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Program Support Assistant (OA)

Veterans Health Administration

Des Moines, IA

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JOB DETAILS
SKILLS
Administrative Management, Administrative Skills, Automation, Calendar Management, Change Requests/Orders, Data Entry, Department of Veterans Affairs, Desktop Publishing, Documentation, Federal Government, File Maintenance, Food Services, Government, Graphics, Health Plan, Healthcare, Healthcare Administration, Healthcare Providers, Human Resources, Legal, Mail Processing, Meeting Minutes, Microsoft Access Database, Nutrition, Onboarding, Operations Security (OPSEC), Physical Demands, Presentation/Verbal Skills, Spreadsheets, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Standards Development, Statistics, Technical Support, Telephone Skills, United States Citizen, Vaccination, Word Processing, Writing Skills
LOCATION
Des Moines, IA
POSTED
1 day ago
Summary

The Program Support Assistant (OA) is located within the Nutrition and Food Services Department (N&FS) of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The person in this position serves as the Program Support Assistant (OA) to the N&FS Administrative Officer, providing a wide variety of administrative, clerical, and technical support.

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Duties

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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • Collects, Compiles, and/or tracks data and statistical information.
  • Organizes data into Access databases or spreadsheet formats.
  • Prepares a wide variety of recurring andnonrecurring correspondence, reports, and other documents.
  • Establishes, updates, and maintains office files and records.
  • Keeps and types meeting minutes, agendas and reports.
  • Prepares, executes, and/or tracks program specific information.
  • Performs office automation duties using such software applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, electronic mail, desktop publishing, calendar, database, and/or graphics.
  • Uses spreadsheet software to develop and change spreadsheets in order to graphically display data.
  • Schedules nutrition clinic appointments, prepares appointment confirmation letters, and enters appointment data.
  • Provides clerical support such as answering the telephone, referring visitors, or providing information about the office, its functions, and standard operating procedures, and similar information.
  • Maintains the appointment calendar, schedules appointments, reminds supervisor/staff members of the subject matter prior to meetings, and makes administrative arrangements as required.
  • Edits letters, composes letters and reports, reviews correspondence for accuracy and completeness, prepares public presentation outlines and meeting minutes, develops standard or form letters and replies to inquiries.
  • Serves as official timekeeper - notifying supervisors when leave limits are exceeded, posting staff time and attendance, processing timecards.
  • Performs other related duties as assigned.


Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday through Friday 7:30am to 4:00pm.

Telework: Not authorized for Telework.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant (OA)/PD99930S.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment
  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.


Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/06/2026.

Typing Proficiency Requirements: This position requires the skills of a qualified typist. In addition to meeting the experience and/or education requirements, you must be able to type at least 40 words per minute.

In order to qualify for this position at the GS-6 level, you must possess 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 at the full performance level (GS-6), 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-5) in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience where you were responsible for: 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 hour worked per week.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Physical Demands: The work area is usually an adequately lighted, heated and ventilated office of medical facility setting. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions. The sedentary and may require some walking, standing, bending, carrying and/or lifting of light items like papers or books. The work requires light to moderate levels/times performing keyboarding to prepare correspondence.

Work Environment: The work is performed in a typical office setting, requiring the use of normal safety precautions necessary for an office environment. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.



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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

About the Company

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Veterans Health Administration