Secretary (Stenography/OA)

Full Job Description

The position serves as the principal administrative support to the Chief of Staff at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center.

The Executive Secretary is responsible for managing the Chief of Staff's calendar, scheduling meetings, and coordinating travel arrangements.

This role involves preparing, reviewing, and editing correspondence, reports, and official documents, as well as screening incoming communications to prioritize matters requiring executive attention.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/23/2026.

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-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: experience greeting and interacting with a variety of individuals from high-ranking executives to lower level employees; experience in an office or medical environment performing progressively complex secretarial duties; answering incoming telephone inquiries and correspondence; composing, proofreading, editing correspondence, memorandums, policies, etc.; ensuring all correspondence, memorandums, policies, etc.

contain correct format, grammar, spelling, and punctuation; utilizing technology such as Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); coordinating complex calendars, meetings and travel arrangements.

Proficiency Requirement: In additional to meeting experience requirements, applicants for this position must show possession of the following skills: Ability to type 40 words per minutes 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 places no special physical demands on the employee. The work includes some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items as paper and books.

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 not limited to: Coordination with Chief of Staff: Meets daily or as needed with supervisor, discussing drafts of letters, publications, agenda for meetings, appointments, methods by which problems have been or will be handled, follow-up action on delayed action and related functions.

As Executive Secretary to the Chief of Staff, recommends solutions to problems based on knowledge of past practices, regulations and policy.

Responsible for all travel arrangements for the Chief of Staff. Coordinates coverage for the Chief of Staff position in his absence and insures notification of it to the appropriate hospital personnel.

Disposes of a large volume of inquiries daily that are received from the various services ranging from operating procedures to policy questions from professional and administrative functions of wide variety.

Consults VA Manuals as necessary in order to cite references, and has the responsibility of orienting all secretaries of the professional services regarding the administrative relationships and responsibilities to the Offices of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief of Staff.

Authorized to make independently assignments to staff members without discussion with Chief of Staff, such as requests for information to complete reports, teletypes request for data, requests from the administrative divisions for certifications and related functions.

Explains report requirements and arranges for submission of data to be assembled with other services.

Coordinates with Personnel, Medical Administration, Fiscal, and other administrative services related to Consulting and Attending appointment and control of funds, proficiency ratings, promotion requests, special work orders.

Manages correspondence. Schedules all appointments. Arranges meetings. Taking and transcribing dictation. Greets visitors and patients. Keeps time and attendance.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm. Work schedule subject to change based on agency needs. Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Secretary (Stenography/OA)/PD005820 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.