Secretary (OA)

Summary

The position performs duties to assist the Chief, Engineering Service of the Mountain Home VA Healthcare System (MHVAHCS), Mountain Home, Tennessee, and subordinate supervisory and clerical staff, by performing administrative work and coordination of clerical support for the entire service. The position is the principal clerical and administrative support position in Engineering Service, operating independently of any other such position in the service.

Duties

• Knowledge of the duties, priorities, commitments, policies, and program goals of the Engineering Service sufficient to perform non-routine assignments. The purpose of the work is to carry out the administrative processes of the office of the Chief Engineer. This position serves as liaison between the Chief Engineer and subordinate units; consolidating reports submitted by subordinate units; and arranging meetings involving staff from outside the immediate office. The work affects the ability of the Chief Engineer to accomplish work through the provision of essential support services. Ability to independently record notes, track and follow up on commitments made at meetings and conferences by Engineering Service staff members; shifting clerical staff in subordinate offices to take care of fluctuating workloads; or locating and summarizing information from files and documents by recognizing information relevant to the problem at hand. Skill and ability to coordinate the work of Engineering Service with the work of other services and departments, and for recognizing the need for such coordination in various circumstances. Ability to provide advice to clerical staff in other services and departments concerning such matters as information to be provided for use in committee meetings or reports. The secretary performs a full range of clerical and administrative support functions for Engineering Service, including arranging for travel and meetings, and assembling reports. Decisions regarding what needs to be done require the secretary to recognize differences among clearly recognizable situations. Actions to be taken or responses to be made differ in such things as the sources of information or the kinds of transactions or entries. Decisions at this level are based on knowledge of the procedural requirements of the work coupled with an awareness of the specific functions and staff assignments of the service. The staff of Engineering Service is organized into subordinate units. Direction of the staff is exercised through intermediate supervisors, and the subordinate units differ from each other in such aspects as subject matter, functions, relationships with other organizations, and administrative requirements. There is a system of formal internal procedures and administrative controls, including Engineering Service cognizant Medical Center Memorandums as well as Engineering Service Memorandums and a formal reporting system to include VACO, VISN and Medical Center level reports and suspense items. Coordination among subordinate units is sufficiently complex to require continuous attention. Engineering Service has the responsibility for coordination of work outside the department for various committee meetings, reports, suspense items, and other activities such as space moves, utility outages, and inspections by outside organizations. The incumbent works under general supervision of the Chief, Engineering Service. The supervisor sets priorities and deadlines for some specific assignments. The incumbent plans and carries out the assignments in accordance with the established policies and practices of the Medical Center. Priorities and deadlines for the day-to-day workflow of the Chief Engineer's office are set by the incumbent based on knowledge of the overall functions and projects of the entire Engineering Service. The secretary locates and selects the appropriate guidelines, references, and procedures for application to specific cases, referring situations to which the existing guidelines cannot be applied, or significant proposed deviations to the supervisor. The secretary may also determine which of established alternatives to use. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 7:45am-4:30pm Telework: Not Eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD602390 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Required: A qualified typist is required.

Qualifications

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-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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: GS-6 SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as: Assembles, summarizes, and tabulates data and statistics from multiple sources, ensuring their accuracy before submission. Processing and editing incoming and outgoing correspondence, reports, and memoranda; reviewing documents for grammatical errors. Compiles information for and prepares a variety of recurring and one-of-a-kind detailed reports and documents using a variety of computer software. Insures that reports are prepared and forwarded within established time-frames. Reviews and prepares all congressional correspondence received by Engineering Service for necessary action. Maintaining files of correspondence and events. Preferred Experience: The ideal candidate should have extensive experience providing high-level administrative and secretarial support in a complex and fast-paced healthcare, academic, or similar organization. Experience must include managing executive schedules and calendars, coordinating meetings, handling sensitive correspondence, compiling and preparing reports, and maintaining office files and records. The candidate must demonstrate proficiency in independently prioritizing and completing multiple tasks with strict deadlines and minimal supervision. Familiarity with general office procedures, correspondence rules (including grammar, spelling, punctuation), and use of office automation/computer systems is required. Experience interacting effectively with senior officials, a wide range of internal and external contacts, and the public is essential. The candidate should have a track record of exercising sound judgment and maintaining confidentiality, as well as skill in handling a variety of complex or non-routine administrative issues. Prior experience coordinating administrative procedures involving multiple offices and personnel, and supporting executive staff or committees is highly desirable. Knowledge of VA and/or large healthcare system administrative policies and programs is preferred. 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/.

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. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online questionnaire and submission of the required documentation specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13056895. The application process is as follows: To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date, 09/11/2026. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. NOTE: Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started. Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume: Prioritize most relevant and recent experience Use concise, results focused language Align language from the job announcement Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies Remove outdated or unrelated experience Use the USAJOBS resume builder Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/page-limit