Telephone Operator

Summary

This position is located at James A. Haley VA Hospital switchboard within the Health Administration Service. The incumbent will work with a team of telephone operators to ensure 24/7 switchboard coverage. As the first point of contact for most callers, plays a critical role in providing excellent customer service. They will respond to calls from veterans and other customers seeking services or information. Incumbent will manage and respond promptly to emergency codes, including suicide calls.

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Duties

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Include, but not limited to

• Operates the computerized telecommunication console to direct phone calls and a personal computer using VISTA applications to send messages and retrieve information needed to direct calls and coordinate the distribution of messages at the medical center in a timely, accurate manner.
• Performs necessary maintenance and programming of radio and digital pagers with numbers for the paging system when issuing and reassigning pagers.
• Performs a variety of administrative duties including switchboard room and emergency elevator access as well as responsibility for elevator and patient's bedside telephone.
• Perform pre-approved routine overhead announcements (such as visiting hours, religious service schedule, etc.), requests to page a patient or staff, and other special announcements as approved by the Director' s Office (such as hospital events, activities or other important information).
• Responds to emergency alarms and makes emergency announcements on the overhead paging system requiring immediate response from facility and professional staff.
• Routinely handles 800 to 1,000 calls during a normal weekday shift, ranging from simple to highly complex.
• Responsible for receiving and distributing Incoming calls throughout the medical center.
• Teamwork is required. Medical center values involving high customer satisfaction and good public relations require the incumbent to have effective communication skills and positive outcomes in complicated situations.
• Work environment and tasks are performed as a team effort, especially during emergency codes and handling potential suicidal calls. Teamwork and effective communication skills are important elements of the job.

Work Schedule: Rotating irregular tours to include 7:30 am-4:00pm, 4:00pm-12:00am,12:00am-8:00am holidays and weekends.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Telephone Operator/PD06221-A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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
• 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)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period 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 probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/23/2026.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• General Experience: You must have one year of general experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-3 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of general experience would typically include, but are not limited to: operates the computerized telecommunication console to direct phone calls and a personal computer using VISTA applications to send messages and retrieve information needed to direct calls and coordinate the distribution of messages at the medical center in a timely, accurate manner. Performs a variety of administrative duties including switchboard room and emergency elevator access as well as responsibility for elevator and patient's bedside telephone. Responds to emergency alarms and makes emergency announcements on the overhead paging system requiring immediate response from facility and professional staff. Responsible for receiving and distributing incoming calls throughout the medical center. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have two years above high school (Transcript required). 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 .

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Reading Comprehension
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

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 position requires extended periods of sitting, which may cause discomfort in the legs and lower back, necessitating appropriate ergonomic support. Good hearing and clear speech are essential for accurate and effective communication, while strong upper limb dexterity is needed to operate telecommunications equipment, including consoles, computers, and paging systems. The role also demands visual acuity for viewing computer screens and reading printed materials.

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….

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualification….

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.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

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.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.