Program Support Assistant - GEC
Veterans Health AdministrationSummary
The incumbent functions as a Program Support Assistant (PSA) within the Geriatrics and
Extended Care (GEC) Service Line. The primary duties consist of supporting the Home
and Community Based Care (H&CBC) programs. The incumbent will assist GEC
Leadership, Program Director/Coordinator, and H&CBC Nurse Manager and Chief
Nurse with the responsibility of carrying out assigned duties related to the maintenance
of H&CBC programs.
- The PSA will be knowledgeable of eligibility criteria, insurance, and funding for H&CBC programs and answer general questions from community providers, veterans, family members, and VA staff regarding the programs.
- The incumbent will communicate clear and accurate information with outside hospitals, community providers, VA staff, veterans, and their families.
- The incumbent will demonstrate a professional and courteous attitude in dealing with customers including visitors, providers, veteran service representatives, veterans, and family members.
- The incumbent will coordinate inspection schedule, inspection correspondence, and compile inspection results for submission to management.
- The incumbent will maintain an accurate patient roster on all patients admitted for
services in H&CBC programs. - The incumbent makes travel arrangements for H&CBC program staff.
- The incumbent will take and transcribe minutes for all meetings and conference calls
involving H&CBC programs.
Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8:00 am -4:30 pm
Telework: This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant - GEC/PD03924A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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.
- 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, 08/19/2026.
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 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-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:
- Knowledge of agency regulations and procedures governing the placement of
patients in the Home and Community Based Care programs, according to VHA Handbooks and other regulations to independently function as a primary contact with liaison with support services. - Knowledge of elements that constitute the various levels of care within the Home and Community Based programs.
- Knowledge of the types of complaints that may be filed by a patient or family.
- Skill in communication is an essential attribute required in this position, due to the variety of VA and community-based persons with whom the incumbent must interface.
- Ability to screen program data for relevance and prepare data for reports required by the programs.
- Knowledge of basic medical terminology to communicate and handle patient care issues between community providers, veterans, and their families is required.
- Experience and proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Microsoft Excel, to
create and maintain spreadsheets for inspections schedules, timeliness of H&CBC program staff field visits, monthly billing, workload, expenditures, and H&CBC program patient roster.
- Knowledge of agency regulations and procedures governing the placement of
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
There is no educational substitution at this grade level.
Additional information
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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 windowLearn more about federal 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.