Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees. VHA and CTAP employees only.

MAJOR DUTIES:

• Distribute and balance the workload among employees in accordance with established workflow or job specialization.
• Ensure timely accomplishment of the assigned workload and ensure that each employee has enough work to keep busy.
• Keep in touch with the status and progress of work.
• Make day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities,
• Obtaining assistance from the supervisor on problems that may arise, such as backlogs that cannot be disposed of promptly.
• Estimate and report on the expected time of completion of work maintain records of work accomplishments and time expended and prepare production reports as requested.
• Instruct employees in specific tasks and job techniques and make available written instructions, reference materials, and supplies.
• Give on the job training to new employees in accordance with established procedures and practices.
• Maintain current knowledge and answer questions from other employees on procedures, policies, directives, etc., and obtain needed information or decisions from the supervisor on problems that come up.
• Amend or reject work not meeting established standards, refer to supervisor questions or matters not covered by standards and problems in meeting performance standards.
• Monitor working conditions such as seating, ventilation, lighting, safety, etc.
• Approve leave for a few hours or for emergencies.
• Inform employees of available services and employee activities.
• Resolve simple, informal complaints of employees and refer others to the supervisor.
• Report to supervisor on performance, progress, and training needs of employees, and on behavior problems.
• Provide information to the supervisor as requested concerning promotions, reassignment,
  recognition of outstanding performance, and personnel needs.
• Ensuring the Beneficiary Travel office staff provides transportation at Government expense to beneficiaries and their attendants traveling to and from VA facilities and other places for examination, treatment, or care.
• Direct oversight of the transportation assistants performing all office functions.
• assists the supervisor with contacting the approving official to authorize obligations and requests for additions, deductions, and/or movement of funds.
• Makes necessary changes to fund control points.
• Shares responsibility with the Supervisory Transportation Assistant for all beneficiary travel duties including determining the method of
  payment of authorized and unauthorized ambulance claims submitted for consideration.
• Assists with the arrangement for all modes of transportation via air ambulance, commercial air, taxi, ambulance, bus, and /or contracted
  transport services.
• Corresponds with physician, traveler, social worker, or CBOC representative and vendor to determine the most dependable and economical mode of transportation.
• Anticipates and resolves potential problems to reduce the likelihood of negative outcomes
  associated with travel that could impact the timeliness of patient care services.
• Maintains communications with receiving facilities regarding beneficiaries' return arrangements.
• Serves as a customer service representative for all matters involving Beneficiary Travel, communicating, and interacting with patients in a manner appropriate to the cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation needs of the adult and /or geriatric patient.
• Assures that all appropriate VA forms are used correctly, and regulations followed.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7am to 3:30pm or 7:30am to 4pm.
Telework: Not Authorized.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Lead Transportation Assistant/PD23131A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
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 dentification 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, 11/12/2025.

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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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 as described below:

• Specialized Experience GS-07: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Monitors and reconciles daily workload reports, identifying discrepancies and initiating corrective action, coordinates the daily operations of the Beneficiary Travel program ensuring even workload distribution, monitors transportation schedules and staff assignments to maintain efficient Veteran transport service, responds to Veteran inquiries and resolves transportation issues in a courteous and timely manner, collaborates with clinical staff to ensure Veterans' special travel needs are addressed appropriately, provides guidance to staff on handling challenging customer service situations consistent with VA values.

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

• Accountability
• Administration and Management
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Technical Competence

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 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited based on time spent on 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 on such employment.

Physical Requirements: The work requires no special physical demands but will require some physical effort such as standing, walking, bending, or sitting. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms, or libraries. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

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.

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
• Performance Appraisal
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

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 50s 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.

Next steps