Secretary (OA)

Summary

This position is located within theMedicine Service Line at theRalph H. Johnson VA Medical Center located in Charleston, South Carolina. The position performs duties to assist one individual, and in some cases, the subordinate of that individual, by performing general office work auxiliary to the work of the organization. The position is the principal clerical or administrative support position in the office, operating independently of any other such position in the office.

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Duties

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• Receives visitors and incoming calls, resolves problems of both general and specific nature and referring matters to appropriate staff on the basis of knowledge of the various organizational components and individual responsibility.
• Personally takes care of many matters, including answering questions not requiring specialized technical/professional knowledge, either from personal knowledge or as available in the filing system.
• Provides assistance for a variety of problems and inquiries which are received in person, telephonically, or by referral from other secretaries or receptionists in the organization.
• Responds to requests for information and/or develops one-of-a-kind reports covering organizational or technicallyoriented matters when information is available in office records and/or files.
• This duty requires the incumbent to know where material is located, which data is appropriate for inclusion and how to compile and present the information to satisfy the request.
• Screens incoming correspondence for matters which can be acted on personally and takes necessary action.
• Refers to supervisor those cases which the incumbent is aware supervisor will want to act on personally or be made aware of.
• This correspondence may be of a sensitive or confidential nature to include medical records & information, personnel actions, committee or board findings, etc.
• Drafts letters of acknowledgment, commendation, and reply to general inquiries not requiring a specialized knowledge of programs and projects under supervisor's control.
• Signs routine correspondence of a non-technical nature in the supervisor's absence.
• Reviews outgoing correspondence for format, policy conformance, and typographical and grammatical accuracy and ensures that all necessary background material is attached as circumstance requires.
• Obtains information required by management from various sources within the VA, requiring a comprehensive knowledge of the VA's complex organizational structure.
• Collects such information, presenting in its original form or editing and revising as necessary.
• While reading incoming correspondence, determines that portion requiring personal attention or policy decision by supervisor.
• Researches regulations applicable to the subject for presentation in one package along with any previous correspondence on the same subject.
• Screens incoming documents from staff members to insure compliance with depot regulations or for discussion at staff meetings.
• Composes correspondence on own initiative, based on a knowledge of superiors views and desires.
• Typical subjects include administrative matters, letters of acknowledgement, general office and installation policies, acceptance of invitations, and cancellation of conferences.
• Prepares regular and special reports such as but not limited to time/attendance, leave, and degree of use of filing space, etc.
• Takes meeting minutes. Composes letters, endorsements, messages, office instructions, and reports, with responsibility for sentence structure, grammar, and spelling.
• On own initiative, follows up on projects resulting from conferences to insure that schedules are met and reports progress to managers.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:30 am - 4:00 pm or 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Compressed/Flexible: May be Authorized

Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad-Hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/ PD079510

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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 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, 07/17/2026.

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-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. 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-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: Administrative concepts, principles,`1` and practices such as preparing memorandums, reports, spreadsheets, and other documents and forms of correspondence; Skill in operating a personal computer. , using databases, word processing, spreadsheets, and other applications (i.e., Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, Outlook, Publishing, etc.) Screens calls and visitors as necessary and independently handles any matters, including concerns and requests.
• NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, GS level (if a federal position), duties, month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week.
• Proficiency Requirements: Applicants must be able to type 40 words per minute. Applicants may meet this requirement by passing the appropriate performance test, presenting a certificate or proficiency from a school or other organization, or by self-certifying their proficiency..

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

Physical Requirements: Physical demands include above-average ability, dexterity, and strength to perform the work. There will be walking, standing, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, carrying of items, driving of an automobile, etc. May be required to sit or stand for the majority of a normal tour of duty. Will lift and move equipment up to 20 pounds and will reach above shoulder level for technology installation or in assistance with technology installation. Fieldwork may involve travel for training activities, attendance at meetings, and conferences.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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

The Ralph H Johnson Dept of VA Medical Center & its CBOC's are committed to hiring a diverse workforce from various backgrounds and individuals who demonstrate a diversity, equity, and inclusion-related mindset and behaviors. We are strongly seeking candidates who represent the full range of cultural and identity factors, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation/identity, gender identity and expression, age, language, abilities/disabilities, socioeconomic status, religion, spiritual practices, geographic region, and other characteristics

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.

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

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.