Secretary (OA)

Secretary (OA) This position is located at the VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS) in the Office of the Director. The incumbent serves as the Executive Secretary to the Director. The incumbent provides a wide variety of administrative and management support for the work performed in the Office of the Director. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Serves as the Office Manager for the Executive Leadership Office and ensures that the practices and procedures used by secretaries in subordinate offices are consistent with those of the Director's Office. Recommends changes in administrative policies. Devises and installs office procedures and practices to be used by secretaries in subordinate offices. Prepares agenda for and conducts periodic secretarial training sessions for all secretaries to department heads. Responds to inquiries and administrative problems brought to the Director by members of the staff and officials of the agency's central office. Notifies the appropriate staff officials of the need for information or recommendations, and either prepares the response or follows up to ensure a timely response by others. Exercises exclusive control over the Director's appointments, with complete authority for commitments of time. Screens all calls and visitor's answering most questions and completing most business involving established policy or routine matters without referring people to the Director. Coordinates secretarial staff coverage and effectively communicates office operations information and expectations to the entire executive leadership team. Provides public contact support services such as answering the telephone, referring visitors, or providing information about the office, its functions and standard operating procedures, as well as similar information. Refers Veterans' concerns to the Patient Advocate Office and assists services under the Director with general correspondence procedures, reports, requirements and other matters necessary to implement the Director's policies, directives and instructions. Processes incoming and outgoing materials for the Director such as correspondence, reports, memoranda and other forms of written communication. Performs the following types of duties: edits letters and reports, reviews correspondence for accuracy and completeness, prepares presentation outlines and develops form letters. Appropriately uses the computer system and other office automation equipment and processes to accomplish writing, transmitting, receiving and forwarding electronic mail; writing, editing, formatting and printing word processing and spreadsheet documents to meet established timeframes provided by the Director. Serves as a liaison for several high-level councils and committees and is required to prepare agendas, accurately takes and transcribes all taped and handwritten notes and prepares meeting minutes for the Director's signature. Material presented in final form is virtually always free of typing, format, and/or assembly errors. Provides general clerical mail and correspondence services such as preparing a variety of recurring reports, reviewing outgoing correspondence for proper attachments, or consolidating/coordinating submittals of information. Advises the Director and Supervisory Health System Specialist of important office issues arising during the Director's absence, and brings significant items in reports, files and correspondence to the Director and Supervisory Health System Specialist. Independently electronically schedules and maintains appointments, coordinates meetings, V-Tels, VANTS/SKYPE calls (tele-conferences) and/or schedules conferences for the Director. Performs electronic calendar maintenance to ensure appointments are accurate and non-conflicting. Reminds the Director of subject matter prior to the meetings and makes administrative arrangements as required. Attends meetings when required, notes commitments and advise staff of their commitments in order to track actions for compliance. Coordinates all leave with the Secretaries in the Office of the Director to avoid instances of lack of Executive Leadership Office coverage. Serves as a purchase card holder for the Director's Office for supplies and services, which includes purchases and timely reconciliation of purchases.

Created: 2026-03-04