Clarification from the agency

Open to current, permanent VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System facility and VISN 17 employees.

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The Chief of Staff is a full member of the senior leadership team, the challenges of providing administrative and clinical support services to the major quaternary referral center, geriatrics and extended care facilities, and an array of ambulatory care delivery sites is a significant challenge.

Practice is of an executive nature, comprises of complex, leadership and administrative components, associated with critical heath care issues and activities that influence the organizational mission, health care, and policy. The Chief of Staff is the top executive within the Medical Staff and is a key member of the executive leadership team of the organization, involved in strategic planning, organizational assessment, and program development. The Chief of Staff has the authority and responsibility for establishing and maintaining standards of medical practice and ensuring the continuous and timely availability of quality medical services. The incumbent is the chief spokesperson for the organized Medical Staff and is the catalyst for the integration and collaboration of the medical staff with other professional disciplines and functional areas in the mutual achievement of patient-centered and organizational goals.

Additional Duties Include:

• Participate with the health system's governing councils, management, medical staff and clinical leaders in the health system's decision-making structures and processes reporting directly to the Director.
• Provides effective leadership, coordination and oversight for the following programs and services: Primary Care Service, Mental Health Service, Surgery and Specialty Service, Research Program, Education Service, Dental Service, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service, Radiology Service, Geriatrics and Extended Care Service, Women's Health Program, Pharmacy Service, Compensation and Pension Service and Prosthetics Service.
• Serves as a member of key medical center managerial bodies including serving as a member of the organized medical staff, chairing its meetings, and helping to ensure adherence to its bylaws and rules and regulations, working with other health care professional to establish policies so that all health care professionals practice within the scope of their licenses, consulting in developing and maintaining an adequate medical record system, and participating in in-service training programs.
• Chairs the Clinical Executive Board. Attends Root Cause Analysis and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis briefings and present the recommendations to the Director for approval. May also serve on joint VA, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), DOD and contracted sites of inpatient and outpatient care committees.
• Demonstrates ability to supervise a staff of employees to accomplish the work of the organization. This involves work assignments and review; as well as the administrative and personnel management functions relative to the staff supervised (- e.g. leave administration, labor management requirements, adverse, disciplinary actions, proficiencies, etc.)
• Demonstrates ability to coordinate and integrate the programs into a comprehensive package of services to meet the needs of veterans by participating in establishing policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure adequate comprehensive services.
• Responsible for meeting the VA performance measures and Clinic Access goals assigned to the Chief of Staff.
• Demonstrate ability to provide assistance on top management administrative matters affecting patient care, education, and organizational policy.
• Demonstrate ability to contribute to the definition of Medical Center, Vision, Values, Goals and Action Plans that support the Medical Center strategic plan.
• Will participate in local, VISN and national level committees as assigned by Director or VISN CMO.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: Chief of Staff VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System GS-180-15 (Senior Psychologist Program Manager)
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

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 Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.
• Education Requirement - You must have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the program was completed. The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. OR, have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully completed a re-specialization program meeting both of the following conditions: a) the re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and b) the specialty in which you were retrained is consistent with the assignment you are am applying for; OR, have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.
  • • NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.
    • NOTE: If your school was accredited by the accrediting agency at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.
• Internship Requirement - You must have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed and that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed; OR, New VHA psychology internship programs that are in the process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement, provided that such programs were sanctioned by the VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology and the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern; OR, VHA facilities that offered full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre-1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement; OR, Applicants who completed an internship that was not accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed may be considered eligible for hire only if they are currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty area that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. (NOTE: Once board certified, the employee is required to maintain board certification). NOTE: Applicants who have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature may fulfill this internship requirement by having the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site specifically acceptable to the candidate's doctoral program. If the internship experience is not noted on the applicant's official transcript, the applicant must provide a statement from the doctoral program verifying that the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience was completed in a site acceptable to the doctoral program.
• Licensure: Candidates must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Exception: Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (c)(2)(B) for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such a psychologist provide care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation).

Preferred Experience:
1. Minimum 3 years experience in a Mental Health supervisory position.
2. Ability to effectively manage a team of interdisciplinary Mental Health staff.
3. Evidence of formal systems redesign training or application of system redesign concepts.
4. Evidence of formal systems redesign training or application of system redesign concepts.
5. Advanced written and oral communication skills.
Advanced knowledge of Veterans Health Administration, The Joint Commission, Office of Inspector General, and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities directives and guidelines applicable to Mental Health
operations.

Grade Determinations: GS-15 Senior Psychologist Program Manager
(a) Experience. At least 4 years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-14 level.
(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
1. Skill in managing and directing the work of large, complex organizational units and in applying effective management practices.
2. Skill in persuasion, negotiation, and motivation to negotiate multiple program policies.
3. Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees and other managers using advanced consultation and problem solving skills.
4. Skill in the application and analysis of measurement tools to systems issues.
5. Ability to balance responsibilities in a complex environment and to work with great autonomy; ability to set priorities and delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze complex organizational problems; and ability to develop and implement effective solutions for those problems.
6. Ability to assess need for basic and complex services across multiple programmatic contexts.
7. Ability to coordinate the efforts of multiple program elements across a complex system.

References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G18 Psychologist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-15. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-15.

Physical Requirements: Light lifting/carrying (under 15 pounds); Reaching above shoulder, Use of fingers, Both hands required, Walking (15 minutes), Standing (half hour),Operation of a motor vehicle; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Both eyes required, Depth perception, Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing (aid permitted), Mental and Emotional stability required, Ability to perform privileges, Cognitive stability.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, 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.

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.