Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

The duties of the Program Support Assistant includes but is not limited to:
Timekeeping, Leave, and Pay Administration (45%)

• Performs the full range of time and leave administration for Northern Indiana VA.
• Maintains computerized time and leave records and performs timekeeper and data-entry functions using VA-approved staffing, scheduling, and timekeeping systems, including Oracle Health Clairvia and the Veterans Affairs Time and Attendance System (VATAS).
• Ensures all time and attendance data are accurately recorded in accordance with established policies, procedures, and payroll deadlines.
• Reviews, validates, posts, reconciles, and corrects employee schedules and time and attendance information, including daily time worked; annual leave; sick leave; military leave; authorized absence; leave without pay; absence without leave; overtime; compensatory time; on-the-job injury/Workers' Compensation (OWCP) time; Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave; holiday pay; excused holiday time; unscheduled work hours for part-time employees; on-call and call-back entitlements; time-off awards; premium pay and differentials; and other authorized time, leave, and pay categories.
• Submits and coordinates requests to establish new or additional tours of duty and maintains current information concerning supervisors, time-and-leave groups, and assigned staff.
• Ensures proper coding, computation, and remarks for premium pay, overtime, differentials, on-call/call-back, and other applicable entitlements.

Analysis & Program Monitoring (25%)

• Coordinates the collection, validation, analysis, and interpretation of time, leave, attendance, overtime, premium pay, and related data.
• Initiates and maintains audits and tracking mechanisms for leave, holiday status, premium pay, corrections, and other timekeeping activity.

Administrative Support, Records, and Program Coordination (30%)

• Serves as a reference source and program resource for Northern Indiana VA supervisors, managers, employees, timekeepers, and administrative staff regarding established time, leave, premium pay, and entitlement requirements.
• Provides training to managers, substitute timekeepers, and new timekeepers regarding entries, posting, coding, documentation, premium pay, and differentials.
• Stays current on changes in policy, guidance, system processes, and interpretations, and keeps the supervisor and designated alternates informed.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday. Hours to be determined
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description Title/PD#: Program Support Assistant (Time & Attendance)/PD93143A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's 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 interest. In 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 or trial 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, 10/29/2026.

INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
None

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

GRADE DETERMINATION GS-06
Specialized Experience. 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. Specialized experiences must meet all of the following:

Preferred experiences: Knowledge of Federal timekeeping systems and processes

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

• Accountability
• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

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: The work is primarily sedentary and is performed at a workstation using a computer and reviewing electronic and paper records. Some walking, standing, bending, reaching, and carrying of light office materials may be required. Travel between VANIHCS locations may be required on an as-needed basis.

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/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Other (1)
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application. Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.



SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):MOST RECENT SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee;

• A SF-50 showing 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 announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade;
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

Next steps