Program Assistant

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/11/2024. 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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04 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-04 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 greeting visitors and ascertains lodging needs, obtaining information during an initial telephone call and or initial meeting and maintain confidentiality of information; experience ordering meals, maintaining occupancy records and room availability, overseeing cleanliness of an area, receiving and orienting patients and their caregivers, directing and routing guests to the appropriate areas, and performing a wide variety of administrative tasks using knowledge and proficiency in operating a personal computer (PC) and printer . OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed 4 years above high school in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. (NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted at time of application).. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first 60 semester hours (beyond the second year) and specialized experience as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. PREFERRED EXPERIENCE: Typing 40 wpm You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Critical Thinking Customer Service Integrity/Honesty Oral Communication 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 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: Work is primarily in a hotel like office setting environment involving possible exposure to contagious disease. The regular and recurring work environment involves everyday risks and discomforts requiring normal safety precautions typical of an office in a hospital. The Defenders Lodge is a very busy, fast-paced, often noisy office environment with constant interruptions daily basis. 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/.
This position is located at the Department of Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), which is a major inpatient and outpatient tertiary referral center with three hospital-based divisions serving the VA Sierra Pacific Network (VISN 21). This position is located within Voluntary Service as a Program Assistant at the Palo Alto Division, Defender Lodge and supports the day to day operation of the independent 52 room, 104 bed program.