Secretary (OA)

Full Job Description

Provides administrative support to the Office of the Associate Director for Patient Care Services (ADPCS) at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX.

The position serves as principle clerical and administrative support position to the ADPCS and carries out and coordinates all clerical and day-to-day administrative support activities which are typically required to accomplish the work and objectives of the office.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/17/2026.

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-8 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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: Prepares a wide variety of recurring and nonrecurring personal and executive reports and other documents from information obtained from staff, files, and other sources; Enters overtime and/or compensatory time requests as appropriate and prepares memorandums as needed regarding tour of duty changes, etc.; Frequently checks prior and current pay period exceptions ensuring they are cleared; Reviews and processes incoming and outgoing correspondence, reports, and other materials submitted for the ADPCS signature; Receives and screens directives directed to the ADPCS and brings to the supervisor's attention those elements affecting the ADPCS' areas of responsibilities; Uses multiple office automation software with varied functions to produce a wide range of documents that often require complex formats, such as graphics or tables within text, editing and reformatting electronic drafts, and updating or revising existing databases or spreadsheets.

In addition to meeting the experience requirements, you must be able to type at least 40 words per minute.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Manages and Organizes Information Interpersonal Effectiveness Clerical Attention to Detail Communication 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: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work.

Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site.

Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

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 are not limited to: Establishes and maintains logs showing the status of actions and correspondence.

Ensures that files include all required documents and all documents are properly signed.

Responds to routine and non-technical requests for information such as status of reports, suspense dates for matters requiring compliance and similar information readily available from files.

Receives incoming correspondence, screening material prior to distribution for suspense dates, establishing controls and following up with appropriate administrative staff as needed.

Reviews correspondence prepared for the Office of Associate Director for Patient Care Services and prepares same, checking for spelling, typographical errors, and conformance to established VA and CTVHCS formats and procedural requirements.

Performs a variety of administrative support duties, such as making extensive travel arrangements; making complete arrangements for large conferences; composing complex and technical correspondence, locating and assembling information for various reports, briefings, and conferences; following up with staff members to ensure various commitments made at conferences and meetings are met; assembling and coordinating narrative and tabular material, etc.

A qualified typist is required.

Performs primary timekeeper duties for the Office of the Associate Director for Patient Care Services and those individuals reporting directly to the Director and Associate Directors, that include posting of time, monitoring leave balances, ensuring exceptions are cleared and timecards are completed and signed in a timely manner.

Enters overtime and/or compensatory time requests as appropriate and prepares memorandums as needed regarding tour of duty changes, etc.

Prepares pay period exception reports for the T&Ls assigned to the Office of the Associate Director for Patient Care Services for each pay period.

Frequently checks prior and current pay period exceptions ensuring they are cleared. Establishes suspense dates for exceptions with the appropriate supervisor.

Updates timekeeping delegation of authority as required.

Manages the calendar of the Associate Director for Patient Care Services and the Staff Assistant to the Associate Director for Patient Care Services.

Makes appointments based on personal knowledge of the schedule and commitments of the Office of the Associate Director for Patient Care Services.

Reschedules and rearranges appointments as independently needed.

This always involves multiple service chiefs and multiple logistical problems, requiring the incumbent to exercise initiative and creativity to accomplish.

Exercises good judgment in rearranging calendar and meetings. Schedules appointments and makes arrangements for time, participants, and location of meetings in accordance with instructions.

Makes necessary arrangements for broadcasting through CCTV or V-tel, travel, schedules of visits, reservations, notifying organizations and officials to be visited, and submitting travel vouchers and reports.

Receives visitors and telephone calls to the Office, determines the nature of requests and directs callers to appropriate staff. Screens callers as appropriate.

Provides the information desired when routine or procedural matters are involved.

Serves as patient representative and demonstrates creativity and initiative in resolving consumer problems expeditiously to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction.

Shares these experiences and interacts with team members to ensure maximum dissemination of information.

Refers irresolvable problems (with proposed alternative solutions) to his/her immediate supervisor in a timely manner. Requests, records, and reports all training received by the AD staff.

These duties include: preparing request for funds for registration fees and travel expenses, administrative leave, and vouchers for reimbursement; and preparing training reports for inclusion in the employee's Official Personnel File.

Responsible for arranging official travel for the AD. Prepares travel requests, arranges travel itineraries, modes of transportation and computes the estimated cost of travel and per diem.

Work Schedule: 0730-1600 OR 0800-1630, Monday- Friday Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD032440 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized