Secretary (OA)

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Office of the Director, Boise VA Medical Center, Boise, ID.

The primary purpose of this position is to provide an extensive range of administrative functions that contribute to the overall efficiency of the Medical Center's Executive Office.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 04/13/2026.

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 within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

For a GS-08 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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-07 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 clerical/administrative duties in an office environment; answering and directing phone calls; receiving visitors; preparing correspondence, reports, memoranda and other forms of written communication; reviewing documents for conformance with regulations, grammar, format and special policies; independently planning and establishing priorities; using a computer to perform a variety of support tasks; scheduling and managing a calendar of appointments; preparing travel arrangements; preparing agendas and minutes; monitoring/tracking programs or processes; and maintaining files/records.

NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, GS level (if a federal position), duties, month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week.

Please note: In addition to meeting experience requirements, applicants for this position must show possession of the following proficiency: Ability to type 40 words per minute.

Applicants may meet this requirement by passing the appropriate performance test, presenting a certificate of proficiency from a school or other organization authorized to issue such certificates by the Office of Personnel Management local office, or by self-certifying their proficiency.

Performance test results and certificates of proficiency are acceptable for 3 years.

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.

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:

Major duties include but is not limited to: Provides a comprehensive range of administrative and technical support for the Medical Center Director's office.

As the senior secretary for the Boise VA Medical Center Executive Office the incumbent ensures that the practices and procedures used by subordinate offices are consistent with those of the Executive Office.

Coordinates with other staff in the Executive Office to ensure smooth workflow and appropriate office coverage at all times. On own initiative, recommends changes in administrative policies.

Responsible to receive all visitors and telephone calls for the Director.

Reception responsibilities frequently require initiative, knowledge and decision making on the part of the incumbent, who represents the facility in highly sensitive contacts.

Screens all contacts to determine the nature and purpose of calls and refers calls not requiring the Director's attention to appropriate senior staff, or independently addresses matters without referral.

Determines the proper course of action on these administrative matters. When situations must be referred to the Director, the incumbent furnishes the Director with information to aid in the discussion.

Interacts frequently with both internal and external customers to resolve a variety of complaints made by patients and their families including potentially hostile or aggressive visitors.

Independently exercises exclusive responsibility for maintaining a complex calendar for the Medical Center Director.

On own initiative and discretion, establishes and adjusts priorities, schedules or reschedules appointments, accepts or declines invitations to meetings.

On own initiative coordinates with staff involved in the meetings; arranges for appropriate meeting facilities, either at the Medical Center or at remote locations, including audiovisual equipment, teleconferencing equipment, etc.; prepares and distributes agenda or visit itinerary; arranges for refreshments or meals as appropriate; assists with travel arrangements or provides information on lodging and travel as appropriate.

Responds to inquiries and administrative problems brought to the Director by members of the staff and officials of the agency' central office, VISN 20, state and local governments, other hospitals and organizations, other federal agencies, and congressional staff.

Prepares a wide variety of recurring internal reports and documents from information obtained from the staff, files, and other sources As senior secretary in the Medical Center the incumbent processes all incoming communication received by the facility executive team, including information received by electronic transmission, telefax, and hard-copy mail.

Independently and on own initiative manages all incoming action items and assigns responsibility for completion to the appropriate staff from all levels of the organization, using own judgment in all but exceptional cases.

Independently establishes appropriate deadlines for action items, taking into consideration the complexity of the action required, the need for review/approval by top management, and the assigned suspense date.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:30a.m. to 4:00p.m. OR, 8:00a.m. to 4:30p.m. (MST). Telework: This is not a Telework position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD602320 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized