Program Support Assistant

Summary This position is located in a Consolidated Patient Account Center (CPAC), organizationally aligned under the Chief Finance Officer in the Veteran Services Department, with the position serving as a Program Support Assistant (PSA). The CPAC is a regionally consolidated business entity established to enhance revenue operations throughout the VHA network. Learn more about this agency Requirements 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 is mainly sedentary performed in an office environment. 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. 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 Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/26/2024. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: For GS-05 Specialized Experience: Do you possess at least one full year of specialized experience, which equips you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the Program Support Assistant, GS-05 position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled? To be creditable, this specialized experience must have been equivalent to the GS-04 level in Federal service to qualify at the GS-05. Examples of specialized experience include: 1) Provides timely, accurate and complete responses to customer inquiries using a variety of communication methods, including telephone and written correspondence. 2) Ensures that all pertinent information is gathered and entered into automated systems in a timely and accurate manner. 3) Collects, compiles and/or tracks data for the preparation of statistical, financial and/or administrative reports on an ad hoc or recurring basis. 4) Independently prepares written documents such as correspondence, memoranda, reports, pamphlets and similar documents on a daily basis. 5) Handles conflict and problems in dealing with customers constructively and appropriately. Note: Evidence of specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held on your resume. You must provide work experience information such as hours per week, salary, and starting/ending dates of employment (month and year format) to establish you have one full year of Specialized Experience at or comparable to the required grade level. OR, GS-05 Substitution of Education for Experience (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Do you possess four years of education above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite? This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. OR, GS-05 Combination of Education and Experience (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Do you possess a combination of successfully completed education and experience to meet the total experience requirements (i.e. 6 months of specialized experience and 3 years of education above the high school level)? NOTE: Only education beyond the second year can be used in combination with specialized experience to qualify for this grade. For GS-06 Specialized Experience: Do you possess at least one full year of specialized experience, which equips you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the Program Support Assistant, GS-06 position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled? To be creditable, this specialized experience must have been equivalent to the GS-05 level in Federal service to qualify at the GS-06. Examples of specialized experience include: 1) Provides timely, accurate and complete responses to customer inquiries using a variety of communication methods, including telephone and written correspondence. 2) Ensures that all pertinent information is gathered and entered into automated systems in a timely and accurate manner. 3) Collects, compiles and/or tracks data for the preparation of statistical, financial and/or administrative reports on an ad hoc or recurring basis. 4) Independently prepares written documents such as correspondence, memoranda, reports, pamphlets and similar documents on a daily basis. 5) Handles conflict and problems in dealing with customers constructively and appropriately. 6) Processes and validates first-party refunds. 7) Researches and communicates debt relief options available to the customer. Note: Evidence of specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held on your resume. You must provide work experience information such as hours per week, salary, and starting/ending dates of employment (month and year format) to establish you have one full year of specialized experience at or comparable to the required grade level. There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level. 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/. Education For GS-05 Level: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. 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." Receiving Service Credit or 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. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Read more Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.