Secretary (OA)

Duties include but are not limited to:
Health Care System Policy Management
The incumbent manages the Health Care Systems policies by conducting system-wide policy reviews for update and renewal as required in the management of the VANTHCS policy program to ensure regulatory compliance. Incumbent is accountable for reviewing all systems policies in collaboration with system staff to ensure compliance with VHA Directives Office of the Inspector General (OIG) The Joint Commission (T JC) and all other regulatory requirements.

Incumbent drafts policy statements analyzes effects of existing and proposed policies and makes recommendations for policy changes as needed. Makes recommendations for any related organizational policy changes. Audit reports and dashboard are to be compiled and submitted to Chief QM at least once a month.

Personal Contacts
The incumbent receives refers schedules and contacts members of the staff agency and persons outside the agency ranging from other government agencies to the general public. The incumbent is regularly involved in high level contacts with visitors and callers from such organizations as: congressional offices members of the news media state and local officials high ranking officials in the field of industry public action groups attorneys presidents of major national or international firms or organizations and/or leading representatives of federal government.

Incumbent must demonstrate tactfulness diplomacy and politeness to all individuals seeking assistance or information from the Garland Administrative Office. Acts as a resource person for staff in administrative matters dealing with correct office procedures proper formats for various letters and reports timekeeping regulations locating specific health care system directives and agency policies and procedures. Communicates the Operations Adminstrators assignments messages and information to his/her subordinates.

Office Operation and Oversight
The incumbent screens and monitors the flow of written communication through the Garland Administrative Office. Responsible for ensuring timely completion review and final preparation of all outgoing correspondence and reports. Documents prepared in other areas are reviewed to ensure correct grammar spelling punctuation format and style. The incumbent discusses unsatisfactory correspondence directly with originator and arranges for rewriting or personally revises and furnishes informational copies to initiating office.

Maintains a calendar of appointments meetings conferences and deadlines for the Operations Administrator. Schedules appointments and meetings based upon personal knowledge of the Operation Administrators workload and commitments. Reminds the Operation Administrator of his/her appointments and assembles/provides necessary files or other information required before scheduled meetings. Reschedules meetings when conflicts arise. Ensures the Operation Administrator is informed of deadlines follow-up actions and appointments.



Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am to 4:00pm or 8:00am to 4:30pm
Telework: This position may be authorized for adhoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD004650
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Approved
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification 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)

• 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 02/06/2026.

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-08 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 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: INTERPERSONAL SKILLS - Assist in all types of correspondence to different customers in a professional manner ; SELF-MANAGEMENT - Such as: personally review and responding to requests for information and preparing reports within established time frames ; TECHINICAL COMPETENCE - Such as: uses various functions of several types of office automation systems reviewing correspondence utilizing computer systems thoroughly screening materials and reviewing data for accuracy.


For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at

Required Experience:

Junior IC