Supervisory Medical Support Assistant
About This Position
The VISN20 Float Pool is looking to fill a vacancy for a Supervisory Medical Support Assistant. Vacancies are in the following locations: Portland, OR Fort Lawton, WA White City, OR
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of this announcement closing date. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency.
MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j Education. Must have High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education. Specialized Experience must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level leading or supervising MSAs or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting. Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit. Candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below: Ability to provide the full range of administrative and supervisory duties to at least one subordinate MSA supervisor or team leader in a patient support setting which includes assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards and/or advancements.
Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with internal and external customers to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensure compliance with established policies and regulations. Ability to provide briefings, orientations, staff development, and training in a patient support setting. Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and identify budget needs.
Advanced knowledge of managing or leading patient support staff in a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment. Preferred Experience: Supervising or leading remote MSA/AMSA teams working across multiple facilities and two EHRs (e.g., VistA/CPRS and Cerner/Oracle) with multiple software interfaces such as ISS, EPS, HSRM, PPMS, EPSI, RTC, DSV, and other VISN or facility level tools.
Experience in high pressure, fast paced surge support environments, including VISN level or multi-facility workload redistribution, float pool oversight, and backlog recovery. Demonstrated ability to manage complex, non-scheduling administrative workflows, such as authorizations, documentation accuracy, appeals, reporting, business integrity monitors, and consult processing. Experience using data, analytics, and process improvement methodologies to drive productivity, accuracy, timeliness, and workload standardization.
Ability to identify and champion AI supported workflow efficiencies and automation opportunities that enhance consistency, throughput, and staff workload balance. Strong communication and collaboration skills with Veterans, clinical teams, external providers, leadership, and interdisciplinary VISN stakeholders. Knowledge of privacy, confidentiality, and ADP security requirements (HIPAA, Privacy Act, FOIA, 38 U.S.C. 7332).
References: VA Handbook 5005/117, Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standard, GS-679. Published August 1, 2019 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 8. Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary but may require periods of standing or walking however, there are no physical requirements for the 0679 Medical Support Assistant occupation.
Major Duties
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional VISN 20 Float Pool Supervisory Medical Support Assistant: Incumbent serves as a Supervisory Medical Support Assistant (Supervisory MSA) in the Community Care section at Veteran Integrated Service Network (VISN) 20.
This position serves as supervisory administrative support to meet the consult timeliness compliance for VISN 20 Community Care. The Supervisory MSA is the subject matter expert for all MSA/AMSA duties and responsibilities. Incumbent directly reports to the VISN Community Care Chief under the Business Implementation Manager (BIM).
This position serves as the liaison between patients, nursing staff, medical staff, outside agencies and other VA Medical Centers in their assigned area and serves customers both internal and external. In addition, this position supports all 8 VISN facilities community care offices to manage workload and needs identified by each facility. The incumbent must exhibit strong team and collaboration skills to work across 8 medical centers.
The incumbent provides technical and administrative supervision to a unit of Lead Medical Support Assistants GS-0679-07, Advanced Medical Support Assistants GS-0679-06, and Medical Support Assistants GS-4/5. The incumbent oversees the daily operation of the unit, ensures that agency policies and priorities are being followed; develops performance standards; and evaluates work performance of subordinates. He/she establishes procedures to meet accreditation standards and consistently monitors to ensure services provided meet nationally accepted standards and are maximally cost effective.
The incumbent analyzes, evaluates, and advises on the effectiveness of work methods and procedures, organizations, space and manpower utilization, management controls, information and documentation systems and similar functions of management. Work Schedule: Typical tour of duty is Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm. Available tours will be discussed during the interview process.
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
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. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. 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).
Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Education
Education is not used for substitution of experience at the GS 8 level.
How You Will Be Evaluated
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. 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. 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. 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. Veterans' Preference: Does not pertain to this announcement per the OCHCO bulletin, Annual Determination of Staffing Shortages. This bulletin is in effect through September 30, 2026.
Additional Information
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.
Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 03/18/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12901370. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account.
Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Resume Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.
Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field. The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc. Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA) 'Other' - non-page limited Resumes ONLY! Resume SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action