National Cemetery Administration hiring Program Support Assistant. in Newtown, PA | LinkedIn (2024)

Duties

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DutiesProvides specialized and general clerical assistance to the office of the National Cemetery. Performs general clerical support in office with copying, filing, storing stock items. Assignments can vary involving routine and non-routine office functions such as preparing documents and correspondence, sorting, copying, and filing. Prepares reports for Cemetery Administrators use. Assist in budget preparation and management. Serves as purchase card holder and time keeper. Represents the National Cemetery meeting funeral directors, families and honor guard members who are attending committal services or burials at the Cemetery. Provides information to bereaved family members concerning gravesite and marker information. Retrieves gravesite information from the KIOSK or BOSS (electronic burial register) in assisting families locating loved ones' gravesites. Duties may include but are not limited to: maintaining control of traffic to the cemetery, directing funeral corteges so as to keep all family members together, accompanying families to committal shelters and gravesites, providing veteran burial benefit information to family members and visitors, answering general questions of family and visitors, assisting visitors and family members locating gravesites.

Performs public outreach as needed.

Work schedule: Required to work Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. May include occasional weekends. Due to the mission of the National Cemetery, the cemetery cannot be closed for more than 2 consecutive days at any given time. Additionally, when a Federal holiday falls on a Monday or Friday, staff may be required to work on that holiday or a Saturday. All staff is required to work Memorial Day and Veteran's Day each year. Staff will be required to work overtime, weekends and holidays when necessary to meet the needs of the cemetery. Occasionally staff may be called back to the facility to perform emergency overtime work.

Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not available

Telework: Not available

Remote/Virtual: This is not a virtual or remote position.

Position Description Title/PD#: Program Support Assistant/1619638

The full performance level of this position is GS-07. At the GS-06 level, you will perform similar duties but under closer supervision.

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.

SalaryGS-06: $48,547 - $63,113

GS-07: $53,947 - $70,133

Relocation Expenses: Not authorized

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

RequirementsConditions of Employment

• Subject to a background/security investigation.
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must have the ability to type at least 40 words per minute.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.

QualificationsTo qualify for this position, applicants must meet all specialized experience and time in grade requirements within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement, 05/27/2024.

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 within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement.

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 your most recent non-award 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 non-award SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year time-in-grade.

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.

• Must have the ability to type at least 40 words per minute.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

• GS-06 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-5) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to administrative/office work experience that includes work such as gathering data, coordinating meetings, establishing and maintaining an efficient filing system, using automated data processing equipment to generate a variety of reports, and establishing priorities and meeting deadlines.
• GS-07 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-6) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to administrative/office work experience that includes work such as gathering data, coordinating meetings, establishing and maintaining an efficient filing system, using automated data processing equipment to generate a variety of reports, and establishing priorities and meeting deadlines.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Communications
• Computer Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Self-Management
• Writing

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; religions; 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 work requires frequent walking, standing, pushing of casket biers, bending and stooping. Frequent arm and leg movements are required when setting niche covers. Incumbent lifts objects, which weigh up to 40 pounds such as niche covers, chairs and tables. Sitting and occasional lifting of records and supplies.

Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Career 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 (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

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

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the

• 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.

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.