Program Support Assistant

Quick Facts

• Role: Program Support Assistant (Nutrition & Food Services)

• Schedule: Monday–Friday, 7:30am–4:00pm

• Work setting: Onsite (not virtual)

Description

The Program Support Assistant provides clerical, administrative, and technical program support to Nutrition & Food Services leadership and staff. The role emphasizes recordkeeping, office automation, data entry and maintenance, meeting coordination, purchase card documentation, and timekeeping support.

Responsibilities

• Maintain service files, trackers, and databases (spreadsheets, shared drives/SharePoint) for operational records (orders, receipts, inventories, equipment requests, training completions, and performance metrics) and prepare status listings and standardized reports.

• Collect, compile, and validate program data; perform data entry and quality checks; resolve routine discrepancies by contacting originators and updating records.

• Draft and format recurring correspondence, agendas, meeting minutes, memoranda, and staff notifications following VA/VHA style and policy.

• Coordinate calendars, schedule appointments/meetings, reserve rooms, and manage logistics.

• Provide customer service by receiving visitors/calls, answering N&FS procedure questions, and routing inquiries appropriately.

• Manage office supplies and service requests: submit and track work orders, monitor delivery, and document receipt.

• Support Government Purchase Card (GPC) documentation and monthly reconciliation in line with VA financial policy, including receipt verification, uploading/recording transactions in approved systems, flagging variances, and ensuring timely reconciliation.

• Prepare routine purchase requests in approved systems using predefined templates, route for approvals, and monitor order/delivery status.

• Perform office automation using VA standard software (word processing, spreadsheets, databases, email, calendaring); create templates/job-aids and provide basic user support.

• Assist with unit-level Talent Management System (TMS) administration: run compliance reports, help assign courses, track completions, and prepare roster updates.

• Serve as primary or backup timekeeper: enter/validate time and attendance, apply leave codes, monitor pending approvals, and coordinate with supervisors to resolve minor discrepancies.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship

• Completion of all required application steps, including an online USA Hire competency-based assessment

• Selective Service registration for males born after 12/31/1959

• Subject to background/security investigation

• Complete online onboarding and provide acceptable identification for employment (I-9)

• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program

• Ability to complete a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period

• Specialized experience: 1 year equivalent to at least GS-05, including administrative/clerical duties (meeting coordination, timekeeping, work order processing, purchase documentation/reconciliation), data collection/analysis/tracking, data entry and quality review, and office automation

• No educational substitution at this grade level

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government includes a comprehensive benefits package; eligibility depends on position type and whether the position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent.