Program Assistant

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Program Assistant within the VA Palo Alto Health Care System to support the Business Administration Service - Member Services.

The role involves comprehensive administrative and data support across BAS and CBOCs, interacting with Veterans and clinic staff to ensure smooth operations. You will assist with eligibility data, documentation, and travel reimbursements, while contributing to workload reporting and program coordination in a

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04.
• Education substitution allowed: four years of education above high school.
• Combination of education and experience allowed.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support across BAS and Member Services.
• Enter information into the VISTA and VESL systems and process eligibility data.
• Process Beneficiary Travel claim requests.
• Respond to inquiries from Veterans, clinic staff, and external partners.
• Support workload reporting and disaster preparedness and safety programs as needed.

Skills

Clerical skills

Customer service

Data entry

Computer proficiency

Education

Four years education above high school

Job description

Summary

The incumbent will perform the full scope of the duties and responsibilities under normal supervision as Program Assistant assigned to Business Administration Service (BAS) - Member Services located at the Department of Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS). The incumbent will provide a high level of administrative and data support to BAS to include Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC's) as well as to the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in the capacity of Program Assistant.

The incumbent will perform the full scope of the duties and responsibilities under normal supervision as Program Assistant assigned to Business Administration Service (BAS) - Member Services located at the Department of Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS). The incumbent will provide a high level of administrative and data support to BAS to include Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC's) as well as to the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in the capacity of Program Assistant.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 09/29/2026. 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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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-05 Minimum Qualifications 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: providing clerical - technical - or customer support; receiving and referring phone calls; communicating and treating customers in a courteous - tactful - and respectful manner while providing consistent information according to established policies and procedures; and using computer programs to prepare documents. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title - duties - month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level - you must have successfully completed four (4) years of education above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. (Transcripts must be submitted at the time of application). OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the second year of post-high school. GS-06 Minimum Qualifications 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: Responsible for providing administrative support; collecting - compiling - and tracking data and information; processing documents and reports; establishing - updating - and maintaining office files and records; performing automation duties using such software applications such as word processing - spreadsheet - electronic mail - desktop publishing - calendar - database - and/or graphics; answering telephones - referring visitors - and providing information. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title - duties - month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. Education: There is no educational substitution at this grade level. GS-07 Minimum Qualifications Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Responsible for providing administrative support; collecting - compiling - and tracking data and information; processing documents and reports; establishing - updating - and maintaining office files and records; performing automation duties using such software applications such as word processing - spreadsheet - electronic mail - desktop publishing - calendar - database - and/or graphics; answering telephones - referring visitors - and providing information. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title - duties - month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. Education: There is no educational substitution at this grade level. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Clerical Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Organizational Awareness Standards 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; religious; 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: This position is sedentary but might require walking - bending - stooping - and carrying of light objects such as manuals - documents - etc. Concentration and sustained performance under prolonged stress are required because of the time factors involved in completion of work assignments with deadlines. 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/.

Duties

• NOTE: This position is currently under a consistency review with a chance of being downgraded
• Duties below are for the Full Performance GS-07 - including but not limited to: Program Assistant Duties: The incumbent provides support for a wide variety of administrative tasks within the service - such as validating - assisting - advising - and consulting with administrative services on such matters as personnel - equipment - administration - maintenance - disaster preparedness - safety programs - and workload reports for the CBOC
• Determination of Eligibility Status Duties: Incumbent must enter all information into the database for determination of the eligibility status for health care
• Patient Data Patient Demographics Emergency Contact Employment Insurance Military Service Eligibility Status - Etc
• Beneficiary Travel Duties: Incumbent may also be tasked with processing Beneficiary Travel claim requests
• Factor 1 Knowledge Required by the Position: The employee must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skill necessary to complete the duties of the position
• Factor 2 Supervisory Controls: The incumbent is under the general supervision of the Supervisory Medical Administration Program Specialist (Assistant Chief) and Supervisory Program Specialist of the Member Services section - and the Chief of Member Services - Chief Business Administration Service - and/or Deputy Chief Business Administration Service
• Factor 3 Guidelines: Guidelines include Department of Veterans Affairs - Veterans Health Administration manuals - circulars - regulations - policies - procedures - Code of Federal Regulations - Public Laws - new State laws - service policies - directives - memoranda - Joint Commission and American Hospital Association references - general statistical - mathematical reference guides and books - etc
• Factor 4 Complexity: The position is integral to the successful operation of the Business Administration Service and the VA Palo Alto Health Care System
• incumbent is administratively responsible for the effectives smooth operation of processing Veteran applicants into available treatment modalities at the VAPAHCS and entering information into the VISTA system and VESl Each responsibility in conjunction with the position demands a variety of differing and unique responses to successfully administer Care must be taken to address the needs of the patients - professional staff and Medical Center goals and objectives initiative and judgment are applied in making decisions not covered by the above guidelines The incumbent must respond to changing priorities and redistribute workloads accordingly
• Factor 5 Scope and Effect: The duties in this position are directly related and integrated with all of the operational functions and programs within the Business Administrative Services
• Factor 6 Personal Contacts: Contacts are with VA Administrative and Clinical staff and with various other personnel
• Factor 7 Purpose of Contacts: The incumbent's contacts are primarily for the exchange of information - explanation of regulations - etc. - to the clinic staff - Veterans and their representatives - outside physicians - and service organizations
• Factor 8 Physical Demands: This is primarily a sedentary position - but the work requires some walking - bending - stooping - and carrying of light objects such as manuals - documents - etc
• Concentration and sustained performance under prolonged stress are required because of the time factors involved in completion of work assignments with deadlines
• Factor 9 Work Environment: The incumbent works in an office/clinical setting
• Work areas are generally adequate and shared
• Occasional travel is required
• Frequently walks to and interacts with other services throughout the facility and Community-Based Outpatient Clinics
• The incumbent may also occasionally work outside the VA to participate in community events such as Health Fairs - Homeless Veterans Stand Downs - and Post Deployment Health Re-assessment (PDHRA)
• Other duties as assigned 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: M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm or as determined by the supervisor
• Compressed/Flexible: Not Applicable Telework: Not Applicable Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Program Assistant/PD03168A - PD03169A - and PD03170A 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