Telephone Operator

Summary

This position is located in the Business Administration Service (BAS) of the Las Vegas VA Medical Center in North Las Vegas, NV.

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Duties

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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

• Operating the agency telephone system;
• Answering phone calls, determining precedence for emergency calls;
• Following policies and procedures to route incoming calls to their proper destination and/or providing information to callers;
• Operating and monitoring a number of systems including public access (PA) paging;
• Utilizing paging software to page code teams such as the Rapid Response Team and other staff as appropriate;
• Providing directory assistance to medical center staff;
• Working as the sole switchboard operator as needed;
• Training new and relief switchboard operators;
• Receiving calls from police and providing information to police in situations where police intervention is required;
• Logging incidents utilizing an electronic online computer system;
• Handling a variety of difficult calls requiring personal involvement including threatening, abusive, or disgruntled callers;
• Interviewing callers to determine the proper routing of the call;
• Performing related duties as required.

Work Schedule: Tuesday - Friday - 8:00AM - 4:30PM + Saturday - 7:00AM - 3:30PM - Sunday and Monday - OFF

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized.

Requirements

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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 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

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS GS-04:

EXPERIENCE: Possess one year of progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position. This experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit.

~OR~

EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION: Possess an associate's degree or 2 years of successfully completed education above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. Transcripts required.

~OR~

COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: Possess an equivalent combination of general experience and graduate education as described that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of the position. Experience must be detailed in your resume. Transcripts required.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Decision Making
• Listening
• Manages and Organizes Information

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.

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; religious; 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.

Physical Requirements: The work is usually sedentary but may involve some standing and walking to consult directories and manuals. The work is normally performed in a well-lighted, temperature controlled room. Normal safety precautions are required.

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

Education

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

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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Additional information

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.

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.