What are the responsibilities and job description for the Secretary position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
Come join an award-winning team at the Salem VA Medical Center! We are seeking an Executive Secretary to support the Medical Center Director (MCD) in Salem - Virginia. The selected candidate will perform a wide range of clerical and administrative duties and serve as the Office Manager for the MCD. This role is responsible for ensuring that the administrative practices and procedures used across subordinate offices remain consistent with those of the Director's office.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 05/12/2026. 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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-8. 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-8 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Clerical and administrative experience related to secretarial support for a large organization and/or in a large medical center setting. Handling sensitive - confidential staff and patient information. Using conflict resolution skills in a high-volume setting - provide clear communication both verbally and in writing to both internal and external customers. Skills in using both medical software and the Microsoft Office Suite. NOTE: Resumes should include information relevant to the specialized experience of the position to which you are applying. Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible) Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Series and Grade - if applicable - for all Federal positions you have held Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and Management Attention to Detail Communication Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience - including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g. - Peace Corps - AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g. - professional - philanthropic - religious - spiritual - community - student - social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies - knowledge - and skills - and can provide valuable training and experience that directly translate into paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience - including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited based on the time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. It occasionally requires carrying light objects such as files - books - and papers. Manual dexterity is required in the operation of a calculator and/or other office machine 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
Come join an award-winning team at the Salem VA Medical Center! We are seeking an Executive Secretary to support the Medical Center Director (MCD) in Salem - Virginia. The selected candidate will perform a wide range of clerical and administrative duties and serve as the Office Manager for the MCD. This role is responsible for ensuring that the administrative practices and procedures used across subordinate offices remain consistent with those of the Director's office.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 05/12/2026. 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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-8. 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-8 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Clerical and administrative experience related to secretarial support for a large organization and/or in a large medical center setting. Handling sensitive - confidential staff and patient information. Using conflict resolution skills in a high-volume setting - provide clear communication both verbally and in writing to both internal and external customers. Skills in using both medical software and the Microsoft Office Suite. NOTE: Resumes should include information relevant to the specialized experience of the position to which you are applying. Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible) Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Series and Grade - if applicable - for all Federal positions you have held Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and Management Attention to Detail Communication Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience - including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g. - Peace Corps - AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g. - professional - philanthropic - religious - spiritual - community - student - social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies - knowledge - and skills - and can provide valuable training and experience that directly translate into paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience - including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited based on the time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. It occasionally requires carrying light objects such as files - books - and papers. Manual dexterity is required in the operation of a calculator and/or other office machine 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
- Major duties include but not limited to: Perform analysis of administrative workflows
- Analyze a variety of problems/concerns which may arise
- Handles incoming and/or outgoing correspondence
- Provide conflict resolution with both internal and external customers
- Reassign/coordinate work in the absence of other secretaries
- Manage workloads
- manages office procedures
- Prepares and conducts minutes for meetings
- Prepares agendas and training in all phases of secretarial work such as correspondence - telephone procedures - publications - directives - reports - and customer service responsibilities
- Receives all correspondence for the medical Center Director
- Manages the Medical Center Director's appointments - meetings - and all other time commitments
- Screens the Medical Center Director's Office calls and visitors
- Handles travel arrangements
- Maintains automated time and attendance reports
- Prepares personnel action requests and automated purchase order requests
- Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm Position Description Title/PD#: Secretary/PD501720 Telework: This position may be eligible for Ad hoc telework (situational)
- Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary in nature
- It occasionally requires carrying light objectives such as files - books - and papers
- Manual dexterity is required in operation of a calculator and/or other office machines.
Salary : $61,722 - $80,243