Program Support Assistant

Summary

The position serves as a Program Support Assistant under the Support Services section under the Business Office, Health Administration Service (HAS), at the VA Boston Healthcare System.

This is an OPEN CONTINOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until July 1st, 2026. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be referred periodically every 15 days until the position is filled.

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Duties

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The Program Support Assistant position is to provide a wide variety of administrative, clerical, and technical support to Support Services within the Business Office/ Health Administration Service.

Duties will include, but not be limited to the following:

• Support Training activities by helping provide information and demonstrations on mailroom, telephone operation, reproduction functions, equipment use, and safety procedures.
• Support scheduling activities and help ensure appropriate staff coverage throughout all units and campuses.
• Provide resolution and information for minor customer and staff issues. Keep supervisor abreast of workload and service issues.
• Monitor ongoing work tasks and process LEAF requests. Assists in producing mail expenditure reports and reproduction reports for supervisor as needed.
• Monitor section working conditions and environmental factors to help maintain an overall safe workspace. Refer to supervisor for safety issues.
• Respond to a high volume of calls efficiently and promptly.
• Responds to all emergency situations that may occur, alerting the supervisor and proper Medical Center Staff and outside authorities.
• Operate and maintain the overhead paging system, which is used to notify key personnel as a notification system for fires, cardiac arrests, and psychiatric crises, and disasters.
• Interpret and relay information recorded, provide back-up call to Boston Fire Department, current alarm company, notify Medical Center Police and other key personnel.
• Sort internal and external mail for delivery and complete delivery routes in accordance with facility procedures.
• Assess and prepares outgoing mail to establish proper handling, adequate postage, and application of special services, or use of alternate carrier.
• Analyzes incoming mail for the necessity control and/or date stamping.
• Prepares outgoing mail for processing by sorting prior to mail being metered.
• Operate the Reproduction Unit and handle the routine operation and maintenance of all equipment assigned to the Unit.
• Evaluate available duplication options to choose the most cost-effective approach within guidelines provided by management.
• Maintains reproduction log and provides weekly productivity statistics.
• Maintains the reproduction supply inventory to ensure continuity of service.
• Evaluates copies to be reproduced to preclude duplications of effort and to insure clarity of finished product.
• Responsible for all aspects of reproduction services including copying, collating, and fastening all copies as requested.
• Provide coverage at other VA Boston campuses as needed.
• Knowledge of telecommunications including incoming and outgoing lines used for local, long distance, overseas calls, and to connect to other campuses.

Work Schedule: West Roxbury :12:00a- 8:00a, 8:00a- 4:30p, 4:00p- 12:00a. (including weekends and holidays). Jamaica Plain: 7:30a- 4:00p (Monday- Friday); Full-Time, 40 hours per week.

Telework: Not Authorized.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Recruitment Incentive: Not Authorized.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

Position Description Title/PD#: Program Support Assistant/PD03500A

Physical Requirements : Work is performed in an office setting; work is sedentary with some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items.

Preferred Experience: Customer service oriented with excellent communication skills, Attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple tasks including in high stress situations.

Notifications:

• This is not a Bargaining Unit position.
• This position is in the Competitive Service.
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted.
• This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation. Veterans preference does not apply to this announcement. Veterans are encouraged to apply.
• Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104 (1) and (3)] must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System. Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc. is required
• 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.

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.

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 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.

GS-05 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes but is not limited to: 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 to be filled.

OR;

Education: Successfully completed four (4) years of education above the high school level in any field. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with the application.

OR;

Experience and Education Combination: Have an equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement, and the specialized experience as described above, meets the total experience requirements for this grade level. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application.

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.

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: 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.

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.

A supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

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 well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at

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.

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.

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.