Administrative Officer

Summary This position is in the at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Mountain Home, TN, with locations also in Knoxville, TN within the Dental Service. The primary reason for this position's existence is to function as the Administrative Officer (AO) for the Dental Service, with responsibility for directing and coordinating the administrative, operational, and planning activities of the service. Responsibilities This position maintains responsibility for the administrative management of the Service, with final authority being exercised by the Service Chief. This position's primary functions include but are not limited to: assisting with strategic planning and creating and maintaining statistical data for decision-making purposes; administering and monitoring cost-effective service operations; developing local clerical and administrative policies as appropriate; and applying analytical methods and tools to evaluate program activities and their effectiveness. This position is responsible for performing duties of an administrative nature, carrying out analytical trending and evaluative work associated with the service and ensuring that all contracts are developed, maintained, and implemented in accordance with the applicable regulations, directives, and policies. Duties include but are not limited to: Personnel Administration and Management Work Administrative Management Provides for the overall administrative management of the Dental Service. Exercises independent and creative judgment in accomplishing major duties. This may include interpreting administrative policies, developing local policies, defining administrative requirements, and/or providing advice to the Chief on related issues. The Administrative Officer provides substantial input into policies and action plans to ensure Dental Service is in compliance with VA Central Office (VACO), VISN, Joint Commission, and other entities as appropriate regarding all phases of performance improvement and quality management programs. Interacts frequently with VA management and personnel, VACO, VISN and community officials to keep abreast of substantive service issues within the organization. Human Resources/Personnel Management Coordinates the personnel management program form Dental Service performing or overseeing all aspects of human resources requirements. Advises the Chief and Supervisors regarding procedures, laws, regulations and policies dealing with recruitment, merit promotion, employee and labor relations, employee career development, human resources training, and other human resources related activities. Monitors, coordinates and tracks all on-going and projected personnel actions and continuously apprises management of status. Maintains files and documents on all personnel actions, and coordinates actions with appropriate staff or supervisor. Completes and reviews reports; analyzes trends, timeliness of processing actions, and status of numerous actions and identifies deficiencies or discrepancies; recommends plans to improve efficiency of processing actions and solutions to eliminate recurrence of unfavorable conditions. Advises Chief and supervisors of human resources award procedures, policies, and processes for deserved recognition for their employees. Responsible for creating and preparing award packages for employee contribution awards and other criteria awards. Ensures that performance ratings are submitted in a timely manner in accordance with regulatory guidelines. Prepares all Resource Allocation requests and Leaf submissions. Budget/Fiscal Manages budget formulation and execution for a changing budget of administrative expenses involving different funding sources, and participates with managers in reviewing needs, plans, and goals to develop budget data and justification for review and approval. Advises the Chief on budgetary and finance issues. Manages the Strategic Equipment Planning Guide (SEPG), prepares all equipment packets, and presents pre-procurement and FEC. Prepares budget estimates based on historical information and identifies need for changes. Serves as a Control Point Clerk and places orders when necessary. Space Planning Responsible for developing space requests and coordinates movement of assets with Engineering Service and Environmental Management Service (EMS). Coordinates the administrative aspects of office moves, office construction, and other facility improvements including furniture, equipment, telephones, and short-term storage. Represents the Dental Chief at facility Space Committee Meetings. 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, 6:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Administrative Officer/PD604600 and PD604590 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements 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, 08/14/2026. 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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-09 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized would typically includes, but are not limited to: Helping an administrative service run efficiently, organizing files, arranging travel for executives, coordinating, and applying a high level of customer service. Overseeing administrative functions, greeting internal customers, answering phones, replying to emails, conducting research and compiling reports, scheduling meetings/events, superior time management, and organizational skills; assisting managers with a wide variety of administrative functions including sensitive and confidential matters; using computer systems programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc., VISTA and electronic filing. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree or 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree. GS_11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Helping an administrative service run efficiently, serve as lead to HR administrative team members, managing the Dental Service and Audiology and Speech Pathology Service line budget, organizing files, keep updates HR databases, create and present report for senior managers, arranging travel for executives, coordinating, and applying a high level of customer service. Overseeing administrative functions, greeting internal customers, answering phones, replying to emails, conducting research and compiling reports, scheduling meetings/events, superior time management, and organizational skills; assisting managers with a wide variety of administrative functions including sensitive and confidential matters; using computer systems programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc., VISTA and electronic filing, HR Action Suspense tracking, experience working with specific HR programs such as the All Employee Survey (AES), Workforce Planning, performance evaluation review and/or submission monitoring process; taking minutes; formulating proposed administrative directives and policies; using Microsoft Office programs at an advanced level to include Power Point; conducting feasibility analysis on administrative process and making recommendations; providing advice and/or instruction to high level managers and/or leadership; monitoring process; taking minutes; formulating proposed administrative directives and policies; using Microsoft Office programs at an advanced level to include Power Point; conducting feasibility analysis on administrative process and making recommendations; providing advice and/or instruction to high level managers and/or leadership. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first two years of graduate education is creditable towards meeting the specialized experience requirement. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part or your qualifications on education.. Medical and/or Dental Knowledge Preferred. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Education 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: 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