What are the responsibilities and job description for the Secretary position at Atlanta VA Medical Center?
This position serves as the principal clerical and administrative support position in the immediate organizational unit in or for which the persons assisted have responsibility, by carrying out and coordinating all the clerical and day-to-day administrative support activities which are typically required to accomplish the work of the organization.
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 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-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:
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/.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm. Work Schedule is subject to change based on agency need.
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Secretary/PD070952
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/24/2026.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 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-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:
- Administrative secretary/assistant work to executive management in a health care setting
- Prioritizing, coordinating support and completing tasks within established timeframes
- Use of office automation equipment such as computers, telephones, conference equipment, copiers, and fax machines
- Following complex administrative procedures
- Experience developing and installing office procedures, policies and practices
- Use of computer programs, such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook)
- Preparation of reports, correspondence, memoranda, and other forms of written communication
- Interfacing with outside organizations, referring visitors and callers to appropriate staff
- Instruct others on procedural requirements of a job
- Serving as a liaison to convey information
- Assembling/preparing information for a variety of meetings, reports and correspondence at the executive level
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/.
Responsibilities:
Major duties include but are not limited to:- Responsible for providing assistance with a variety of problems and inquiries which are received in person, telephonically, or by referral from other secretaries, receptionists or support staff in the organization.
- The position involves drafting correspondence, such as routine official correspondence, social and personal acknowledgments, congratulatory letters, acceptance letters, and routine office reports.
- Performs typing on a computer keyboard wherein the work requires competitive level proficiency in typing as well as knowledge of office hardware and software systems.
- Provides clerical and administrative assistance to the organization.
- Determines nature of call or business of visitors, if business requires the attention of technical or staff specialists, decides whether the importance of business such as to require personal attention of superiors or if the visitor should be referred to the appropriate organizational component concerned with specific subject.
- Authorized to give out administrative and technical information to callers upon determination of their right to receive it. When calls involve matters on which superiors will require background information, tactfully postpones the conversation, obtains the required information, and presents the information when informing the superiors of the pending call.
- Maintains the manager's daily calendar, making appointments and arranging conferences and meetings without specific prior approval, based on a knowledge of the manager's schedule.
- On own initiative, makes arrangements for such meetings by reserving space, setting the specific time, and contacting all personnel expected to attend.
- Performs typing on a computer keyboard wherein the work requires competitive level proficiency in typing as well as knowledge of office hardware and software systems.
- Utilizes a variety of office automation systems and various software packages to accomplish work. Assignments include text editing; file creation, maintenance, and retrieval; use of message, calendar, and suspense systems; and use of other specialized tools in support of specific functions. Utilizes knowledge of software utilities and function commands to manipulate text to accomplish formats, revisions, deletions, and additions.
- Prepares a variety of narrative and statistical material, correspondence, reports, etc., in final form for supervisor's signature. Uses judgment in selecting spacing; arranging material; and ensuring proper punctuation, grammar, spelling, and capitalization.
- Screens all calls and visitors, answering questions and completing most business involving established policy or routine matters without referring people to the supervisor
- Serves as unit timekeeper
- Establishes and maintains all necessary files and disposes of record material in accordance with VA regulations.
- Serves as a liaison for several high level committees and prepares agendas, takes and transcribes all notes, prepares meeting minutes for signature
- Reviews all documents being routed up the Chain of Command for general conformance with policy, clarity, completeness, grammar, factual correctness, typographical accuracy and necessary attachments, calling any deviations to the attention of the writer.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm. Work Schedule is subject to change based on agency need.
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Secretary/PD070952
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Salary : $59,095