Program Support Assistant

Summary

This position functions as the Program Support Assistant at the Tennessee Valley Health Care System (TVHS), Murfreesboro TN. The incumbent serves as the Program Support Assistant to the Office of the Chief, 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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The duties require knowledge of clerical and administrative procedures and requirements, various office skills, and the ability to apply such skills in a way that increases the effectiveness of others. The duties do not require a technical or professional knowledge of a specialized subject-matter area. The primary purpose of this position is to perform numerous tasks which are dissimilar in kind, but which have in common the purpose of assisting the work of one or more persons in an organization. The core duties of this position include but are not limited to:

• Provides technical guidance to other service support staff on changes to format, policies, and standard operating procedures for clerical processes; establishes priorities for the office daily and consults with the the service chief on complex and/or unusual issues.
• Provides clerical support to the service leadership by placing and receiving calls, scheduling appointments, and organizing meetings and conferences as required.
• Makes travel arrangements for all conferences and administrative meeting arranging schedules of visits and reservations utilizing knowledge of format, ability to schedule various modes of travel, knowledge of staff's schedule and travel regulations.
• Prepares correspondence, forms, manuscripts, and replies for the service chief utilizing typing skills, proper format, and regulations governing release of information.
• Records and prepares minutes of meetings.
• Ensures that performance ratings are submitted in a timely manner in accordance with regulatory guidelines.
• Performs budget execution functions to ensure that expenditures are consistent with budget formulation plans as the fiscal year progresses.
• Receives, independently responds to, and files correspondence, records and reports; ensures that incoming correspondence is screened prior to distribution for suspense dates, establishing contacts and follow-up.
• Collects and organizes sensitive information to use in writing response to controlled correspondence, congressional, and reports of contact.
• Serves as timekeeper for the service; Maintains an up-to-date VA policy manual on time and attendance and disseminates any new changes to the regulations to staff as required.
• Directs administrative support services to ensure that inquiries, correspondence, and actions for the area of responsibility are addressed appropriately; develops information papers and correspondence on wide variety of administrative functions.
• Makes arrangements for travel, including preparation of travel requests/orders, vouchers, and accommodations for official travel for the service chief.
• Reviews and interprets new and established directives, instructions, regulations, etc., and delegations of authority for potential impact on program objectives, operating policies, work operations, and progress.
• Responsible for protecting sensitive information from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion; following applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc.
• Collects, compiles, and tracks data and information in support of the Section's operations; maintains educational requirements, send reminders to staff regarding delinquent training, and tracks staff education.
• Utilizes various computer software applications including VISTA/SharePoint, word processing, spreadsheets and database programs in performance of daily duties.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday | 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM CST

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/ PD708140

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

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.
• 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, 07/29/2026.

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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. 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.

• Examples of appropriate SF-50s include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50s at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

In addition to the Time-in-Grade Requirements, you must also meet specialized experience.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below.

• SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as:
  
  
  • Independently managing complex calendars, scheduling high-level meetings, and prioritizing competing demands.
  • Drafting clear, professional correspondence, memorandums, standard operating procedures, and instructions to ensure appropriate and timely routing and grammatical correctness.
  • Supporting project timelines, tracking deliverables, and following up with staff for required action.
  • Communicating with staff at different levels, including leadership, stakeholders, and the public.
  • Handling sensitive, confidential, or high-visibility information with discretion.

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.

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.

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

The 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.