This position is located at VA Black Hills while serving under the Health Administration Service/Business Office. The employee operates the agency telephone system/switchboard to receive and connect incoming and outgoing calls.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/05/2025. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: General Experience: You must have one year of general experience that equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. General experience is progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed two (2) years of education above the high school level in any field. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial, or technical school, junior college, college, or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. One year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of general experience and education beyond high school. Determine the total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determine the education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Customer Service Communications 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 usually sedentary but may involve some standing and walking to consult directories and manuals. You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Work Environment: The work is normally performed in a well-lighted, temperature-controlled room. Normal safety precautions are required. 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/.
Major duties include but are not limited to: Route calls to their proper destination. Provide organizational information to callers. Interview incoming calls to determine proper routing. Place outgoing toll calls and accurately record time, charges, and other pertinent information. Handle a variety of difficult calls requiring personal involvement on the part of the employee. Initiate a trace with local telephone and police authorities on threatening calls. Operate the installation paging system. Maintain on-call schedule for those areas such as pharmacy, lab, radiology, etc., upon request. Assist in preparing electronic phone directories of staff and product line services. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad-Hoc telework only. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Telephone Operator/PD20375A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.