Secretary (Unit Secretary)
Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System
Posted: March 6, 2026 (0 days ago)
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Veterans Health Administration
Department of Veterans Affairs
Base salary range: $37,764 - $49,094
Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-5. Bachelor's degree + some experience.
Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).
This job is for a secretary who supports the head of a facilities management team at a veterans' hospital in El Paso, Texas, by handling everyday office tasks like managing mail, scheduling meetings, and preparing documents.
It involves keeping things organized and running smoothly for the team that oversees building improvements, vehicle management, and maintenance.
A good fit would be someone detail-oriented with strong organizational skills and experience in administrative support, especially in a government or healthcare setting.
The Secretary provides administrative and personal assistance to the Chief, Facilities Management Service who reports to the Associate Director.
The major sections reporting directly to the Chief, FMS are the Capital Improvement, Fleet Energy Management, and Maintenance & Operations Section.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/10/2026.
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-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.
Examples of specialized experience includes drafting and/or processing correspondence/reports, Scheduling meetings, preparing agendas, taking minutes, preparing presentations, coordinating administrative work, maintaining timecards, maintaining records of employment, operating phones and two-way radios, preparing forms, utilizing office automation software, entering an monitoring work orders.
Proficiency Requirement: In addition to meeting experience or education requirements, applicants for Office Automation (OA) - any grade- position must show possession of the following skills: 40 words per minute typing speed.
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 Secretary resolves problems associated with the administration of FMS and is responsible for research and documentation of material for reports and assists in the dissemination of work associated with the function of the office and the service.
The Secretary will be responsible for a large variety of administrative duties relevant to the functioning of the Office of the Chief, as well as the functioning of the entire service.
The Secretary: Plans and carries out administrative and clerical tasks with the overall responsibility of ensuring all administrative requirements are handled correctly, in proper format, and on a timely basis.
Receives and reviews all incoming mail, makes proper distribution, and brings to supervisor's attention of any correspondence that requires immediate action.
Prepares drafts letters, memorandum, reports, and correspondence for accuracy and completeness.
Develops and maintains various logs for keeping track of projects, equipment requests, overtime reports, personnel actions, etc., and relays suspense dates and action items to subordinate staff.
Screens calls, greets visitors, and answers questions while exercising a friendly, courteous, helpful and cooperative attitude.
Maintains supervisor's calendar by scheduling appointments, coordinating meetings/conferences, and setting reminders.
Establishes and maintains administrative files in accordance with policies, procedures, and directives set forth for the department and its subordinate sections.
Processes travel requests by making travel arrangements and preparing travel vouchers for approval.
Monitors the use of services, supplies, and/or equipment for the office to ensure office operates smoothly and replenishes stock as needed.
Maintains administrative and personnel files, manuals, and regulations to ensure proper care of records, utilization of filing equipment, and disposal of records in accordance with agency policies.
Assists service by interpreting administrative policies, developing or implementing local policies, defining administrative requirements, and/or providing advice to management on related issues.
Maintains timecards and leave for the office, and reviews for accuracy prior to approval on a bi-weekly basis.
Performs a variety of activities using office automation software to prepare presentations, reports, correspondence; create electronic mail and forms; maintain calendar; perform internet searches; and organize spreadsheets and data.
Prepares and submits requests for personnel actions including promotions, transfers, appointments, adverse actions, etc.
Prepares organizational charts, graphs, materials for conferences, and data related to specific programs to ensure data collected is applicable, accurate and in the proper format.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:45 PM Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD013350 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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