Secretary (OA)

Veterans Health Administration • New Orleans, LA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Secretary (OA) plans, coordinates, and carries out a wide range of administrative functions and procedures supporting the Deputy Director, Medical Center Director, senior leadership, and other corporate functions. The position provides administrative support to managers and supervisors, manages schedules and correspondence, evaluates and routes staff actions, and serves as timekeeper for the Deputy Director’s staff and service chiefs. The Secretary manages the supervisor’s calendar and screens calls and visitors concerning routine matters and established policy.

The role supports patient-concern follow-up, resource planning and tracking, and the Resources Management Committee, including preparation of agendas and tracking follow-up actions. It also conducts research, contributes to annual and long-range work planning and Director-level strategic planning, and provides computer and equipment support for the Office of the Deputy Director. The position is based in an office setting; telework may be authorized, but the position is not virtual. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., subject to facility needs.

Requirements

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level, including experience such as preparing meeting agendas and minutes, handling correspondence, creating and tracking action items, managing a supervisor’s calendar, and providing customer service to veterans or patients.
• Current Federal employees and certain former Federal employees applying for reinstatement or under VEOA must meet the GS-08 time-in-grade requirement of 52 weeks at GS-07.
• Typing proficiency of 40 words per minute; applicants may self-certify, subject to evaluation and verification.
• U.S. citizenship.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with Selective Service.
• Selected applicants must complete a background/security investigation and online onboarding process.
• Participation in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program is required, unless an exemption is granted; masking is required when an exemption applies.
• Successful completion of an online assessment is required.
• Applicants must complete a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support and general assistance to the Medical Center, Deputy Director, corporate functions, managers, and supervisors.
• Assist with schedules and address administrative problems brought to the supervisor’s attention by staff, management officials, and outside parties.
• Serve as timekeeper for the Deputy Director’s staff and enter time and attendance for the Deputy Director’s service chiefs.
• Review and analyze incoming staff actions and decision correspondence; research and route actions to appropriate staff with instructions on response requirements and coordination.
• Manage the supervisor’s calendar, including meetings, conferences, appointments, and travel, and screen calls and visitors on routine matters and established policy.
• Coordinate efforts to ensure patient concerns are received, evaluated, and addressed by appropriate subject matter experts in a timely and effective manner.
• Serve as the ADP AC for the Office of the Deputy Director; support VISTA and Windows software, specialized software, and first-line equipment troubleshooting.
• Assist in developing and preparing resource requests; plan resource allocation, track usage and productivity, and assess allocation effectiveness.
• Prepare agendas and maintain a tracking system for Resources Management Committee follow-up actions, reports, statistics, and comparative workload data.
• Establish action priorities based on sensitivity, suspense dates, and other relevant information.
• Research information in records and files within the Deputy Director’s Office, other organizational units, and outside the organization.
• Assist with long-range and annual work planning and Director-level strategic planning, and provide recommendations for resolving problems.
• Communicate with veterans, their representatives, visitors, and VA staff in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner.

Benefits

• Federal employees receive access to a comprehensive benefits package for themselves and their families; specific eligibility depends on position type.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed