The incumbent functions as a program and administrative assistant to the CSP staff which are located across the Durham VA Healthcare System and includes the Health Care Centers and Community Based Outpatient Clinics. The primary duties of the Program Support Assistant (PSA) are administrative support and program development, to assist with data collection, analysis of trends, and implementation of best practices. The employee provides staff support including office operations, information management, coordinates and integrates information necessary to the
effective and efficient operation of the program

MAJOR DUTIES

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT:

• Develops, coordinates, and implements a comprehensive outreach initiative designed to facilitate the delivery of services to caregivers and their Veterans.
• Maintains responsibility for coordination of referrals for caregivers and their Veterans. Provides resources and referrals to caregivers who provide care for their Veterans.

DATA MANAGEMENT & REPORTING:

• Assists in the planning, review, and reporting of data/statistical results of program/project studies; performs basic analysis of the data and generates a variety of reports.
• Extracts data from databases regarding consult completion, data is manipulated and dispersed to correct Social Work team member for action.
• Performs administrative duties to facilitate treatment and services for Veterans.
• Screens all calls and walk-in visitors for the Caregiver Support Program, answering most questions on established policy or routine matters.
• Track and report monthly and annual Caregiver Support Program funding.
• Balancing a welcoming environment screening calls and walk-in visitors for the Caregiver Support Program and Social Work Service.
• Addressing questions and concerns on established policy or routine matters.

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT:

• Performs telephone and walk-in triage and brief assessment- assists Veterans, families, medical center staff and community agency personnel who are seeking Caregiver Support services.
• Produces a wide range of documents using a variety of office automation technologies. Applies advanced work processing software to materials involving complex formats such as automatic generation of indices and tables of contents, importation of graphics, charts, or special symbols or precise alignment of multiple columns.
• Receives/screens and manages all incoming and outgoing documents, publications, directives and correspondence, determining appropriate action and/or response with minimal direction.
• The position Supports broad social work service operations serving as timekeeper, providing SWS Front desk coverage, PIV sponsorship, and serving as Fund Control Point Clerk.

BUDGET MANAGEMENT:

• Design and maintain a tracking system for the Caregiver Support Respite Program expenditures and referrals. Track quarterly Bene-Travel cost, track all PCAFC quarterly visits, and maintain record of all associated reimbursement costs.
• Assist in preparing yearly funding requests.
• Ensure local program is compliant with funding updates/changes.

CUSTOMER SERVICE:

• Meets the needs of customers while supporting the CSP, SWS and VA missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful and respectful manner.
• Provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures.
• Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately.

Promotion Potential: This position is at its full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am to 4:30pm
Telework: 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.
Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant/PD50199A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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
• Valid Drivers License is required
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/12/2026.

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-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.

Preferred Experience:

• Proficiency with Microsoft applications (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, SharePoint). Knowledge/skills/abilities to assist with database management and generating data reports.
• Direct customer service experience in a face to face setting.

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-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: experience with clerical and administrative procedures, various office skills; and carrying out day-today administrative support activities; Working in an administrative position which required preparing correspondence, reports and graphs utilizing a variety of computer program. Skill in the use of a variety of computer software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and other software applications; Interacting with executive leadership in the VA and private sector, contractors, staff members as well as Veterans, their family members and/or legal representatives; Provide/submit requested information to ensure all due dates are met in a timely and satisfactory manner; Managing a fast-paced office to include, establishing priorities, set up, reschedule appointments; Use own initiative to follow-up on action items and time-sensitive issues with appropriate staff members.

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

• Accountability
• Administration and Management
• Attention to Detail
• Budget Administration
• Clerical
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

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 is primarily sedentary and is performed by sitting, standing, bending, and stooping. The employee is required to obtain records from files, and carry files, manuals, and other light objects. Occasional travel is required to provide support at conferences, workgroups, programs or meetings.

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 use this checklist to 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
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• 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.

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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