Program Support Assistant

Summary

This position is located at a VA medical facility in the Health Professions Education (HPE) Office (HPEO) and is organizationally aligned under the Associate Chief of Staff for Education, Designated Education Officer (DEO), who reports to the Chief of Staff (COS). The purpose of this position is to coordinate administrative and support services to assist the HPEO in fulfilling requirements related to VHA's academic mission and program requirements of OAA and HPEO accrediting bodies.

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Duties

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Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Operations Support-

• Provides technical and administrative guidance necessary to achieve efficient service operations within the VA medical facility and maintain stakeholder satisfaction.
• Prepares and tracks documents and correspondence to coordinate actions and close action items.
• Anticipates obstacles to operational management that are likely to interfere with the accomplishment of objectives and takes or recommends the necessary action to prevent their occurrence.
• Assists management and supervisors with human resources (HR) processes, catalogs actions and paperwork, and provides advice to accomplish supervisory goals. This includes assisting in writing position descriptions, job analysis, preparing performance plans and appraisals, processing training requests, TMS administration, and drafting disciplinary and adverse actions.
• Provides required documents within required timeframes for position management, hiring actions, FTE requests, and performance appraisals.
• Provides administrative orientation and training to new employees within HPEO.
• Provides support to management in a wide range of strategy development and planning; ensures that appropriate and consistent sources of information are available; assess management techniques, processes, and styles for improving organizational effectiveness; assists with the implementation of management improvements in administrative areas; and assists in the development of program documents for personnel matters, and organizing logistics for review processes, accreditation reviews or site visits, and tracking outcomes.
• Facilitates performance measure goals by monitoring, reporting, and acting on suspense items, accreditation standards, needs assessments/surveys, and budgetary requirements.
• Assists in the formulation and execution of budget estimates and assists with preparing and updating the budget spreadsheets which are used in budget briefings. Provides financial support in both the formulation and execution phases of the allocation of HPEOs operating accounts.

Program Support-

• Assists with the administrative tasks and processes required for oversight of paid and WOC HPTs and others associated with a complex health care system, which includes employees, executive facility management, academic affiliates, and HPTs.
• Provides administrative support for program development meeting the needs of the VA medical facility's HPEO programs.
• Prepares facility level executive briefing and decision materials, OAA documents for signatures, reports, and other documents as directed by management.
• Manages and maintains electronic files and program data in SharePoint and on shared drives.
• Provides support for data collection, data entry and financial analysis work.
• Participates in internal program office budget discussions.
• Coordinates special projects by performing a variety of duties such as collection and compilation of information involving administrative or support issues.
• Prepares and assembles information to develop draft reports, recommendations, or presentations.
• Utilizes data that monitors the learning environment and educational experiences of HPTs to support HPEO management's advocacy for changes if needed.
• Assists in the verification of full accreditation of HPEO programs and processing of program letters of agreement, Trainee Qualifications and Verification Letters, and/or educational activity records for renewals, signatures, and appropriate filling.
• Plans and/or provides support for conferences, workshops, meetings, etc. to include preparing the draft agenda and ensuring that appropriate working papers and reports are complete and ready for presentation.
• Prepares and distributes approved agendas, prep materials, and minutes of meetings.
• Oversees logistics, planning and preparation for HPEO meetings including scheduling, materials, travel and lodging arrangements, and special events.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as necessary.

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: 8:00 am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday

Telework: Ad Hoc

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant / PD99463S and PD99462S

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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 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, 10/15/2026.

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. 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.

• Note: You must submit a copy of your most recent personnel action/SF-50. Additionally, 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.

Interchange Agreement: Applicants must be eligible under the VA Interchange Agreement, having served continuously for at least one year in the other merit system under this interchange agreement. For more information regarding the VA Interchange Agreement please visit: may qualify based on your experience as described below:

GS-06

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience 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: The work requires knowledge and skill in office automation, of software programs and automated systems utilized by VHA. Knowledge is applied in developing new or modified work methods, organization structures, records, files, management processes, staffing patterns, procedures for administering program services, guidelines, and procedures, and automating work process for administrative support functions or program operations. Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work. Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information, organizes, and maintains information or information management systems. Knowledge of the policies, procedures, and precedents that apply to directives related to executive correspondence, travel, procurement, fiscal, and human resources.

GS-07

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: The work requires knowledge and skill in office automation, of software programs and automated systems utilized by VHA. Knowledge is applied in developing new or modified work methods, organization structures, records, files, management processes, staffing patterns, procedures for administering program services, guidelines, and procedures, and automating work process for administrative support functions or program operations. Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work. Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information, organizes, and maintains information or information management systems. Detailed knowledge of the policies, procedures, and precedents that apply to directives related to executive correspondence, travel, procurement, fiscal, and human resources. Knowledge of planning, coordination, and execution of business functions, resource allocation, and production. Knowledge of the federal government travel regulations and the ability to interpret the rules, successfully convey guidance to staff and make recommendations for processes improvement to the travel system. Knowledge of human resources pertinent laws, regulations, policies, and precedents to support management and staff. Skill in using information management and analysis software, including spreadsheets, other data, graphics, presentations, and flowcharting software.

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. Typically, the person in this position may sit comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking, standing, bending and carrying of light items like papers or books. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

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.

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.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Interchange Agreement: Applicants must be eligible under the VA Interchange Agreement, having served continuously for at least one year in the other merit system under this interchange agreement. For more information regarding the VA Interchange Agreement please visit:

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

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.

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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