Secretary (OA)
What you'd do
The Executive Secretary provides administrative and secretarial support to members of the Executive Leadership Team of Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center organization, including the Director, Associate Director, Chief of Staff, and Associate Director of Patient Care Services. The organizational structure of each Executive Leader varies with the number of subordinate services, programs and departments.
Major duties
The incumbent serves as the Executive Secretary to the Associate Director and performs all secretarial duties for the Associate Director. Services aligned to the Associate Director include Education and Development, Health Administration Service, Resource Management Service, Supply Chain Management Service, Resource Management Service, Supply Chain Management Service, Privacy Officer, Emergency Manager, and Prosthetics Service. Major duties include but are not limited to: Receives schedules, refers, and contacts members of the staff, agency, and persons outside the agency ranging from other government agencies to the general public. Regularly involved in high level contacts with visitors and callers from such organizations as Congressional offices, members of the news media, State and local officials, and high-ranking officials in the field or industry, publication groups, attorneys, presidents of major national or international firms or organizations, and/or leading representatives of foreign governments. Processes incoming and outgoing materials such as correspondence, reports, memoranda, White House Hotline inquires, suspense items and other forms of written communication. Develops background information and prepares outlines for Associate Director public speaking engagements, papers, and correspondence/reports, provides general clerical mail and correspondence services such as preparing a variety of recurring reports, reviewing outgoing correspondence for proper attachments, or consolidating/coordinating submittals of information. Schedules appointments, coordinates meetings, and/or schedules conferences for the Associate director and the Executive Assistant. Ensures that confidentiality of records and sensitive information is maintained at all times within the established facility requirements. Serves as the senior timekeeper for the respective Associate Director team and as a backup timekeeper for other Executive Leadership Team members and Associate Director Services/Service Lines. Assists the Associate Director and/or Assistant section in preparing move and space plans. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm CST. Telework: Ad hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD115330 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/28/2026. 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-8 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: proofreading all incoming and outgoing correspondence to ensure grammar and punctation are accurate; editing letters and reports for accuracy and completeness, monitoring and tracking actions to ensure timely submission; independently developing and presenting information, scheduling conferences and meetings and shifting schedules as needed, providing accurate advice on procedures, and reports; preparing travel arrangements; maintaining confidentiality on all sensitive items and prioritizing actions; operating computer systems and computer software programs including but not limited to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Publisher, Acrobat, Outlook, and Teams. Preferred Experience: Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy in all administrative tasks. Advanced clerical and technical skills, including proficiency with office software, document management systems, and communication tools. Strong organizational and information management abilities, with proven experience in maintaining structured records, prioritizing tasks, and managing high-volume workflow. Professional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to interact effectively across all levels of leadership. Discretion and sound judgment, particularly when handling sensitive information and supporting executive decision-making. Ability to anticipate needs, manage competing deadlines, and support the Associate Director proactively. Demonstrated reliability, adaptability, and consistent commitment to administrative excellence. 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/.
Before you apply
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