Enter a job title or keyword

Program Support Assistant (OA)


Job Location:

New Orleans, LA - USA

Yearly Salary: USD 40736 - 40736
Posted: 6 October 2026 (2 days ago)
Application Deadline: 3 January 2027
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Summary

This position is located within the Nutrition and Food Services Department (N&FS) of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The person in this position serves as the Program Support Assistant to the N&FS Administrative Officer providing a wide variety of administrative clerical and technical support.


Duties

  • Collects Compiles and/or tracks data and statistical information
  • Organizes data into Access databases or spreadsheet formats
  • Prepares a wide variety of recurring and nonrecurring correspondence reports and other documents
  • Establishes updates and maintains office files and records
  • Keeps and types meeting minutes agendas and reports
  • Prepares executes and/or tracks program specific information
  • Performs office automation duties using such software applications such as word processing spreadsheet electronic mail desktop publishing calendar database and/or graphics
  • Uses spreadsheet software to develop and change spreadsheets in order to graphically display data
  • Schedules nutrition clinic appointments prepares appointment confirmation letters and enters appointment data
  • Provides clerical support such as answering the telephone referring visitors or providing information about the office its functions and standard operating procedures and similar information
  • Maintains the appointment calendar schedules appointments reminds supervisor/staff members of the subject matter prior to meetings and makes administrative arrangements as required
  • Edits letters composes letters and reports reviews correspondence for accuracy and completeness prepares public presentation outlines and meeting minutes develops standard or form letters and replies to inquiries
  • Serves as official timekeeper - notifying supervisors when leave limits are exceeded posting staff time and attendance processing timecards
  • Performs other related 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: Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm subject to change based on the needs of the facility.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant (OA)/PD99613S and PD99930A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized



Requirements
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 area is usually an adequately lighted heated and ventilated office of medical facility setting. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions. The sedentary and may require some walking standing bending carrying and/or lifting of light items like papers or books. The work requires light to moderate levels/times performing keyboarding to prepare correspondence.
    • Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
    • 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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers 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)
    As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public determining if your employment advances the public interest we may consider:
    • 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.
    Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

    Qualifications

    To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 08/07/2026.

    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. 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 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.

    TYPING PROFICIENCY: This position requires the skills of a qualified addition to meeting the experience and/or education requirements you must be able to type at least 40 words per minute.

    Candidates may be advanced without time restriction to positions up to GS-5 if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade the employee held within the preceding 52 weeks under his or her latest non temporary competitive 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-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:

    • One (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Program Support Assistant at the developmental level and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-4) in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience where you were responsible for 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: Successfully completed four (4) years of education above the high school level in any field which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. Transcripts must be submitted at time of application.
    . OR
    • Combination: Equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience as described above which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. Transcripts must be submitted at time of application.
    In order to qualify for this position at the GS-6 level you must possess the following:

    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:
    • One (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties the Program Support Assistant at the full performance level (GS-6) and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience where you were 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.

    For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):
    • SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Eligibility):
      • Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee

    In addition to your most recent SF-50 other examples of SF-50s to include in your application packet include:

    • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
    • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
    • SF-50s at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
    Additional information

    Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

    Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e. physical or mental) covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position after notification of the adjudication of your request you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA please review the
    Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

    This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

    TheCareer Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice your most recent performance rating and your most recent SF-50 noting current position grade level and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about CTAP eligibility is on OPMs Career Transition Resources website at
    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.

    Review our 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.


    Required Experience:

    Junior IC