Telephone Operator

Duties to include but not limited to:

Information Receptionist:

• Personally. provides information of a routine nature and receives and directs callers to the appropriate areas.
• Provides general telephone and visitor referral services.
• Refers callers to appropriate facility or program area based on specific request or by ascertaining the nature of the call.

Operates Facility Automatic Call Distribution Telephone System:

• Operates telephone system to receive and route incoming and outgoing calls utilizing complex computerized equipment and telecommunications software.
• Interviews with incoming callers and routes the calls to their proper destination.
• Provides telephone and organizational information to callers.
• Regularly provides customer service to a variety of difficult calls requiring personal involvement on the part of the employee such as
  threatening abusive or distraught callers.
• Initiates trace with local telephone and police authorities on threatening or emergency related calls.
• Answers recurring types of telephone calls such as internal network and routine long-distance calls.
• Maintains a record of all calls requiring emergency interruptions toll calls and long-distance calls showing the time the call was placed the staff person requesting the call and the number that was requested.

Furnishes Information:

• Assists customers concerning telephone extensions. organizational functions and staff information.
• Receives telephone trouble calls. maintains a trouble log and notifies the supervisor or telephone technician of troubles.
• Answers/places non-routine telephone related activities such as international calls and faxes and records the date/time facility name of the person. number requested and other pertinent information.
• Operates the internal and external paging system to facilities paging requests.
• Performs telecommunications support work to a variety of technical and/or administrative programs in the network.
• Set up monitors and send confirmations for bridge-line conference calls.
• Operates automatic telecommunications systems. and/or performs support and service functions requiring knowledge of telecommunications processing sequences procedures user and/or program functions and or techniques associated with the maintenance of the system.

Maintenance of Computer Documentation:

• Modifies and maintains operation manuals reference books and/or instructions associated with programs and systems used in the Telecommunications unit.
• Modifies and maintains computerized trouble information book emergency interrupt information books toll call information books long-distance information books and emergency cascade call information books.

Telecornmunications Equipment Operator:

• Operates equipment such as printers. code alarms long range paging system desk attendant telephone console overhead paging system other monitoring equipment as needed. Activates and controls standardized computer system and peripheral equipment specifically related to operations.
• Tests the telecommunications equipment for operation monitoring and controlling operations during processing and takes prompt action in response to programmed instructions. machine failures or unscheduled halts.
• Monitors same and initiates corrective action.
• Maintains documentation of troubles in the log as well as maintains and troubleshoots equipment making changes as required based on established procedures.
• Assists in training other personnel in the proper use operation and care of telecommunications equipment specifically the desk attendant telephone console and corresponding headset.
• Assists the implementation of telecommunications security procedures and performs appropriate system maintenance

Preferred Experience:

• Must speak fluent English
• Experience providing outstanding customer service

Work Schedule: Rotating shifts 8:00am-4:30pm4:00pm-12:00am12am-8am rotating weekends and holidays.
Compressed/Flexible: Not Approved
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Telephone Operator/PD260214A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

• 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 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 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.

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 09/11/2026.

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-04 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-03. 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 and/or education as described below:

• General Experience: You must have one year of general experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-03 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of general experience would typically include but are not limited to: progressively responsible clerical office or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled. OR
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 2 years above high school. Education must have been obtained in an accredited business secretarial or technical school junior college college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours 45 quarter hours or the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business secretarial or technical school. OR
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of general experience and education. You must have an combination of general experience and education.

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