Secretary (Office Automation)

Summary This position is located within the Medicine Service at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center located in Spokane, WA and reports directly to the Chief, Medicine Service. The primary purpose of the position is to assist the Chief, Medicine Service, Administrative Officer and subordinate staff to coordinate and perform all clerical and administrative support activities required to accomplish necessary tasks in support of the service's mission. Learn more about this agency Requirements 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 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) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-05 LEVEL YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-04) in Federal Service that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of a Secretary, GS-05. Specialized experience includes: greeting customers and visitors, preparing administrative correspondence, drafting reports, coordinating and scheduling meetings, recording meeting minutes, maintaining calendars, receiving telephone calls and taking messages, assisting visitors and responds to requests for information, making purchases and maintaining records. Applicants should possess exceptional interpersonal/communications skill and must have the ability to be an attentive listener. NOTE: 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. -OR- EDUCATION: Have successfully completed four (4) years above high school in any field which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. This education must have been obtained at an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. -OR- COMBINATION: Have an equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level. This education must have been obtained at an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required. -AND- TYPING PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENT - In addition to meeting experience or education requirements, applicants must be able to type a minimum of forty (40) words per minute and have knowledge of office automation equipment and software. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Clerical Communications Computer Skills Manages and Organizes Information IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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. Physical Requirements: The employee works within a typical office setting. The employee must be mobile as visits to various areas of the hospital away from his/her office are required at numerous times daily. The work requires light lifting of items weighing no more than 15 pounds such as books, reports and binders. The work requires the use of a keyboard to access a computer. 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 IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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. 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. 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.