Program Support Assistant

Summary

This position serves as Program Support Assistant within the Support Service Division (SSD) as Time and Leave Clerks. This position is located with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA), Regional Office (RO). The primary purpose for this position is to process and maintain attendance and leave records, all travel authorizations and vouchers, and PIV sponsorship and issuance.

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Overview

• Accepting applications
• Open & closing dates

09/30/2024 to 10/07/2024

• Salary

$39,576 - $57,354 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 5 - 6

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Location

3 vacancies in the following location:

• Roanoke, VA

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

• Travel Required

Not required

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent

• Work schedule

Full-time

• Service

Competitive

• Promotion potential

6

• Job family (Series)

• 0303 Miscellaneous Clerk And Assistant

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Other

• Drug test

No

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

• Suitability/Fitness

• Financial disclosure

No

• Bargaining unit status

Yes

• Announcement number

314-2024-SH-12559859-(BU)

• Control number

811909100

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This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open ONLY to current, permanent employees of the Roanoke, VA Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Office and Veterans Affairs (VA) CTAP eligible(s).

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Duties

Major Duties:

• Maintains accurate time and attendance records with accurate data input into the automated processing system.
• Assist all employees in pay issues and timekeeping corrections assuring that all time is accurately recorded, entered, and documented.
• Responsible for daily preparation, maintenance, and timely submission of time and attendance reports for all RO employees in accordance with appropriate regulatory authority.
• Responsible for posting of time all hours worked, leave taken, overtime, compensatory time, credit time for all RO employees on a daily basis.
• Maintains a working knowledge of the PIV badging systems and sponsors for all employees, affiliates, visitors, and contractors as necessary.
• Incumbent is responsible to ensure timely daily data entry, validation of time-cards biweekly, supervisory levels approvals as needed, and certifications to meet the pay run processing biweekly deadlines.
• Incumbent will modify, view, add, or delete PIV as required with applicant and sponsorship within the PIV Enrollment Portal website.
• Based on a sound knowledge of the organization and programs under the SSD's span of control the incumbent independently resolves problems associated with the administrative and operational functions within SSD.
• Incumbent serves at the primary travel clerk for the entire station to include Loan Guaranty (LGY). Incumbent will prepare travel authority in accordance with federal travel regulations in the approved federal travel system.
• Must be familiar with all federal VA travel regulations to properly assist all travelers with all aspects of travel.
• Incumbent will perform other duties as assigned.
• Provides coverage for the SSD front office as needed.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm

Compressed/Flexible: Available (Alternate work schedules may be available)

Telework: Available (This position may be authorized for telework)???????

Virtual: This is not a virtual position

Position Description/PD#: 41956A, 41943A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: No

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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Requirements

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
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: 10/07/2024.

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.

• For a GS-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04 level.
• For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05 level or higher.

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.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education substitution as described below:

Specialized Experience

GS-05 LEVEL: You must meet either 1, 2, OR 3 described below.

• At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal Service performing the following duties independently or with minimal supervision: basic data entry, maintaining time and attendance records, customer service, daily preparation and reviewing of time and attendance reports, travel clerk, assessing and understanding the organizational workflow requirements, and timekeeper responsibilities. Working knowledge of VA automated processing systems and performing other duties as assigned.

OR

• A Bachelor's degree (in any field) or four (4) years of education above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree.

OR

• A combination of experience as described in "1" and education as described in "2" which totals at least one year. [To compute, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of education beyond two years by 60. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify.]

GS-6 Level:

You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least to the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: Federal Service performing the following duties: data entry, maintaining time and attendance records, extensive customer service, daily preparation and reviewing of time and attendance reports, travel clerk, assessing and understanding the organizational workflow requirements, and serving as the principal timekeeper. Knowledge of VA automated processing systems, and performing other duties as assigned.

• Education Substitution: No education for the GS-06.

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.

Volunteer Experience: 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.

Physical Requirements: Work requires some physical exertion such as extended periods of standing, frequent bending, reaching or similar activities necessary to set up, operate, adjust and monitor operation of the equipment. The employee lifts a variety of moderately heavy materials and supplies such as mailbags or large quantities of paper stock.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.

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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

VA 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.

Receiving Service Credit or 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 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 (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), https://www.va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf.

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

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• Benefits

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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.

Review our benefits

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

• Attention to Detail: Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
• Clerical: Knowledge of filing, typing, entering data, maintaining records, taking shorthand, and using and completing forms.
• Customer Service: Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
• Decision Making: Makes sound, well informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Organizational Awareness: Knows how social, political, organizational, and technological systems work and operates effectively within them. This includes the policies, procedures, rules and regulations of the work unit or organization.
• Reasoning: Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.
• Technical Competence: Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job-related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.