Administrative Specialist

Summary

This position is in the Veterans Administration (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Health Care Network (VISN 5), VA Medical Center (MC), Beckley WV, in the Executive Office. The incumbent reports to the Executive Leadership Team member, which is the Associate Director Patient Care Service, who manages multiple subordinate organizations with diverse and unrelated functions, and is a member of the Medical Center Executive Leadership Team administrative support staff.

Duties

Major duties include but are not limited to the following: Receives and processes all correspondence and documents transmitted through the Executive Office for review, approval and signature, establishing controls on certain items, including suspense items, recurring and non-recurring reports, medical center correspondence, etc. Prepares responses on correspondence, including memoranda, reports, etc. (written and electronic) on own initiative, utilizing reference materials as necessary Tracks Medical Center memoranda timeliness and reviews incoming memoranda prior to Executive Leadership Team review to ensure proper format and inclusion of necessary information. Ensures correspondence conforms to regulations and special policies of the Medical Center, is in proper format, contains correct grammar, and if applicable, that staff coordination has been completed. Returns inadequate transmissions to the sender Determines the appropriate staff activity for action, forwards correspondence; uses tracking system, follows up to assure action is taken; enforces rigid timelines; and assures receipt of pertinent information. Composes and types, in final form, official correspondence based on a knowledge of supervisor's views, desires, and past precedent cases, and from verbal instructions. Prepares special reports, data, or correspondence using a personal computer with a wide variety of software Supports supervisor and the service lines that report to the office of the Medical Center Executive Leadership Team Member in preparation for VISN Council/committee/work group meetings, establishes the agenda ensures the accuracy of data and prepares minutes when supervisor chairs a VISN council/committee/workgroup and when otherwise assigned In the absence of the supervisor, the incumbent assumes responsibility for ensuring requests for action or information from the Executive Office are assigned to the responsible personnel to satisfy the request Monitors resulting activities for briefing the supervisor, and decides whether matters should be brought to the supervisor's attention. Serves as liaison between the management staff and supervisor by providing accurate, timely information and guidance on procedures, reports, requirements, and other matters necessary to implement policies, directives, and instruction for the VAMC Reviews communications and develops standard paragraphs and form letters. Develops internal routing and flow patterns for communications Establishes, refines and monitors systems to ensure correspondence into and out of the executive offices are routed appropriately, processed timely and are completed at a level that only requires review by senior leadership with minimal or no changes prior to signature Establishes Executive Office administrative policies and procedures and provides guidance to medical center clerical and medical staff. Incumbent conducts regular meetings with Service/Service Line/departments to advise them of required administrative changes Plans and directs office procedures and formulates instructions for implementation of new office procedures. Conducts training sessions for clerical, administrative and medical personnel. Disseminates applicable correspondence, publications, and directives to Services/Service Lines impacted, in a timely manner Responsible for ensuring that service level and medical center policies and procedures are responsive, timely and consistent with agency polices, VA/HR guidance or established appropriate precedents. The incumbent provides narrative summaries, white papers, charts, graphs and briefing books as required the incumbent maintains complete documentation of management and staff information, including but not limited to competency folders and performance appraisals and updates information regularly Secures, assembles, and summarizes information from files, documents and memoranda, organizes the information develops reports and highlights the most important points when briefing the supervisor Tracks staffing levels and recruitment activities within the service lines that fall under the Medical Center Executive Leadership Team Member's office, drafts new and updates existing position descriptions Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc according to Agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Administrative Specialist/PD240990 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, slight physical effort may be required. Walking and traveling to other buildings/areas outside of the Program area is required. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/05/2026. 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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. For a GS-09 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 and/or education as described below: To qualify for this position at the GS-07 level, you must meet one of the following: 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: Ability to perform research for a variety of management initiatives sufficient to coordinate subject matter experts to facilitate management and organizational studies Knowledge of administrative management and HR concepts and practices sufficient to make changes in administrative polices and ability to devise and install office practices to improve office efficiency. Substantial knowledge of medical terminology to communicate effectively with medical personnel and to address patient concerns, complaints, and other feedback regarding the services both medical and administrative and organizations the incumbent supports. Knowledge of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and required formats, and skill in advising and instructing clerical personnel in subordinate staff activities concerning the preparation of correspondence, office procedures, and interpreting new instructions and procedures. Knowledge of timekeeping procedures, rules and regulations to process timecards Education: One (1) full year of successfully completed graduate level education or superior academic achievement, that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): SAA at the baccalaureate level in the coursework detailed above is fully qualifying. Applicants who wish to apply under this provision must submit proof from their educational institution that they meet one of the criteria listed below. To qualify for SAA, applicants must have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled and meet one of the following: Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university or major subdivision. A grade-point average of "B" (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. A grade point average of "B+" (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. For a list of recognized honor societies please visit http://www.achsnatl.org/quick_link.asp. For more information regarding SAA please visit http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-II/s2-e5.asp#e4f. OR Combination: equivalent combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education beyond a bachelor's degree may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-07 level. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. To qualify for this position at the GS-09 level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Program Specialist. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Ability to perform research for a variety of management initiatives sufficient to coordinate subject matter experts to facilitate management and organizational studies Knowledge of administrative management and HR concepts and practices sufficient to make changes in administrative polices and ability to devise and install office practices to improve office efficiency. Substantial knowledge of medical terminology to communicate effectively with medical personnel and to address patient concerns, complaints, and other feedback regarding the services both medical and administrative and organizations the incumbent supports. Knowledge of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and required formats, and skill in advising and instructing clerical personnel in subordinate staff activities concerning the preparation of correspondence, office procedures, and interpreting new instructions and procedures. Knowledge of timekeeping procedures, rules and regulations to process timecards Education: Successfully completed two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education or masters or equivalent graduate degree or LL.B. or J.D., in a related field of the position to be filled. Education at the graduate level must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR Combination: equivalent combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education in excess of the first year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-09 level. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. Preferred Experience: Proficient in Microsoft Office software and program applications. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Managing office operations. Prepare correspondence reports and presentations. Timekeeping. Organizational skills. Attention to detail. Ability to handle sensitive information. 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/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. How You Will Be Evaluated

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. Other Information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing. As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.