Administrative Officer
What you'd do
This position is in the at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Mountain Home, TN, with locations also in Knoxville, TN within the Dental Service. The primary reason for this position's existence is to function as the Administrative Officer (AO) for the Dental Service, with responsibility for directing and coordinating the administrative, operational, and planning activities of the service.
Major duties
This position maintains responsibility for the administrative management of the Service, with final authority being exercised by the Service Chief. This position's primary functions include but are not limited to: assisting with strategic planning and creating and maintaining statistical data for decision-making purposes; administering and monitoring cost-effective service operations; developing local clerical and administrative policies as appropriate; and applying analytical methods and tools to evaluate program activities and their effectiveness. This position is responsible for performing duties of an administrative nature, carrying out analytical trending and evaluative work associated with the service and ensuring that all contracts are developed, maintained, and implemented in accordance with the applicable regulations, directives, and policies. Duties include but are not limited to: Personnel Administration and Management Work Administrative Management Provides for the overall administrative management of the Dental Service. Exercises independent and creative judgment in accomplishing major duties. This may include interpreting administrative policies, developing local policies, defining administrative requirements, and/or providing advice to the Chief on related issues. The Administrative Officer provides substantial input into policies and action plans to ensure Dental Service is in compliance with VA Central Office (VACO), VISN, Joint Commission, and other entities as appropriate regarding all phases of performance improvement and quality management programs. Interacts frequently with VA management and personnel, VACO, VISN and community officials to keep abreast of substantive service issues within the organization. Human Resources/Personnel Management Coordinates the personnel management program form Dental Service performing or overseeing all aspects of human resources requirements. Advises the Chief and Supervisors regarding procedures, laws, regulations and policies dealing with recruitment, merit promotion, employee and labor relations, employee career development, human resources training, and other human resources related activities. Monitors, coordinates and tracks all on-going and projected personnel actions and continuously apprises management of status. Maintains files and documents on all personnel actions, and coordinates actions with appropriate staff or supervisor. Completes and reviews reports; analyzes trends, timeliness of processing actions, and status of numerous actions and identifies deficiencies or discrepancies; recommends plans to improve efficiency of processing actions and solutions to eliminate recurrence of unfavorable conditions. Advises Chief and supervisors of human resources award procedures, policies, and processes for deserved recognition for their employees. Responsible for creating and preparing award packages for employee contribution awards and other criteria awards. Ensures that performance ratings are submitted in a timely manner in accordance with regulatory guidelines. Prepares all Resource Allocation requests and Leaf submissions. Budget/Fiscal Manages budget formulation and execution for a changing budget of administrative expenses involving different funding sources, and participates with managers in reviewing needs, plans, and goals to develop budget data and justification for review and approval. Advises the Chief on budgetary and finance issues. Manages the Strategic Equipment Planning Guide (SEPG), prepares all equipment packets, and presents pre-procurement and FEC. Prepares budget estimates based on historical information and identifies need for changes. Serves as a Control Point Clerk and places orders when necessary. Space Planning Responsible for developing space requests and coordinates movement of assets with Engineering Service and Environmental Management Service (EMS). Coordinates the administrative aspects of office moves, office construction, and other facility improvements including furniture, equipment, telephones, and short-term storage. Represents the Dental Chief at facility Space Committee Meetings. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 6:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Administrative Officer/PD604600 and PD604590 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, 08/14/2026. 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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: GS-09 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized would typically includes, but are not limited to: Helping an administrative service run efficiently, organizing files, arranging travel for executives, coordinating, and applying a high level of customer service. Overseeing administrative functions, greeting internal customers, answering phones, replying to emails, conducting research and compiling reports, scheduling meetings/events, superior time management, and organizational skills; assisting managers with a wide variety of administrative functions including sensitive and confidential matters; using computer systems programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc., VISTA and electronic filing. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree or 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. 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 a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree. GS_11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Helping an administrative service run efficiently, serve as lead to HR administrative team members, managing the Dental Service and Audiology and Speech Pathology Service line budget, organizing files, keep updates HR databases, create and present report for senior managers, arranging travel for executives, coordinating, and applying a high level of customer service. Overseeing administrative functions, greeting internal customers, answering phones, replying to emails, conducting research and compiling reports, scheduling meetings/events, superior time management, and organizational skills; assisting managers with a wide variety of administrative functions including sensitive and confidential matters; using computer systems programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc., VISTA and electronic filing, HR Action Suspense tracking, experience working with specific HR programs such as the All Employee Survey (AES), Workforce Planning, performance evaluation review and/or submission monitoring process; taking minutes; formulating proposed administrative directives and policies; using Microsoft Office programs at an advanced level to include Power Point; conducting feasibility analysis on administrative process and making recommendations; providing advice and/or instruction to high level managers and/or leadership; monitoring process; taking minutes; formulating proposed administrative directives and policies; using Microsoft Office programs at an advanced level to include Power Point; conducting feasibility analysis on administrative process and making recommendations; providing advice and/or instruction to high level managers and/or leadership. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. 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 two years of graduate education is creditable towards meeting the specialized experience requirement. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part or your qualifications on education.. Medical and/or Dental Knowledge Preferred. 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/.
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