Staff Assistant

Summary

The incumbent serves as a Staff Assistant within the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) Senior Health System Specialists (HSS) team, functioning as a key administrative, operational, and program management resource for VISN executives and VISN-wide strategic initiatives. Operates with considerable independence in coordinating high-priority projects supporting the implementation of complex regional programs designed to improve health care delivery, access, and overall Veteran experience.

Duties

This job will close when we have received 75 applications which may be sooner than the closing date Duties include but not limited to: Manage complex administrative operations for the Network Director and Senior HSS, ensuring coordination of priorities, deadlines, and workflow across multiple VISN operational units. Provide technical support in project development, including goals, performance measures, and implementation strategies (e.g., development of goals, performance metrics, resource planning). Serve as a primary coordinator for strategic initiatives, high-visibility tasks, and critical communications requiring executive attention. Develops and manages high-level administrative systems that enable the Network Director and executive team to proactively identify and address emerging regional and national priorities. Designs and maintains complex tracking systems for executive priorities and deadlines; independently informs executive leaders of potential risks, leveraging judgment to recommend corrective actions. Compile, interpret, and brief leadership on workforce analytics, operational trends, and performance indicators. Conducts root cause analysis on complex operational or performance issues, develops and recommends targeted interventions and oversees the implementation of corrective actions. Prepare executive-level correspondence, reports, and briefing materials for VISN leadership, VACO partners, Congressional inquiries, and external oversight bodies. Maintain effective working relationships with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders, exercise tact, diplomacy, and professionalism, particularly when addressing sensitive, controversial, or politically charged issues. Manage Director-level calendars, action items, follow-ups, and suspense tracking systems- including identification of data needs and system improvements. Coordinate recruitment actions, onboarding processes, or other personnel actions at the Director level where appropriate. Identify emerging issues or controversies, elevate them to leadership promptly, and recommend resolution strategies. Identifies issues before they escalate and brings solutions, not just problems, to the Network Director's attention. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework. Ad-hoc telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Staff Assistant/PD00016VS 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 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, 10/09/2026. 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Working knowledge of health care administration and operations sufficient to understand access, quality, and Veteran experience performance metrics and their operational implications. Drafts and recommends process improvements, SOPs, or administrative guidance for management review and potential VISN-wide adoption. Using administrative and management analysis techniques sufficient to identify problems, evaluate alternatives, and recommend solutions related to organizational and operational effectiveness. Skilled in project management principles and practices sufficient to plan, coordinate, and track multiple concurrent projects with competing deadlines and stakeholders. Represents the office on working groups or committees at the VISN or facility level, sometimes leading or coordinating smaller project teams. Skilled in the use of standard office automation software (word processing, spreadsheet, database,and presentation applications) and VA-specific data systems and dashboards to compile and present information. Analyzes data and prepares reports to inform and support decision-making by VISN and HSA Executive Leadership. 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/. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, performed in an office setting. Some travel between VISN facilities may be required to support meetings, site visits, or special projects. NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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 Strategic Thinking Communication Decision Making Analysis and Problem Solving Planning and Evaluating 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. Area of consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order: 1st Area of Consideration: current permanent VISN 4 employees aligned under Legacy VISN 15, Legacy VISN 16, Legacy VISN 17 and Legacy VISN 19 VISN Network Offices (*SF-50 must show your current position is aligned under the VISN Director's Office) and CTAP eligibles. 2nd Area of Consideration: current permanent employees of the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System. 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. 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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 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/.