Duties include preparing correspondence and reports using office automation, screening calls and visitors, and directing them appropriately. Review all incoming correspondence, publications, regulations, and directives affecting the Anesthesiology Service, determining what requires personal action or referral. Use initiative to clarify information when needed.

Assist Anesthesiology Service staff and clerks with vague instructions, brief the Chief on activities, and monitor deadlines. Prepare and review reports, memos, and correspondence for signatures, ensuring proper format, content, and compliance with policies. Handle technical correspondence with medical terminology.

Maintain and update files, manuals, and procedures related to the Anesthesiology Service, ensuring timely follow-up on reports and responses. Record minutes for meetings chaired by the Chief or Assistant Chiefs and distribute them to relevant personnel.

Train and support Anesthesiology Service secretaries, clerks, students, and volunteers in proper procedures and report writing. Oversee all word processing activities, conduct training, and provide ongoing technical assistance.

Manage the Chief's calendar, schedule appointments and meetings, and prepare background materials. Arrange travel logistics and compile related reports.

Serve as backup timekeeper, entering leave data, monitoring overtime, leave, and absences to ensure VA policy compliance, and escalate issues as needed.

Requisition supplies, equipment, and publications, coordinate maintenance requests, and manage key distribution for staff.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 am to 3:30 am
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD10471O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• All applicants must be able to type at least 40 words per minute.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: 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.
• 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 identification 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)

• 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/25/2026.

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-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Receive and screen telephone calls and visitors, receive incoming correspondence and determine which items should be brought to the supervisor's attention or forwarded to other staff for action, maintain the activity calendar and schedule appointments, conferences, and meetings on own initiative based upon personal knowledge of the workload and current issues of importance.