What are the responsibilities and job description for the Secretary (OA) position at Boise VA Medical Center?
The position provides administrative and clerical support to the Chief of Staff (COS) at the Boise VA Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. The position is assigned to the office of the Medical Center Director and is supervised by the Chief of Staff. The Boise VAMC serves a Veteran population of about 58,000 in a 65,000-square-mile area.
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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. 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-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of Specialized experience includes, but is not limited to: independently planning and effectively setting priorities; coordinating activities; performing a wide range of administrative support tasks; answering and screening telephone calls; arranging meetings and conference calls; coordinating schedules; maintaining a complex calendar; booking conference rooms and equipment; preparing agendas and minutes; processing correspondence, reports, memos, and other forms; handling confidential information; reviewing and editing policies and procedures; performing timekeeping functions; maintaining a government credit card to order non-routine supplies; working with databases; and utilizing various applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. This position also requires strong knowledge of grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, and travel preparation.
Note: Experience must be fully demonstrated and documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year starting and ending dates and hours worked per week.
Proficiency Requirements-In addition to meeting experience requirements, applicants for this position must show possession of the following proficiency: ability to type 40 words per minute. Applicants may meet this requirement by passing the appropriate performance test, presenting a certificate of proficiency from a school or other organization authorized to issue such certificates by the Office of Personnel Management local office, or by self-certifying their proficiency. Performance test results and certificates of proficiency are acceptable for 3 years.
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/.
The incumbent provides comprehensive administrative and technical support to the Chief of Staff's office. As the executive secretary for the Boise VA Medical Center, the incumbent ensures that the practices and procedures used by subordinate offices are consistent with those of the Executive Office. They coordinate with other staff in the Executive Office to ensure smooth workflow and appropriate office coverage. On their own initiative, the incumbent recommends changes in administrative policies.
The incumbent is responsible for receiving all visitors and telephone calls for the Chief of Staff (COS). Reception responsibilities frequently require initiative, knowledge, and decision-making on the part of the incumbent, who represents the facility in highly sensitive contacts. They screen all contacts to determine the nature and purpose of calls, referring those not requiring the COS's attention to the appropriate clinical service chiefs or independently addressing matters without referral. When situations must be referred to the COS, the incumbent provides the COS with information to aid in the discussion.
The incumbent frequently interacts with both internal and external customers to resolve a variety of complaints from patients and their families, including potentially hostile or aggressive visitors.
The incumbent independently exercises exclusive responsibility for maintaining a complex calendar for the COS. In collaboration with the COS and using independent discretion, the incumbent establishes and adjusts priorities, schedules or reschedules appointments, and accepts or declines invitations to meetings. On their own initiative, the incumbent coordinates with staff involved in the meetings, arranging for appropriate meeting facilities either at the Medical Center or at remote locations, including audiovisual equipment, teleconferencing equipment, etc.
The incumbent prepares and distributes agendas or visit itineraries, arranges for refreshments or meals as appropriate, and assists with travel arrangements or provides information on lodging and travel as necessary.
The incumbent responds to inquiries and administrative problems brought to the COS by members of the staff and officials of the agency, VASN 20's central offices, state and local governments, other hospitals and organizations, other federal agencies, and congressional staff.
The incumbent prepares a wide variety of internal recurring reports and documents from information obtained from staff files and other sources. Works with and safeguards confidential information on sensitive matters such as medical or administrative staff problems, labor and Employee Relations issues, personnel grievances, and evaluations of key personnel.
The incumbent responds to inquiries and administrative problems brought to the COS by members of the staff and officials of the agency, VASN 20's central offices, state and local governments, other hospitals and organizations, other federal agencies, and congressional staff.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm MTD
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD607930
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 04/20/2026.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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. 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-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of Specialized experience includes, but is not limited to: independently planning and effectively setting priorities; coordinating activities; performing a wide range of administrative support tasks; answering and screening telephone calls; arranging meetings and conference calls; coordinating schedules; maintaining a complex calendar; booking conference rooms and equipment; preparing agendas and minutes; processing correspondence, reports, memos, and other forms; handling confidential information; reviewing and editing policies and procedures; performing timekeeping functions; maintaining a government credit card to order non-routine supplies; working with databases; and utilizing various applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. This position also requires strong knowledge of grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, and travel preparation.
Note: Experience must be fully demonstrated and documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year starting and ending dates and hours worked per week.
Proficiency Requirements-In addition to meeting experience requirements, applicants for this position must show possession of the following proficiency: ability to type 40 words per minute. Applicants may meet this requirement by passing the appropriate performance test, presenting a certificate of proficiency from a school or other organization authorized to issue such certificates by the Office of Personnel Management local office, or by self-certifying their proficiency. Performance test results and certificates of proficiency are acceptable for 3 years.
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:
Duties include, but may not be limited to the following:The incumbent provides comprehensive administrative and technical support to the Chief of Staff's office. As the executive secretary for the Boise VA Medical Center, the incumbent ensures that the practices and procedures used by subordinate offices are consistent with those of the Executive Office. They coordinate with other staff in the Executive Office to ensure smooth workflow and appropriate office coverage. On their own initiative, the incumbent recommends changes in administrative policies.
The incumbent is responsible for receiving all visitors and telephone calls for the Chief of Staff (COS). Reception responsibilities frequently require initiative, knowledge, and decision-making on the part of the incumbent, who represents the facility in highly sensitive contacts. They screen all contacts to determine the nature and purpose of calls, referring those not requiring the COS's attention to the appropriate clinical service chiefs or independently addressing matters without referral. When situations must be referred to the COS, the incumbent provides the COS with information to aid in the discussion.
The incumbent frequently interacts with both internal and external customers to resolve a variety of complaints from patients and their families, including potentially hostile or aggressive visitors.
The incumbent independently exercises exclusive responsibility for maintaining a complex calendar for the COS. In collaboration with the COS and using independent discretion, the incumbent establishes and adjusts priorities, schedules or reschedules appointments, and accepts or declines invitations to meetings. On their own initiative, the incumbent coordinates with staff involved in the meetings, arranging for appropriate meeting facilities either at the Medical Center or at remote locations, including audiovisual equipment, teleconferencing equipment, etc.
The incumbent prepares and distributes agendas or visit itineraries, arranges for refreshments or meals as appropriate, and assists with travel arrangements or provides information on lodging and travel as necessary.
The incumbent responds to inquiries and administrative problems brought to the COS by members of the staff and officials of the agency, VASN 20's central offices, state and local governments, other hospitals and organizations, other federal agencies, and congressional staff.
The incumbent prepares a wide variety of internal recurring reports and documents from information obtained from staff files and other sources. Works with and safeguards confidential information on sensitive matters such as medical or administrative staff problems, labor and Employee Relations issues, personnel grievances, and evaluations of key personnel.
The incumbent responds to inquiries and administrative problems brought to the COS by members of the staff and officials of the agency, VASN 20's central offices, state and local governments, other hospitals and organizations, other federal agencies, and congressional staff.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm MTD
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD607930
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Salary : $50,460