Executive Assistant

About the role

Executive Assistant to the Director and Deputy Directors of Compensation Service (CS) in the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). Responsible for the coordination of administrative activities and providing technical support to CS Leadership. Assists CS Leadership with an extensive scope of matters other than those involving policy decisions and major management actions.

Coordinates office activities for the front office and with other top VBA management officials.

What you will do

• Serves as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Executive Director (DED) of Policy and Procedures in Compensation Service.
• Reviews internal processes and procedures and provides recommendations for process improvements, as appropriate.
• Provides regular and comprehensive administrative and operational oversight and guidance in Policy and Procedures, ensuring compliance with VBA directives and its overarching mission.
• Reviews organizational proposals for Policy and Procedures and advises the Deputy Executive Director on implications of the proposals, and makes recommendations to approve, disapprove, or modify specific proposals, many of which have Department-wide impact.
• Evaluates the content of new or modified legislation for projected impact on VBA's transformation and innovation efforts and assigns work as appropriate within Policy and Procedures staffs.
• Responsible for detailed staff coordination and operations to ensure the DED is continually prepared for all decisions, administrative matters, and sensitive items, throughout the program.
• Ensure policies and/or issues have been fully coordinated, vetted, and staffed, and advises the DED on implications, key issues, to include affected relationships with interested groups, both internal and external, and recommends courses of action.
• Reviews calendars, events, documents, etc. to ensure coordination with required offices is complete and conflicts are resolved before DED review.
• Responsible for coordination of major staff actions and events, ensuring consistency with overall direction and guidance.
• Coordinates with VBA leadership and external partners for major, sensitive, and cross functional issues.
• Uses expert skill in creating, organizing, reviewing, and editing a variety of documents to ensure they are technically sound and grammatically correct, and are appropriate for the intended audience.
• Regularly advising senior management officials on complex, sensitive, controversial, and highly sensitive issues which may impact or shape the future direction of Operations programs.
• Communicates with internal and external customers in a courteous, tactful, and helpful manner.
• Interacts in a businesslike and courteous manner with others to facilitate the accomplishment of work.
• Demonstrates the ability to adjust to change, handle difference of opinion in a harmonious fashion, and follow instructions conscientiously.
• Analyzes and evaluates situations requiring the Director's personal action, develops management options, and advises the Director of the potential consequences of each.
• Maintains a critical awareness of sensitive program developments and problems.
• Advises on the development of directives for Policy and Procedures activities.
• Ensures the efficient operation of the Office of the DED through proactive management and effective problem resolution.
• Plays a key role in addressing issues that cross organization staffs and directly affect Policy and Procedures.
• Gathers background material and develops speeches/testimony on a wide range of Operations subjects for the DED's presentation to service organizations, congressional staff, and other stakeholders.
• Also, prepares and/or coordinates responses to inquiries from Congressional members, VSOs, and other stakeholders.
• Maintains continued awareness of overall activities in order to evaluate effectiveness and to keep the DED informed and recommends actions to strengthen operating and administrative policies and procedures, and/or to advise staff elements of the Director on priority matters of concern.
• Takes final action in connection with the application of managerial and administrative functions that are within delegated authority.
• Incumbent is required to be aware constantly of the overall Policy and Procedures programs and to recognize those areas with which the DED should not be burdened, what actions and commitments should be made without reference to them and what matters require his/her counsel or decisions before arriving at final conclusions.
• Works closely with leadership on analysis and interpretation of workload and other data for appropriate resource allocation which requires the incumbent to be knowledgeable about Policy and Procedures.
• Participates in risk management including developing, testing, monitoring, documentation, and corrective action.
• Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not available Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only.
• The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday.
• Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval.
• Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Position Description/PD#: Executive Assistant; PD39126A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
• Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Requirements

• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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.
• Additional Conditions of Employment are as follows: You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period 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 I-9 Acceptable Documents.
• 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.

Education

There is no education substitution for GS-14.

How you will be evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.

WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Advisory - Demonstrated ability to advise, provide managerial advice, and serve as a technical advisor to senior-level executives.

Knowledge of Laws, Regulations, and Policies - Knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures in order to conduct studies, briefings, and prepare written communications to improve the operation of these programs.

Oversight - Ability to provide oversight responsibilities that require the direction and integration of work through various sources of communication. Written Communication - Skill in preparing briefing papers and presentations for Congressional and internal/external stakeholders.

Problem Solving - Demonstrated ability to identify problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations. Organizational Skills - Well-developed organizational skills including ability to maintain office records and communication files.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link:*** The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies.

You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered.

You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Narrative responses are not required at this time.

If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully.

Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Documents you must provide

• To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package to include the documents detailed below.
• Failure to submit the required documents may result in your application being considered incomplete and you being deemed ineligible.
• It is your responsibility to ensure your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date.
• We will not request additional documentation or accept late or missing documents after the announcement has closed.
• Resume, limited to 2-pages, detailing specialized experience and competencies as they relate to this position.
• For each position in your resume, you must specify the start and end dates (month/year) and a description of duties.
• If the position was Federal, you must also indicate the grade level.
• Resumes containing a general summary of all positions held, not specifying start/end dates, and/or not including Federal grade level(s) are insufficient to determine basic qualifications.
• Your most recent NON-AWARD SF-50.
• The SF-50 must indicate proof of status and should identify your position title, series, grade, step, salary, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
• Your SF-50 reflecting when you entered your highest grade (e.g., Promotion, Appointment, etc.) in order to verify time-in-grade requirements.
• Additional Documents accepted: Most recent Performance Appraisal (VA Form 0750) Award SF-50s CTAP documentation - RIF notice, SF-50 showing VA employee, and performance appraisal.
• Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).
• You will not be contacted for additional information.
• SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility): Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee An SF-50 showing 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 Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

What to expect next

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met.

After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

Referred applicants may be contacted at any time during the hiring process. Please check all forms of communication (including email, voicemail, and spam folders), based on the contact information provided with your application, regularly to ensure you don't miss any updates.

Failure to respond to communications may result in you being disqualified from consideration.

You will receive a final notification of results once a decision has been made. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

Additional information

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

The 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 your current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy.

Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at *** Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion.

The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

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

Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), *** 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: Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

(***) For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.