Program Support Assistant

Summary This position is located within the Martinsburg VA Medical Center, Martinsburg, West Virginia, as part of Facility Management Service (FMS), Fire Department. Work assignments cover a variety of tasks associated with scheduling, coordination of activities and meetings, records management, personnel services, dissemination of various information, ordering supplies, reconciling, and training coordination. The incumbent supports the missions, goals and values of the VAMC, Martinsburg and VISN 5. Responsibilities Data Collection and Tracking Support Perform work related to office administration including issues related to budgeting, supply management and purchasing, personnel administration, time keeping, data processing, project tracking and files management. Work requires a broad understanding of the mission and how the functional areas interrelate along with a broad understanding and procedural knowledge of budgeting, purchasing, personnel and information processing so that the employee can perform duties and advise on how to apply budgeting, purchasing, personnel and information processing procedures; Maintains and updates AtHOC database, Incident Command System (ICS), Performance Improvement Measures (PIMS); tracks real world and exercise improvement plans via the Master Action Plan; The employee prepares documents for purchasing, processes requests through proper channels and tracks purchase documents. Coordinates training for the Fire Department and Emergency Management; Collects data for several office operations, analyzes the data, sets up controls to monitor them and troubleshoot as needed. Performs complex purchasing services as authorized by VA regulations, and is responsible for buying a variety of commercial items and services. Purchase card holder and must comply with all acquisition regulations; Federal, VA and local. Maintains all professional manuals, directives and instructions. Administrative Support Assists with clerical, statistical, and data entry tasks in support all programs in the service, using an automated data processing (ADP) system to create and delete files, search files and records, store or extract material from a variety of software packages to include word processing software and spreadsheets to transmit large amounts of information, and generate cumulative, statistical, tabular, narrative and graphic reports. Mail, Correspondence, Appointments and Calendar Receives visitors, telephone calls, distributes incoming mail and correspondence. Schedules meetings and conferences pursuant to the events on supervisors' calendar. Reviews outgoing correspondence for conformance with general policy, factual correctness, adequacy of grammar and related mechanical features. Coordinates training, providing input and specific information regarding the training programs available to assigned employees. Prepares travel documents, clearances, itineraries, schedules, summaries, etc., and maintains follow-up for timely administrative and fiscal approvals. Prepares travel documents, clearances, itineraries, schedules, summaries, etc., and maintains follow-up for timely administrative and fiscal approvals. Attends meetings, prepares and maintains meeting minutes, and follows up on action items with appropriate staff member independently. Publications Management Uses word processing and other types of software (spreadsheets, graphics, etc.), to process and produce a wide range of documents, some of which require complex formats, in support of the office automation functions. Creating, editing, and reformatting reports requiring advanced functions such as those required to generate table of contents, statistical data with multiple columns, technical directives, and correspondence, using database or spreadsheet software to enter, revise, sort or calculate, and retrieve data for standard or special reports and using graphics software to produce graphic symbols, charts, and graphs. Transmits, receives, and acknowledges various information such as electronic mail; messages etc. Responsible for correct grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and terminology used in the office; Identifies administrative functions in the organization, which can be automated utilizing knowledge of office functions; Provides assistance in revising and updating the current system; Responsible for maintaining, and tracking of service Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Medical Center Memorandums (MCMs). Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/PD08731O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not 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, 11/09/2026. 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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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 in the normal line of progression that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the Program Support Assistant at the full performance level (GS-7), and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience where you were responsible for providing administrative support functions within a healthcare facility; experienced with procurement processes necessary to obtain goods and services for an office; performing automation duties using such software applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, electronic mail, desktop publishing, maintaining calendars and scheduling, database and/or graphics; assisting in the formulation and execution of budget estimates to include updating budget spreadsheets which are used in briefings; collecting, compiling and tracking data and information; and researching reference materials, regulations, and standards to identify appropriate action necessary to correct problems or issues. 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 There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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/. Additional Information The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families, and other beneficiaries. The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence ("I CARE"). As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips. "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." Additional 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. 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/.