Program Support Assistant (OA)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Sioux Falls (SD); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Sioux Falls, SD seeks a Program Support Assistant (OA) to provide essential administrative and clerical support for the Environmental Management Service (EMS).

The role emphasizes organization, communication, and office automation to assist staff and management in daily operations. Responsibilities include preparing documents, maintaining records, scheduling meetings, tracking work orders, and handling confidential information.

Qualifications

• Typing proficiency of at least 40 words per minute.
• Experience providing administrative and clerical support including correspondence and records.
• Education may substitute for experience per GS-5 standards; 4+ years post-high school education required.
• Combination of education and experience acceptable; transcripts required.
• Ask pre-employment exams; work is sedentary with PC use; team office setting.

Responsibilities

• Provides administrative and clerical support to the EMS department.
• Prepares correspondence, reports, and documents.
• Maintains and updates records, files, and databases.
• Schedules appointments, meetings, and coordinates calendars.
• Assists in work orders and service requests tracking.
• Communicates with staff and external stakeholders to relay information.
• Uses office software to create, edit, and manage documents and data.
• Handles confidential information per policy.
• Supports inventory management for supplies/equipment.

Skills

Typing 40 wpm

Administrative support

Office software

Calendar management

Communication

Records management

Data entry

Education

4+ years education beyond high school

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Office 365

Databases

Job description

Summary

This position is a Program Support Assistant (OA) within the Environmental Management Service (EMS) at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Sioux Falls - South Dakota. The role provides essential administrative and clerical support to ensure the efficient operation of the EMS department. The position requires strong organizational - communication - and office automation skills to assist staff and management in daily operations.

Summary

This position is a Program Support Assistant (OA) within the Environmental Management Service (EMS) at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Sioux Falls - South Dakota. The role provides essential administrative and clerical support to ensure the efficient operation of the EMS department. The position requires strong organizational - communication - and office automation skills to assist staff and management in daily operations.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/19/2026. Typing Proficiency Requirement: You must be able to type at least 40 words per minute. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience GS-05: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-04) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include: providing administrative and/or clerical support to include preparing correspondence - reports - and maintaining records; scheduling appointments - managing calendars - timekeeping - and/or coordinating meetings for a team or department; utilizing office automation software (e.g. - word processing - spreadsheets - databases) to create - edit - and manage documents and data; and communicating with staff - management - and external stakeholders - both verbally and in writing - to relay information and resolve routine issues. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed 4 years of education above high school. NOTE: This education must have been obtained in an accredited business - secretarial or technical school - junior college - college or university; transcripts are required. OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education and specialized experience as described above to meet the total experience requirements. Note: Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e. - beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. NOTE: Transcripts are required. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. The work is mostly sedentary. It requires sitting - walking - standing - bending and carrying light items such as books - papers and files. At times - long hours may be spent operating a personal computer and/or typing. Work Conditions: Work is performed in an office setting. The work requires the use of safe work practices that include office equipment - avoidance of trips and falls - and observation of fire regulations. The work area is adequately lighted - heated and ventilated. 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

• Major duties include: Provides administrative and clerical support to the Environmental Management Service (EMS) department
• Prepares correspondence - reports - and other documents as required by the department
• Maintains and updates records - files - and databases in accordance with established procedures
• Schedules appointments - meetings - and coordinates calendars for EMS staff
• Assists in the preparation and tracking of work orders and service requests
• Communicates with staff - management - and external stakeholders to relay information and resolve routine issues
• Utilizes office automation software to create - edit - and manage documents and spreadsheets
• Handles sensitive or confidential information in accordance with established policies and procedures
• Supports inventory management by tracking supplies and equipment for the department
• Performs other related duties as assigned to ensure the efficient operation of the EMS department
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 7:30 a.m
• - 4:00 p.m
• (work hours may be further discussed during the interview) Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant (OA)/PD800800 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers
• This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest
• As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care - you will operate in a model with three core elements - seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran
• This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community
• This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.