Administrative Officer

Clarification from the agency

Open only to current, permanent Cincinnati VA Medical Center employees and it's associated Community Based Outpatient Clinics. ICTAP and CTAP

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Personnel Administration and Management Work-

• The incumbent is responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining a formal, comprehensive administrative program encompassing all functions and programs for which Environmental Management Service has responsibility. The program must meet all regulatory requirements, including JCAHO, OSHA, EPA and quality standards developed by VACO Environmental Management.
• Directs the personnel management program for the office, including matters involving recruitment, promotions, awards, position classification, training development, training record tracking, disciplinary actions, etc. Shares oversight responsibility with the Chief and Assistant Chief of EMS for performance appraisal and merit pay programs.
• Ensures that the office adheres to reporting requirements at all levels. Develops status reports or response materials for the Chief of EMS for higher level attention, review or signature as needed.
• Directs development of all personnel documentation and of personnel actions. Provide expert advice to managers on office human resource needs.

Budgeting/Financial Management Work-

• Works with the Chief and Assistant Chief of EMS to provide for the budgeting and financial management planning for the service. This includes budget formulation, justification, and execution; financial management; and financial reporting.
• Provides advice to management and program personnel on budgetary and finance issues. Maintains awareness of and information about the overall status of financial resources for the service in order to react to changing situations with timely recommendations.
• Participates with managers in reviewing office needs, plans, and goals to develop budget data and justification for review and approval.
• Prepares budget package for submission to the budget office and responds to all questions from that office.

Procurement/Contracting-

• Completes training and certification as a LEVEL II Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).
• Manages procurement and contracting for the service.
• Manages contracting and procurement on behalf of EMS for large, complex procurements.

Administrative Management-

• Provides for the overall administrative management for the service.
• Develops and advises on administrative requirements for a large, complex service.
• Actively participates in developing and implementing administrative management policies.
• Develops and manages the service's records management plan and ensures compliance with records management criteria.
• Advises on and recommends courses of action pertaining to administrative issues.
• Administrative management duties include the creation and records management of electronic databases and filing systems as well as traditional paper files.

Work Schedule: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Administrative Officer/PD080220
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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 that is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. With assignments that regularly involve long periods of standing, bending, and stooping to observe and study work operations in an industrial, storage, or comparable work area. The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-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.
• 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, 09/11/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.

• NOTE: 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.

Interchange Agreement: Applicants must be eligible under the VA Interchange Agreement, having served continuously for at least one year in the other merit system under this interchange agreement. For more information regarding the VA Interchange Agreement please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/competitive-hiring/.

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-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: knowledge to identify, consider, and resolve issues or problems of a procedural or factual nature; conditions are readily observable; and written guidelines cover methods and procedures. Knowledge to apply analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to issues or studies concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations and knowledge of pertinent laws, regulations, policies, and precedents, major issues, program goals and objectives; develop new or modified work methods. Mastery of a wide range of qualitative and /or quantitative methods, comprehensive knowledge of law, policy, regulation, and precedents applicable to the administration of one or more important public programs, and knowledge of relationships with other programs. Work requires the ability to design and conduct comprehensive management studies, prepare recommendations for legislation and plan, organize and direct team study work. Thorough knowledge of Program Management and Administration, Budgeting/Financial Management, Resource Utilization, Program Evaluation and Implementation in order to perform analytical and evaluative studies for the improvement of management operations, Assignments require skill in conducting detailed analyses of Quality Assessment, systematic reviews, and resource management programs. Incumbent must, also, have a working knowledge of the Environment of Care and its subsections as it relates to the administrative and quality assurance support programs. High skill level requirement in cleaning standards, product selection, dilution ratios, and disinfectant application; and the use of germicidal agents designed with kill claims, dwell times, their associated efficacy reports and knowing the manufacturers recommended use to achieve its intended purpose.. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related to the work of the position. (Transcripts must be submitted). OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first-year graduate level education. (Transcripts must be submitted).

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.

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/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

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:

• Attention to Detail
• Decision Making
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• 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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

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
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Most recent SF50 (past 52 weeks- no award 50s)
• Other (2)
• Other (3)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

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

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.

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