What are the responsibilities and job description for the Program Support Asst (OA) - Patient Care Services position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
The Program Support Assistant has a primary responsibility to provide day-to-day administrative and clerical support in the overall operations of Nursing Service. The incumbent assists the ADPCS - EA to ADPCS - Nursing Service Chiefs - and Nurse Managers in compiling info and data into final reports - provides administrative support for performance improvement initiatives - creates meeting documents - attends meetings - maintains accurate files - and communicates information effectively.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 06/11/2026. 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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. 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. In order to qualify for this position at the GS-5 level - you must possess one of the following: EXPERIENCE: One (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge - skills - and abilities to successfully perform the duties the Program Support Assistant and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable - specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-4) in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: experience where you were responsible for providing administrative support; collecting - compiling and tracking data and information; processing documents and reports; establishing - updating and maintaining office files and records; performing automation duties using such software applications such as word processing - spreadsheet - electronic mail - desktop publishing - calendar - database and/or graphics; answering telephones - referring visitors - and providing information. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title - duties - month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. ~OR~ EDUCATION: Successfully completed four (4) years of education above the high school level in any field which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. Transcripts must be submitted at time of application. ~OR~ COMBINATION: Equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience as described above - which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. Transcripts must be submitted at time of application. 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/.
Duties
The Program Support Assistant has a primary responsibility to provide day-to-day administrative and clerical support in the overall operations of Nursing Service. The incumbent assists the ADPCS - EA to ADPCS - Nursing Service Chiefs - and Nurse Managers in compiling info and data into final reports - provides administrative support for performance improvement initiatives - creates meeting documents - attends meetings - maintains accurate files - and communicates information effectively.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 06/11/2026. 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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. 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. In order to qualify for this position at the GS-5 level - you must possess one of the following: EXPERIENCE: One (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge - skills - and abilities to successfully perform the duties the Program Support Assistant and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable - specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-4) in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: experience where you were responsible for providing administrative support; collecting - compiling and tracking data and information; processing documents and reports; establishing - updating and maintaining office files and records; performing automation duties using such software applications such as word processing - spreadsheet - electronic mail - desktop publishing - calendar - database and/or graphics; answering telephones - referring visitors - and providing information. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title - duties - month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. ~OR~ EDUCATION: Successfully completed four (4) years of education above the high school level in any field which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. Transcripts must be submitted at time of application. ~OR~ COMBINATION: Equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience as described above - which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. Transcripts must be submitted at time of application. 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/.
Duties
- Duties include - but are not limited to the following: The PSA duties include a mix of clerical - technical - and procedural support functions The incumbent will compile - analyze - and track program information using spreadsheets - databases - and internal systems
- Generates routine and special reports to monitor performance improvement metrics or outcomes Receives - logs - reviews - and routes correspondence and documents following established medical center procedures
- Draft - format - and prepare general correspondence - meeting materials - and program related reports
- Maintain calendars - schedule meetings - and assist with coordinating logistics for medical center surveyors - site visits - leadership retreats - etc
- Serves as a liaison and point of contact for internal staff - Veterans - families - vendors - and stakeholders
- Assists with program compliance - track performance measures - and identify issues requiring administrative intervention Maintains databases - such as Talent Management System (TMS) reports - personnel folders - or document repository and resolves routine technical issues
- Position uses all types of Microsoft Office applications (Excel - Word - PowerPoint - Teams - Publisher - etc.) and specialized service specific computer applications
- Assists with coordination of computer information needs of new and existing employees
- The incumbent will support resource and budget management with attention to accountability and tracking needs
- Assists with ordering and organization of office supplies and equipment - coordinates support materials for meetings - and provides courteous - professional frontline support
- Tracks open action plan activities - documents steps taken towards objective - monitors timely deliverables - and follows actions to completion
- The PSA will assist in developing a systematic approach to assessing and improving organizational performance - efficiency - and effectiveness - making improvement recommendations for implementation - and supports implementation of process modification or approved policy adjustments
- Attends meetings as a meeting recorder - coordinates meeting logistics - prepares timely agenda and minutes and delivers effective communication to meeting attendees
- Supports Patient Care Service timekeepers as a backup on a as needed basis with timekeeping duties
- Considered an expert in payroll matters and independently provides technical advice and assistance with pay and leave matters to employees and management
- Performs data entry and tracking to include schedules - leave balances - Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) usage - andpremium pay benefits within the VA Time and Attendance System (VATAS) and Acustaf
- Ensures time and leave status are posted and correctly entered with any necessary remarks when required
- Compares time and leave postings to ensure completeness and accuracy prior to certification
- Investigates and resolves errors which involve correction of pay - need for retroactive adjustments - and error tracing that may occur outside the control of the incumbent
- Alerts time approving officials when employee pay period hours are inaccurate
- All other duties as required
- Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8:00am-4:30pm 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#: Program Support Asst (OA) - Patient Care Services/PD203070 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Salary : $40,736 - $52,957