Telephone Operator

The Telephone Operator position is within the Health Administration Service at the San Juan VA Healthcare System to include several Community Based Outpatient Clinics. The Telephone Operator serves in a critical front-line role to patient and community access. The Telephone Operator manages telephone calls to the facility, to include external calls to the facility as well as internal service to service telephone transfers.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/29/2026.

Selective Placement Factor (SPF) for locations in Puerto Rico- This position includes skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to -and essential for- satisfactory performance of the job.

Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. Evidence of the Selective Placement Factor must be reflected in your resume. The SPF for this position is:

• In addition to the English Language Proficiency, you must also be proficient in basic written and spoken Spanish in order to perform the duties of this position. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: General Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-03 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: 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 completed 2 years of education above high school. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond 2 years of high school. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned. Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-04 NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Experience must be clearly indicated in your resume. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Customer Service Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Oral Communication Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Telecommunications 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. 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/.