Administrative Officer

Clarification from the agency

Open to Current Permanent Employees of the West Palm Beach VAHCS (Facility Only).

Administrative Officer will be well motivated and demonstrate a concern for the successful delivery of health care within the Service and the Medical Center. They will be continuously innovative and show initiative in assuming new responsibilities as the situation demands, in order to assist the Chief of the Service. They will continuously upgrade his/her knowledge through reading, experience and through additional training.

Administrative Officer accepts and supports the guiding principles of the Medical Center and performs assigned duties in a manner that promotes quality health care, outstanding customer service and the maintenance bf an environment committed to serving the veteran. They actively contributes to team initiatives and continuously strives to improve the effectiveness of the team(s) to which he/she is assigned.

Additional Duties Include But Not Limited To:

• Oversight of the PM&R/Blind Rehab Service secretary, GS-6 and of the MAS clerks for management of daily clinic scheduling.
• Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short-term priorities, and prepares schedules for completion of work.
• Develops performance standards.
• Evaluates work performance of subordinates.
• Writes performance appraisal.
• Gives advice, counsel, or instruction to employees on both work and administrative matters.
• Interviews candidates for positions in the unit; recommends appointment, promotion, or reassignment to such positions.
• Hears and resolves complaints from employees, referring group grievances and more serious unresolved complaints to a higher level supervisor or manager.
• Effects minor disciplinary measures, such as warnings and reprimands, recommending other action in more serious cases.
• Identifies developmental and training needs of employees, providing or arranging for needed development and training.
• Serves as a primary contact between Human Resources and the PM&R/Blind Rehab Service.
• Maintain tracking records of all PM&R/Blind Rehab Service applications received from Human Resources.
• Appropriately triages all applications and makes recommendations to the Chief, PM&R Coordinates the scheduling of interviews and participates in the Competency Based Interview process, as appropriate.
• Provides Service-level orientation to new staff.
• Directs the personnel management program for the Service and provides advice/assistance to managers and staff concerning Federal and agency processes and procedures.
• Assists the Service Chief in projecting staffing needs, writing position descriptions, developing job analyses, preparing performance plans /appraisals, processing training requests, and drafting disciplinary/adverse actions.
• Reviews, analyzes, and interprets incoming requests, recommends appropriate action or suggests appropriate alternatives based on knowledge of internal operations, agency personnel policies and work priorities.
• Calls to the attention problems that require agency human resources office intervention or correction.
• Primarily responsible for administering programs concerning such matters as equal opportunity, merit promotion, labor management relations, staff education, and position management.
• Serves as the key figure in manpower utilization programs, including recruitment and retention within authorized ceilings for the Service.
• Will serves as a liaison with the academic affiliates on all matters affecting the Service.
• Responsible for communicating and coordinating requirements for credentialing and privileging, and tr vel and timekeeping as appropriate.
• Gathers and analyzes the budget needs of the Service and supervises all phases of budgeting within administrative requirements.
• Plans a system of internal control that assures the fiscal management of the Service will be maintained on a sound basis in accordance with regulations.
• Manages procurement and contracting for the Service, including the preparation of requests, evaluating proposals for work, and services as COTR for procurement, and/or maintaining procurement and contracting records.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Administrative Officer/PD024550
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
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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 or trial 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, 09/28/2026.

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-9. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. 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.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

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:
  • Applying analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to issues or functions related the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation administrative including the use of computer software such as Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and VA financial software.
  • Develops performance standards and writes performance appraisals.
  • Works with Human Resources with filling positions within the unit to also include recommendations of appointments, promotions, or reassignment.
  • Identifies as well as development training based of needs of service and track training records.
  • Prepares annual management reviews, management briefings, and personnel management reviews.
  • Gathers and analyzes the budget need of the Service and supervises all phases of budgeting within administrative requirements. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 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 (Transcript required). OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate-level education beyond a Master's degree (Transcript required).

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Customer Service: Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
• Problem Solving: Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work. Accepts responsibility for mistakes. Complies with established control systems and rules.
• Contracting/Procurement: Knowledge of various types of contracts, techniques for contracting or procurement, and contract negotiation and administration.
• Administration and Management: Knowledge of planning, coordination, and execution of business functions, resource allocation, and production.

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.

Physical Requirements: The work requires periods of intense concentration to coordinate and carry out administrative and logistical support activities for the PM&R Service, a number of which are complex in nature. Occasionally, may be required to assist in moving portable tables, chairs or audiovisual equipment for use by the Service.

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.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

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 contact for 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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
• Other (1)
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• 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.

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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