Executive Administrative Assistant

Starting Salary $ 63,692

Since 1946, Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) has been delivering the VCS benefit to millions of Veterans enrolled in the VA Healthcare system, the largest Healthcare system in the United States. VCS is an independent service in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) that is Veteran facing, providing reasonably priced goods and services for the comfort and well-being of our Veterans.

The VCS Central Office, located at the Jefferson Barracks VA Medical Center in St. Louis, MO is conducting a search for an Executive Secretary to the Director. In this role, you will report to the Executive Director of the Veterans Canteen Service and will perform duties designed to relieve the Director of as much administrative detail as possible while contributing to the overall mission of VCS.

Duties of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Maintaining the calendar of the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer exercising control over appointments with authority over commitment of time. Accepting/declining appointment requests and coordinating representation by subordinate employees when needed. Scheduling must be executed with maximum efficiency of time utilization and with knowledge of priority and knowledge of Director’s workload, interests, commitments, and current issues of importance.
• Planning, coordinating, managing administrative affairs for the Executive Director, Chief Operating Officer, and the Chief Stores Officer
• Scheduling briefings and rehearsals in which the Executive Director is participating, ensuring availability of necessary reference materials, policy files, working papers, read ahead, etc. Monitors conversations and meetings when directed to do so, taking notes, and transcribing into a readily usable format.
• Developing administrative and procedural changes as directed by the Executive Director; advising as to their efficacy or feasibility based on precedents or knowledge of the factors which have previously influenced the Executive Director’s decisions.
• Providing advice and assistance to other office staff members, and Division offices subordinate to the Executive Director as well as staff at the VACO or VHA Central Office concerning such matters that need immediate attention.
• Planning for large meetings, conferences, and other official or personal gatherings in which the Executive Director or the Chief Operating Officer is a key participant. Selecting mutually satisfactory time, reserving appropriate facilities, Microsoft Teams invitations, and/or notifying participants, preparing agendas, and fulfilling other ancillary requirements to ensure success, to include inviting guest speakers,
ensuring adherence to proper protocols, settling accounts with the venue when necessary.
• Preparing travel requests and associated documentation for the Executive Director and/or the Chief Operating Officer. Making all necessary arrangements for travel, preparing itinerary, arranging schedule of visits, making transportation, and lodging reservations, notifying organizations and officials to be visited, keeping in touch with the Executive Director in route, making changes to schedule and itinerary as needed, submitting travel vouchers upon return.
• Reviewing and screening correspondence prepared throughout VCS and VHA channeled through appropriate parties. Correspondence is largely of a policy or sensitive nature and must be handled with confidentiality. Addresses unsatisfactory correspondence directly with office of origin. Proofreading all correspondence before providing to the Director.
• Operating multiple office automation systems and software packages such as Microsoft Office products to accomplish work. Assignments may involve text editing and document creation, database management, electronic mail and/or calendar, desktop publishing, electronic spreadsheet, graphics, or other automated functions. Preparing in final form, from written materials and brief instructions, a variety of narrative and statistical material, documents pertaining government correspondence, reports, staff actions, charts, etc.
• Maintaining confidentiality and safeguarding personal information such as PII, HR actions and EEO/Audit Fact-Findings and Investigations.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in advanced secretarial and administrative support duties in an office environment that requires a high level of confidentiality.
• 30 semester hours of college coursework in Business Administration or a related field may substitute for one year of the required experience. Transcripts must be provided.
• Must have advanced experience with knowledge of office automation equipment/functions computers, copiers, scanners, Microsoft Office (including Excel and Word) etc.
• Must have skills in advising and instructing other staff members and support personnel in the different divisions and regions such matters as directives, reports, correspondence, and telephone procedures.
• Possesses effective oral and written communication skills and has knowledge of grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, arrangement, grammar, style, and required formats.

NOTE: Conditions of Employment

 
Initial appointment is conditioned upon satisfactory pre-employment adjudication and continued employment is subject to a favorable background adjudication. Position is subjected to 1-year probationary period.

NOTE : Participation in the seasonal influenza and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination programs are requirements for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment. It is a requirement that all HCP receive the COVID-19 vaccination and annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption has been granted. HCP in violation of these directives may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service

HCP for purposes of the influenza vaccination program are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

HCP for purposes of the COVID-19 vaccination program refers to all paid and unpaid persons who work in or travel to VHA locations who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials, including body substances (e.g., blood, tissue, and specific body fluids); contaminated medical supplies, devices, and equipment; contaminated environmental surfaces; or contaminated air. These HCP may include, but are not limited to, emergency medical service personnel, nurses, nursing assistants, physicians, technicians, therapists, phlebotomists, pharmacists, health professions trainees (HPTs), contractor personnel, and persons (e.g., clerical, dietary, environmental services, laundry, security, maintenance, engineering and facilities management, administrative, billing, and volunteer personnel) not directly involved in patient care but potentially exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted from HCP and patients. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time, intermittent, fee basis employees who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these locations. HCP also includes VHA personnel and contractor personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.