Administrative Officer (PALMS)

Full Job Description

The incumbent serves as Administrative Officer (AO) aligned to the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (PALMS), VAMC (541), Cleveland, OH.

This position reports directly to the Chief of PALMS and assumes administrative and programmatic responsibility for the daily operations of the Service and its sections.

The AO acts in a full staff capacity and serves as principal advisor to the Chief of PALMS, Assistant Chief, other of subspecialty PALMS services, and the general staff.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/11/2026.

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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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: GS11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Creating reports, coordinating and scheduling meetings, and submitting requests/work orders using a personal computer and office automation programs (such as word processing, spreadsheets, etc.); maintaining and updating department or service-level databases and shared computer drives; accurately preparing timecards for submission and processing; resolving timekeeping issues related to overtime, holiday pay, unscheduled hours, and various types of extended leave; managing and balancing financial aspects of general fund control points and purchase procedures; and preparing and submitting requests for recruitment, promotion, reassignment, and disciplinary actions .

OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D.

or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M.

in a field related to this position that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position..

OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first two years or 36 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements.

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: The work is primarily sedentary and is usually accomplished while the incumbent is comfortably seated at a desk or table.

Some physical demands such as standing, walking, bending and lifting (up to 40 pounds) is required.

Physical exertions including stretching, reaching, and pulling or pushing carts occurs when assisting with inventories or activities involving retrieving items from shelves and cabinets 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/.

Major Duties:

Primary Service representative responsible for working with Human Resources Management Service (HRMS) in the following areas: recruitment, compensation, promotions, awards, benefits, position classification, performance/position management, leave administration, training, disciplinary actions, grievance procedures, equal opportunity, merit promotions, and labor management relations.

Provides expert advice to the Service Chief, Section Chiefs, and Supervisors on the PALMS Service's human resources needs.

Recommends appropriate staffing levels and types of positions needed to provide cost effective manpower utilization that is consistent with program objectives, highest quality health care, and sound position management.

Maintains and updates the Service's organizational chart and personnel distribution list.

Acts as approving manager in HRSmart and Manager Self Service (MSS) for the Service, the AO directs the preparation, organization, and presentation of all personnel documentation and personnel actions.

Shares oversight responsibility with the Service Chief for performance appraisal and merit pay programs.

Provides advice and justification for physician pay,the need for scarce specialty pay, and special fee basis rates.

Reviews and prepares Service recommendations to HRMS regarding incentive awards, disciplinary/adverse actions, or performance-based actions, as appropriate.

Provides information, as needed, for the Credentialing & Privileging Committee activities related to clinical staff in the Service.

Establishes and oversees Service-level controls for use of sick leave, annual leave, and overtime/compensatory time.

Reviews Service appointments, promotions, incentive awards, disciplinary and adverse actions, job classification, and separations to ensure technical accuracy, completeness, and consistency with the Service's mission and objectives, as well as compliance with VA regulations.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Administrative Officer (PALMS)/PD944980 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized