What are the responsibilities and job description for the Telephone Operator position at VA Puget Sound Health Care System?
You will serve as the Lead Telephone Operator with the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System located in Seattle, Washington.
Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS-04 grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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 and/or education as described below:
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; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to 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 on the basis of 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 primarily sedentary with reaching, dialing numbers on the console, keyboarding, carrying of light supplies required. Because calls received are emergent and so varied, the position can be emotionally taxing.
Work Conditions: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.
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/.
Stay in touch with the status and progress of work and make day-to-day adjustments in accordance with priorities.
Maintain records of work accomplishments and time expended and prepare reports as requested.
Instruct employees on specific tasks and job techniques and make available written instruction, reference materials and supplies.
Answer questions from employees on procedures, policies, directives, etc. and obtain needed information or decisions from the supervisor on problems that come up.
Check on work in progress and ensure the supervisor's instructions on procedures and methods are being met.
Monitor working conditions such as seating, ventilation, lighting, safety, etc.
Resolve simple, informal complaints of employees and refers other to the supervisor.
Report performance, progress, training needs and behavioral problems of the employees to the supervisor.
Provide the supervisor with information concerning promotions, reassignments, recognition of outstanding performance and personnel needs as requested.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM PDT.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Telephone Operator/PD40024A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.
Financial Disclosure: Not applicable.
Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/08/2026.Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS-04 grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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 and/or education as described below:
- Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 level or pay band in the Federal service that includes performing the following duties: overseeing technical work concerned with processing and transferring incoming calls; performing duties of emergency 911 operator; maintaining constant state of readiness for responding to medical and behavioral codes, intrusion, fire alarms, panic alarms, and other telecommunications equipment; distributing work assignments; coordinating work; providing ongoing training and guidance on implementation of regulations; serve as the first point of contact for customer service; respond to the needs of customers while supporting the VA mission; communicate and treat customers in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner; assist the Supervisor assuring that coverage is provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including holidays; and perform clerical duties including but not limited to, typing documents on the computer, record keeping, quick reference guides, on-call schedule, cascade call-back list, time keeping duties, and ordering supplies. OR,
- Education (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): You must have successfully completed 4 years above high school in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite with education that is directly related to the duties of the position. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation . OR,
- Combination of Experience and Education: (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): I have some specialized experience and post high school education as described above that demonstrates my ability to perform the duties of this position. For the GS-05, only education in excess of 60 semester hours (2 years) is creditable; One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.) NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Service
- Flexibility
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Self-Management
- Stress Tolerance
- Teamwork
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; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to 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 on the basis of 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 primarily sedentary with reaching, dialing numbers on the console, keyboarding, carrying of light supplies required. Because calls received are emergent and so varied, the position can be emotionally taxing.
Work Conditions: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.
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:
Distribute and balance the workload among employees in accordance with established workflow, ensuring timely accomplishment of the assigned workload and that each employee has enough work to keep busy.Stay in touch with the status and progress of work and make day-to-day adjustments in accordance with priorities.
Maintain records of work accomplishments and time expended and prepare reports as requested.
Instruct employees on specific tasks and job techniques and make available written instruction, reference materials and supplies.
Answer questions from employees on procedures, policies, directives, etc. and obtain needed information or decisions from the supervisor on problems that come up.
Check on work in progress and ensure the supervisor's instructions on procedures and methods are being met.
Monitor working conditions such as seating, ventilation, lighting, safety, etc.
Resolve simple, informal complaints of employees and refers other to the supervisor.
Report performance, progress, training needs and behavioral problems of the employees to the supervisor.
Provide the supervisor with information concerning promotions, reassignments, recognition of outstanding performance and personnel needs as requested.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM PDT.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Telephone Operator/PD40024A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.
Financial Disclosure: Not applicable.
Salary : $45,785