Secretary (Oa)

Summary

The Secretary supports the Chief of Surgery, the Surgery Service at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (MC). The incumbent provides specialized administrative and clinical support for the Surgery Service's Programs.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

03/25/2024 to 04/08/2024

• Salary

$45,613 - $59,298 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 6

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Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

• Pittsburgh, PA

• 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)

0318 Secretary

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Not Required

• Drug test

No

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CBSZ-12363578-24-JMB

• Control number

783334600

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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.

• Individuals with disabilities

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

• Special authorities

Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.

• Veterans

• Federal employees - Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

Clarification from the agency

Current federal employees of this agency. Federal employees who meet the definition of a displaced employee. Current Excepted Service federal employees. Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.

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Duties

The skills of a qualified typist are required, knowledge of proper grammar, spelling, punctuation and format are also needed in preparing a variety of documents for signature of the Medical Center Director and Chief of Staff. Knowledgeable of the Surgery Service organization, activities, programs, mission and goals used to properly route requests to the appropriate staff members for resolution; prioritize workload, and advise clerical and clinical staff on established procedures. Overall knowledge of the rules, regulations, policies and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs and this medical center's organizations. This knowledge is required in order to answer questions directed to the Chief of Surgery office, both from the private sector and other VA facilities and in the daily operation of the office. See below for other related duties.

Duties:

• Maintains meeting minutes and prepares them in the appropriate format for service chief review and signature.

• Reviews incoming correspondence (mailed and faxed), publications, regulations, and directives that may affect Surgery Service.

• Prepares letters, memorandums, non-technical reports for service chief review and approval.

• Ensures documents are grammatically correct and conform to customary business correspondence standards.

• Ensures all proficiencies and performance appraisals are current and issued on appropriate due dates to include pay for performance.

• Initiates initial credentialing paperwork for new staff, tracks staff on-boarding which includes: in/out processing for residents and students and processing paperwork for new employees.

• Assists staff in the completion of appropriate paperwork for travel as required by Education Department, including requests for the motor pool (vehicle usage).

• Serves as the service line timekeeper and provides coverage for other timekeepers as designated by service line vice-president or Administrative Officer.

• Coordinates services line staff meetings to ensure information is properly disseminated within the department.

• Utilizes various software products such as Microsoft Excel, Adobe Acrobat, Word, PowerPoint and other computer applications to complete correspondence and other essential office tasks.

• Greets and welcomes all visitors (patients and staff) and telephone calls and directs as appropriate to the service chief or appropriate recipient.

• Utilizes technology such as Microsoft TEAMS and other video telecommunication devices to facilitate virtual meetings.

• Maintains service line calendar of all scheduled appointments and meetings.

• Assists with all action items for Surgery Service by maintaining the action item calendar as well as organizing and compiling data for responses prior to the due date.

• Sorts all incoming mail and ensures it is sent to the correct destination within the service line.

• Orders office supplies such as envelopes, paper, and other essential supplies for administrative operations.

Work Schedule: 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM

Telework: Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD001450

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

• 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

• 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

• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/08/2024.

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 by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS- 6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge and skill in oral communications and interpersonal dynamics. Ability to demonstrate proper telephone etiquette always is essential. Ability to communicate verbally and in writing with a variety of people from different backgrounds and different levels of understanding. This may include clerical, technical, administrative, and professional (clinical and administrative) people at all levels in the agency. Knowledge and skill to independently use computer equipment with a wide variety of software such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Outlook, and VHA databases to extract and organize data, produce letters, memoranda, presentations and to prepare a variety of specific working documents and forms such as spreadsheets, database, word processing, desktop publishing, graphics and other similar products.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Clerical

• Computer Skills

• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)

• Writing

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.

Physical Requirements: No special physical characteristics are required of the incumbent. Work includes some bending, extended periods of sitting, kneeling, walking and carrying light items common to an office environment

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

Education

Successfully completed 4 years of education above the high school level. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. One year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial or technical school.

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: 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/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 http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

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

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.

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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 window

Learn 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.

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.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.