work Environment: The work involves normal discomforts associated with an office and home environment. There may be occasional exposure to dust and dirty conditions of guests' rooms and other elements common to a home environment. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. 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 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. 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.