Program Support Assistant

Full Job Description

The Northport VA Medical Center is looking for a Program Support Assistant to assist with the Credentialing and Privileging process for Optometry and Ophthalmology clinical staff.

Performs a wide variety of administrative tasks associated with maintaining and supporting the work performed within the service.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/30/2026.

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-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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 as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least 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: performing a wide range of administrative and clerical duties such as scheduling, maintaining records, preparing correspondence, and supporting office operations; applying established procedures to track data, compile reports, and ensure program activities are completed accurately and on time; providing customer service to internal and external stakeholders by responding to inquiries, gathering information, and assisting with coordination of services.

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:

The incumbent performs a variety of administrative support functions for Optometry Service and the Eye/Vision Program.

Duties include monitoring and controlling correspondence and records, obtaining credentialing and privileging documents, performance improvement documentation, posting electronic time and attendance, preparing paperwork for submission to the Chief of Staff's office and Human Resources Management Service, providing administrative support to the VICTORS Program, IFCAP duties involving the service's control point, coordinates activities of the residency program and externship program, receives all visitors and answers telephone inquiries, makes travel arrangement and schedules appointments as required.

Performs work involving the collection and tracking of data and statistical information in support of the various Optometry programs.

Prepares and tracks program specific information, such as Performance Improvement data, residency documents, etc.

Uses software applications to extract data in the preparation of recurring and non-recurring reports. Analyzes existing or proposed internal reports to ensure procedures are followed.

Maintains the master files of standard operating procedures for the service. Maintains a database of Performance Improvement measures, updating as necessary.

Obtains, organizes, files and retrieves reports, correspondence and numerical data for use in preparing status reports, briefings and presentations.

Analyzes workflow for clinical staff in the clinic to determine potential problem areas and makes recommendations to correct these areas and to improve coordination between the various units.

Identifies and recommends ways of eliminating, combining, simplifying or improving procedures and processes.

Incumbent identifies issues, problems or conditions and seeks alternative solutions based on the evaluation of applicable rules, regulations and procedures.

Monitors clinic wait times and informs Service Chief of any concerns. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (8:00am - 4:30pm) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/PD02935O Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved