Program Support Assistant Jobs in USA 2024 – Apply Now

Within government agencies, nonprofit organizations, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and private companies, Program Support Assistants render indispensable administrative and operational assistance. It is their responsibility to ensure that specific programs or departments are supported, which includes the provision of appropriate documentation, effective communication, and efficient workflows

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Details of Program Support Assistant Jobs in USA:

Benefits of Program Support Assistant Jobs in USA:

• Skill Development: Program Support Assistants develop indispensable administrative abilities, including proficiency in office software, scheduling, data administration, and document processing. These fundamental competencies are advantageous in numerous sectors.
• Workplace Stability: These positions are frequently located in government, healthcare, and educational institutions, which provide well-structured work environments and relatively stable employment.
• Career Advancement: Program Support Assistants may progress to more senior administrative or managerial roles as they accumulate experience. This position frequently serves as an entry point for professions in office administration, project coordination, or program management.
• Professional Networking: The opportunity to engage in meaningful networking activities is provided by the collaboration with program managers, directors, and other personnel. These relationships have the potential to provide access to future career opportunities within the organization or in related disciplines.
• Diverse Work Environment: Program Support Assistants are employed in a diverse range of environments, including healthcare and public administration. This diversity can offer assistants a comprehensive understanding of various disciplines, thereby enabling them to identify areas of interest for future roles.
• Contribution to Organizational Success: These positions are essential for the successful execution of programs, which directly affects the success of projects and initiatives. Knowing that they are contributing to significant organizational objectives is a source of satisfaction for many.
• Team Collaboration: These positions frequently necessitate collaboration with multiple departments, which aids in the development of interpersonal skills and the comprehension of the interdependence of various components of an organization.
• Opportunities for Training: Numerous organizations offer on-the-job training or access to professional development courses, which enable assistants to improve their abilities in technical software, communication, and project management.
• Flexibility in Work Schedules: Program Support Assistant positions may provide remote work options or flexible work hours, depending on the employer, which can facilitate the integration of personal responsibilities with professional obligations.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Program Support Assistants acquire robust problem-solving capabilities that are advantageous in any profession by managing daily responsibilities and resolving complications as they arise.
• Enhanced Communication Skills: Communication skills are a critical asset for future career advancement, and they are improved through regular interaction with team members, managers, and stakeholders.
• Positive Work-Life Balance: A significant number of Program Support Assistant positions are associated with standard business hours and paid time off, which contribute to a positive work-life balance and reduced stress.
• Competitive Benefits: These positions, particularly those located within government agencies and healthcare institutions, frequently include comprehensive benefits packages, such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid leave.
• Job satisfaction: The act of supporting programs that have a positive impact on the community, such as healthcare initiatives or educational programs, can be gratifying and provide a sense of purpose.
• Exposure to Program Management: The assistance provided in program logistics, budget tracking, and reporting provides valuable exposure to program management, which is beneficial for advancing in related disciplines.

Duties of Program Support Assistant Jobs:

The Radiology Service will receive a comprehensive range of administrative, clerical, and technical support from the Program Support Assistant position. The following are examples of responsibilities, but they are not exhaustive:

• Assumes responsibility for the Electronic Inventory List (EIL), which includes the acquisition of inventory documentation, the acquisition of signatures, and the timely submission of memos.
• Creates internal mechanisms, graphs, and workflow charts to illustrate program development, workflow efficiency, and trending data.
• Guarantees that equipment requests are submitted in a timely and precise manner, with sufficient justification to substantiate the request.
• Notifies personnel of modifications to existing policies and/or the implementation of new procedures.
• Support the clerical and administrative work by employing office automation programs and software, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and database management.
• Ensures the department’s accuracy and efficiency by monitoring purchases from request to delivery and maintaining purchase card authorization.
• Ensures that the department’s office supplies are kept at the appropriate level and are monitored.
• Tracks, budgets, and maintains a Staples account to ensure that supplies are replenished as required.
• Offers clerical contact support, including the answering of telephones, the referral of visitors, and the provision of information as required regarding the facility, processes, services, and locations within the department and the facility.
• Acts as the timekeeper for the Radiology Service.
• Ensures that all time and attendance cards are completed accurately and processed promptly, preparing time and attendance reports for the Radiology Service Line Chief and Manager.
• Ensures that onboarding activities are completed by coordinating the orientation of new personnel to the Radiology Service Line.
• Prepare requests for travel and education for employees of the Radiology Service Line.
• It is necessary to employ a variety of communication methods, such as email, fax, scan, instant message, and copy.

Notifications:

• This position is located within an AFGE Bargaining Unit.
• This position is located in the competitive service sector.
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOCs.
• Current and former Federal employees are required to submit copies of their most recent SF-50, or “Notice of Personnel Action.” The SF-50 must specify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure, and form of service (excepted or competitive). In some cases, you might need to submit multiple SF-50s to prove that you previously held a higher grade. Award 50 provides insufficient information, which we will not accept.
• Interchange Agreements with Other Merit Systems: For employees who were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104(1) and (3)] and are currently serving in a full-time position without a time limit, they must have served continuously for a minimum of one year in this other merit system in order to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System. If you have previously obtained tenure through a Title 5 appointment, there may be some exceptions to this rule.

Requirements of Program Support Assistant Jobs in USA:

Conditions of Employment:

• To be considered for this position, you must be a citizen of the United States.
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• May be subject to a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is mandatory for males born after December 31, 1959.
• A comprehensive application packet, including a resume and transcripts, is required.
• An online induction process will be mandatory for selected applicants.
• All Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) are required to participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• All Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) are required to participate in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program. For further information, please refer to the “Additional Information” section below.

Qualifications of Program Support Assistant Jobs in USA:

Your qualifications may be determined by your education and/or experience, as outlined below:

GS 5 Specialized Experience: Must possess one (1) year of specialized experience that is equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS 4) in the field of the position to be filled. The following are examples of specialized experience, but they are not exhaustive:

Offer a diverse array of technical, administrative, and clerical assistance; Performs tasks that facilitate budget analysis and administration; employs office automation software and programs, including word processing, spreadsheet, and database management, to facilitate clerical and administrative tasks, as well as a fax machine, scanner, and email program.

Or;

• Education: Achieved a successful completion of four (4) years of education in any discipline beyond high school.
• NOTE: The application must be accompanied by transcripts, whether they are official or unofficial.

Or;

Experience and Education Combination: An equivalent combination of completed post-high school education over the first 60 semester hours (beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement, and the specialized experience, as described above, meets the total experience requirements for this grade level.

NOTE: Your application must be accompanied by transcripts, whether they are official or unofficial.

For this position, you will be evaluated on the following competencies:

• Attention to Detail
• Computer Skills
• Customer Service
• Manages and Organizes Information

The term “experience” encompasses both paid and unpaid work, as well as volunteer work completed through National Service programs (e.g., AmeriCorps, Peace Corps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work is a valuable source of training and experience that can directly lead to paid employment, as well as a means of developing critical competencies, knowledge, and skills. All qualifying experience, including volunteer work, will be recognized.

Note: A complete year of employment is defined as 35-40 hours of work per week. Credit for part-time experience will be awarded based on the actual time spent engaging in relevant activities. Applicants who desire to receive credit for this experience must clearly specify the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position, as well as the number of hours they spend in that employment each week.

Physical Requirements: The labor is sedentary. The employee typically rests in a comfortable position to complete the task. Nevertheless, there may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light objects such as books, papers, or small parts, or operating a vehicle. The work does not necessitate any unique physical requirements.

Work Environment: The work environment is characterized by the presence of daily hazards or discomforts that necessitate the implementation of standard safety precautions. These precautions are common in settings such as conference rooms, offices, and training rooms. The work area is adequately ventilated, heated, and lighted.

For additional details regarding these qualification standards, please consult the website of the United States Office of Personnel Management at

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Education:

If you are relying on your education for all or a portion of your qualifications, a transcript must be included with your application.

Note: To qualify for Federal employment, only education or degrees from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be used. Your education can be verified. To receive credit for foreign education, you must submit a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript if you are using it to fulfill qualification requirements. For additional details.

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Additional Information:

This OPEN AND CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT (OCA) establishes a standing register of eligible applicants, which will conclude. We will conduct subsequent evaluations every other week as additional vacancies arise or as needed, until we fill all positions, with an initial cut-off date for the referral of eligible applications. The “What to Expect Next” section of the announcement offers supplementary details regarding the referral procedure for this particular announcement.

Under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), eligible displaced VA competitive service personnel receive selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.

To be considered well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that surpasses the minimum qualifications of the position, including all selective factors if applicable, and be proficient in the majority of the job’s requirements. The Career Transition Resources website of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) contains information regarding the eligibility of ICTAP and CTAP.

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Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal employees receive annual leave at a rate of 4, 6, or 8 hours per pay period, depending on their number of years of service. VA may grant credit to newly appointed Federal employees for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. You can use this credited service to determine the eligibility rate for annual leave. This credit is not guaranteed and must be requested and approved before the appointment date.

This job opportunity announcement has the potential to fill additional positions.

VHA Directive 1193.01 mandates that all VHA health care personnel (HCP), except those with medical, religious, or pregnancy-related exemptions, receive a complete COVID-19 vaccination. The list of VHA HCPs does not include remote personnel who visit VHA locations infrequently. If selected, you must provide proof of vaccination and complete your COVID-19 vaccination before starting work.

The agency will provide further details about the required information and documentation, as well as the process for requesting a legally mandated exemption from this requirement through the reasonable accommodation process.

Please contact the agency mentioned in this job opportunity announcement if you are unable to apply online or need an alternative mode of document submission. The Fair Chance to Compete Act prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs from soliciting an applicant’s criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. Visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act for additional details regarding the Act and the complaint process.

How You Will Be Evaluated?

We will evaluate you for this position based on your ability to meet the aforementioned qualifications. Please be as specific and explicit as possible when describing your experience. We will not make any assumptions regarding your experience.

Narrative responses are not mandatory at this time. If we refer you for consideration, we may require you to provide supplementary job-related information, including responses to the knowledge, skills, and abilities questionnaire, completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. The verification of your resume and/or supporting documentation will be conducted. Please ensure that you adhere to all instructions meticulously. Your rating or employment consideration may be influenced by errors or omissions.

The Department of Veterans Affairs conducts pre-employment reference checks as a method of assessment during the hiring process. The purpose of this process is to confirm the details provided by a candidate, whether in a resume, interview, or hiring process, to gather more insights into their abilities, and to aid a hiring manager in finalizing a candidate for a position.

Refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document for additional details regarding the “Who may apply” eligibility requirements.

• Placement Policy: Management is not required to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion as a result of the posting of this announcement. The position may be filled through reassignment, transfer, appointment, reinstatement, or a transition to a lower grade. To complete the position, management may implement any of these methods or a combination of them. The VA has a policy of not denying employment to individuals who have experienced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
• Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets website to access career-search resources for Veterans who are interested in employment at VA, career development services for our current Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents:

• Resume

The following documents are acceptable and may be required if they are relevant to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Make certain that you have included all necessary documents for your application by utilizing this checklist. This includes a copy of your transcript (if you are using education to qualify), SF-50s (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). Thanks. We will not contact you for any further information.

Documents Accepted:

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Your most recent SF-50 provided that you are a current or former Federal employee.
• Your application materials must include an SF-50 that demonstrates your eligibility for time in grade. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not demonstrate that you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this case, you are required to submit an additional SF-50 that unequivocally demonstrates a one-year time-in-grade.
• Award 50s are insufficiently detailed and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of suitable SF-50s include:
  • Within the greatest grade held, there are grade increases; or
  • Promotions that have been in effect for more than one year; or
  • The highest grade of SF-50s is possessed with an effective date that is more than one year old.

Kindly review the aforementioned list(s) to confirm that you have submitted all the requisite documents for your application. The responsibility of the applicant is to ensure that their application package contains all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment.

This includes a copy of their SF-50, transcript, and ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). It is important to note that not all applicants will require the same documents. Additionally, you will not be contacted for any further information. If supporting documentation is not submitted, applicants will be considered ineligible.

• Veterans’ Preference: The traditional Veterans’ Preference rules are not applicable due to the use of the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority. Nevertheless, qualified veterans will receive complete consideration for this position.
• Online applications are welcomed: By submitting your application online, you will have the ability to monitor and examine its status.

How to Apply For Program Support Assistant Jobs in USA?

You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the specified documentation from the Required Documents section. You must submit the entire application packet by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/28/2025 to be considered. To view the questionnaire, visit here.

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• To commence, select “Apply Online” to establish a USAJOBS account or access your existing account. Complete the occupational questionnaire by selecting your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and following the prompts.
• To submit your application bundle, click “Submit My Answers.”

NOTE: You are responsible for ensuring that you submit your responses and relevant documentation before the closing date. Log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link, and then select the More Information link for this position to confirm that your application is complete.

The Details page will display the status of your application, the received and processed documentation, and any correspondence the agency has sent in relation to this application. The virus scan procedure may require several hours to complete for the documents you have uploaded.

To resume an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and select “Update Application” in the vacancy announcement. Your application will be incomplete if you do not re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account.

Next Steps:

Upon submission of your online application, you will receive an email confirmation. Once the vacancy announcement closes and we receive all necessary documents and application packages, we will review the applications to confirm they meet the qualification and eligibility requirements.

Upon the conclusion of the evaluation, we issue a referral certificate(s) and inform applicants of their status via email. The recruiting office will inform referred applicants of their status and may contact them directly to schedule an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification upon the rendering of a selection decision.

By logging into your USA Jobs account and selecting “Applications,” you can monitor the status of your application at any time. The USA Jobs Help Center is the source of information regarding the status of your application.

NOTE: All Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) are required to participate in the seasonal influenza program as a condition of employment. All healthcare professionals must receive an annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. If you receive an exemption from influenza vaccination, you must wear a face mask.

HCPs who violate this directive may be subject to disciplinary action, which may include termination from federal service. HCPs are individuals who work for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) during the influenza season or engage with VA patients or other HCPs as part of their duties. VHA locations encompass a variety of facilities, such as VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, vet centers, and VA-leased medical facilities.

HCP covers all VA employees, paid or unpaid, who are expected to work at these facilities, and who are licensed or unlicensed, clinical or administrative, remote or onsite, paid or not, full- or part-time, intermittent, or fee-based. This also includes VA contractors, researchers, volunteers, and health professions trainees (HPTs).

HPTs, which include students, trainees, fellows, and residents, may receive compensation or not. HCP also encompasses VHA personnel who provide home-based care to veterans, transporters, and other personnel whose responsibilities involve interacting with patients outside of VA medical facilities.

Fair and Transparent:

The Federal employment process is designed to be transparent and equitable. Kindly review the subsequent instructions.

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• The new employee’s probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service
• Signature and false statements
• Social Security number request

Frequently Asked Questions: