Program Support Assistant (OA)

Summary This position is located at the Fort Richardson National Cemetery in Fort Richardson, Alaska. Duties The incumbent of this position performs a wide variety of administrative duties and transactions in support of cemetery operations. The specific focus is on providing assistance to the Cemetery Administrator in planning and administering the cemetery operations for the Fort Richardson and Sitka National Cemeteries. Makes funeral arrangements receiving requests for burial of veterans or their dependents from families, funeral directors, or military personnel. Schedules eligible interments considering daily number of interments to be accomplished, dependent status, outside containers. Disseminates information to ground maintenance crew and maintains appropriate records. Meets and coordinates sequence of funeral service activities with funeral directors, military personnel, chaplains and ministers. Ensures veterans' caskets are accompanied by an interment flag; and completes appropriate documents if necessary. Meets with surviving families to obtain signatures on interment documents explaining religious emblem and inscription options, headstone provisions, dependent burial rights, and providing gravesite location information. Performs Cemetery Representative duties by attending and participating in committal services, which can include being in inclement weather. When appropriate, provides music, folds flag, and presents flag to next-of-kin. Coordinates with base security personnel to obtain yearly and funeral base passes for families for access to the cemetery. Completes appropriate post-interment documents in accordance with prescribed operating/regulatory requirements. Performs timekeeper duties. Research veteran criteria through various means to determine eligibility. Software applications are the first contact to draw information. Further contacts are made to various levels of authority within the VA to obtain necessary information. Accuracy is imperative in the processing of requests; errors could result in depriving eligible of their right to interment. Collects data of contractor performance to assist the COR in proper surveillance of the Interment and Grounds Maintenance contracts at all national cemeteries in their area of responsibility. Assists with safety inspections and records management. Maintains cemetery files, both computerized and hard copy, which include Burial Register; Records of Interment; Gravesite Reservation Documents; Applications for Burial; Personnel Records. Routine office files are maintained to ensure quick retrieval and they contain certain accurate documented information. Posting of Interments and obstructions on Layout Plan Map are kept up to date. Operational Procedure Manuals are kept so that quick references can be accessed. Follows records disposal guidelines for files/records. Maintains grave locator so that the public can access grave locations. Tracks inspections, surveillance and Organizational Assessment improvement points of measure to meet the Standards and Measures for National Shrine status. Performs other related duties as assigned Performs public outreach as needed. Work schedule: Required to work Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. May include occasional weekends. Due to the mission of the National Cemetery, the cemetery cannot be closed for more than 2 consecutive days at any given time. Additionally, when a Federal holiday falls on a Monday or Friday, staff may be required to work on that holiday or a Saturday. All staff is required to work Memorial Day and Veteran's Day each year. Staff will be required to work overtime, weekends and holidays when necessary to meet the needs of the cemetery. Occasionally staff may be called back to the facility to perform emergency overtime work. Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available Telework: Not Available Position Description Title/PD#: Program Support Assistant (OA)/PD1627560 Relocation Expenses: Not Authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required If interested in applying for this position you ay preview the online application: Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all specialized experience and time in grade requirements within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement, 10/09/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If your most recent non-award SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional non-award SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year time-in-grade. Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Must have the ability to type at least 40 words per minute. You may qualify based on your experience, as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: interacting with customers and staff, analyzing data; preparing graphs, charts, presentations, maintaining a database system; tracking and logging expense items; scheduling appointments; coordinating meetings and scheduling conferences; establishing and maintaining an efficient filing and reference system for all files; using automated data processing equipment to generate a variety of reports; typing letters, memos, reports, etc. in final form; processing incoming and outgoing materials such as correspondence, reports, memoranda, and other forms of written communication; establishing priorities and setting deadlines; providing an interpretation of policies; gathering data; preparing reports, and making recommendations; develop findings, recommendations, and justifications, coordinating budgets, performing work as a Contracting Officer representative, etc. 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: Work is partially conducted within an administrative office setting requiring bending, stooping, and sitting. While attending and participating in committal services, will be working outdoors. This could include working in inclement weather. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-yea