Executive Secretary

About the role

The primary responsibility is to perform as the principal office assistant to the Executive Deputy Director of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center (AVMC). The incumbent is the primary back-up to the Executive Secretary to the Director and assists the Executive Deputy Director in carrying out the mission of the Medical Center.

What you will do

• MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Administrative Assistance 30% The incumbent maintains liaison and communicates with persons and groups from both within and outside the office, speaking for the Deputy Director on administrative issues.
• They provide support functions to applicable committees as assigned by the Executive Deputy Director.
• The Executive Secretary instructs and assists AVMC secretaries in the administrative and clerical offices on correct correspondence procedures.
• The incumbent screens incoming directives, being situationally aware of changes in policies and procedures.
• They notify appropriate staff officials of the need for information and/or recommendations, either prepare the responses or follow up on procedural materials to ensure a timely response.
• The Executive Secretary attends meetings and conferences with the Executive Deputy Director, when requested, taking notes on the proceedings.
• The incumbent makes all necessary arrangements for the Deputy Director's travel, arranges schedule of visits, makes transportation and hotel reservations, and notifies organizations and officials to be visited.
• They prepare travel advances as necessary and ensure the Deputy Director has the advance prior to travel.
• The Executive Secretary prepares the final package the day before the Executive Deputy Director begins travel with ticket, itinerary, etc., if necessary, with directions.
• They make travel and hotel arrangements and varied accommodations for dignitaries, VACO personnel and other VIP's as necessary to ensure that their travel and visit are pleasant.
• Office Management 25%The incumbent receives, schedules, refers, and contacts members of the staff, agency, and persons outside the agency ranging from other government agencies to the general public.
• The individual responds to administrative problems brought to the supervisor's attention by members of the staff or management officials outside the organization or outside of the agency.
• They notify the appropriate subordinate management officials of the need for information or recommendation, and either prepare the response or follow up to ensure timely response by others.
• The Executive Secretary develops routine plans/schedules using standard references and existing information.
• Word Processing 25%The incumbent exercises exclusive control over the Executive Deputy Director's appointments/calendar, with complete authority to commit time.
• They set up priorities, shifting rescheduling or refusing appointments or invitations by utilizing intimate knowledge of the Deputy Director's wishes and availability.
• When necessary, they decline invitations to meetings, etc., arranges for representation by a subordinate official when that is desirable.
• The Executive Secretary follows up to make sure that the situations are taken care of in a timely manner.
• The incumbent informs the Deputy Director after the matter is taken care of so that he/she is aware of the situation.
• The incumbent serves as a back-up to the Congressional Liaison Officer assisting with the timely closeout of congressional inquiries by reviewing the information and assigning the applicable service line within the Patient Advocate Tracking System for response.
• Office Automation 20%The incumbent screens all visitors and telephone calls to the Deputy Director.
• They determine the nature of the call or business of the visitor.
• The individual uses their own judgement when answering most questions and completes most business involving established policy, provides information, refers to other members of the Health System Director's staff, or arranges for the Deputy Director to personally handle the matter if necessary.
• They route matters requiring action by other staff members and follows up to ensure timely completion.
• Of those requests requiring the Executive Deputy Director's personal attention, the individual suggests a course of action when possible.
• The incumbent screens all calls to the Executive Deputy Director from the VISN, Central Office, Congressional staff, Veteran Service Organizations, other Federal/State/local agencies/organizations answering questions, or referring them to the Deputy Director or as appropriate other staff members.
• The Executive Secretary trains all Medical Center secretaries in correspondence preparation.
• They direct the establishment and maintenance of the file and publications system of the Director's office, assuring compliance with governing regulations.
• The incumbent serves as the timekeeper for front office staff.
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm EST Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Position Description/PD#: Executive Secretary/PD112110 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

• 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.
• 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) SF-50 Requirement: A current SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) is required to confirm your eligibility.
• Check your SF-50 to ensure you meet eligibility before applying.
• 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.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

How you will be evaluated

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 for this position: Accountability Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.

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.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.

WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

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

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Documents you must provide

• Resume The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
• 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.
• Cover Letter Resume SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility): You must submit the following documentation demonstrating eligibility: Official Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting your current position or most recently held position, tenure, type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive), grade level and duty location.
• (Text version SF-50s or Request for Personnel Action SF-52s are not acceptable.) For current Federal employees, the SF-50 must be effective the first pay period of the current year or later.
• Applicants who must meet TIG and show eligibility must also submit the following in addition to their most recent SF-50: Official SF-50 that shows you hold the grade for the position you are applying for (or a higher grade), or Official SF-50s that show you held the next lower grade for at least one year for the position you are applying for.
• (Multiple SF-50s may need to be submitted to show this.) Examples of appropriate SF-50s to include in addition to your most recent SF-50 to meet TIG requirements include: Within grade increases (WGI) at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date that occurred more than one year from the closing date of the JOA; or SF-50s at the highest grade held with an effective date that occurred more than 1 year from the closing date of the JOA.
• NOTE: Do not submit Award SF-50s, as they do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Failure to submit any of the above required documents applicable to your submission may result in loss of consideration and a rating of ineligible due to an incomplete application package.
• It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that their application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date.
• We will not contact applicants for additional documentation, nor will we accept late or missing documents after the close of the announcement.
• Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
• It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
• NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons.
• Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted.
• HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service.
• HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties.
• VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities.
• HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities.
• HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students.
• HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
• 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.

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 assessments and 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.

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 contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified.

If initial application submission is updated and resubmitted with a new resume, only the most current resume will be reviewed for consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

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.