Clarification from the agency

This position is open to all U.S. citizens. *** If you ARE a current federal employee, please apply to the Internal Announcement CBSU-11812076-23-GH.***

Videos

• Provides for the overall management of the Service. This includes interpreting administrative and clinical policies, developing and implementing local policies, defining administrative and clinical requirements, and providing advice to Medical Center leadership on related issues. Performs as the expert on administrative and clinical policies and requirements for the Service.
• Evaluates and monitors administrative and clinical activities and acts independently or makes substantive recommendations to the Executive Leadership Team to make Service improvements. Provides expert advise and technical assistance to the Medical Center managers at all levels and supervisors and team leaders within the Service in a wide variety of areas, clinical and administrative, related to the Service.
• Directs the personnel management program for Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) Service, performing or overseeing the full range of human resources requirements. Acts as personnel management expert for the Service. Functions as a Service leader with overall project responsibility as the primary Service representative for the Medical Center to redistribute the workforce, positions, and sections of the Service to comply with legislative or regulatory changes impacting the mission and goals of the Medical Center, VISN 19, National PM&R Program Office and VHA.
• Arranges for and participates in annual goal-setting/strategic planning sessions, coordinates the development of the final operating plan, and conducts continuing evaluations at the Service level as well as the Medical Center, VISN, and national levels as it relates to the activities of the Service addressing patient care delivery systems, facilities management, system reorganizations or other issues and initiatives.
• Provides for the budgeting and financial management for the Service. Performs as an expert in budgeting and financial management for the Service and for the Medical Center as it relates to Service programs.
• Manages procurement and contracting for the Service and the Medical Center in projects related to the Service. Determines when contract termination is warranted and initiates action as appropriate with the accountable Contracting Officer.
• Serves as the official PM&R Service consultant to all Medical Center services/departments and provides expert advise and technical assistance to entities outside the Medical Center including those within VISN 19 and at the national level on matters related to PM&R in the various roles in which the incumbent serves.
• Communicates effectively verbally and in written correspondence with employees and customers at all levels of the Service and Medical Center; peers and superiors; individuals at the VISN, National PM&R Program Office as well as other Central Office level contacts; and stakeholders.
• Serves as first or second line supervisor to individuals in the Service to include, but not limited to, physicians, other providers, nurses, therapists, therapy assistants, therapy aides, administrative officer, medical support assistants and other Service staff.
• Oversees the work of Service employees and ensures the accuracy of reports submitted by supervisors and team leaders. Identifies and implements opportunities for improvement and ensures Service compliance with clinical and other standards based upon professional journal/literature reviews, Medical Center policies, VHA Directives, Clinical Practice Guidelines and other applicable documents.
• Assists Service supervisors and team leaders in implementing actions designed to improve administrative and clinical operations or resources.
• Has advanced knowledge in rehabilitative sciences, services, and care provision and the ability to translate this knowledge across disciplines supervised as well as into useful policy.
• Ensures each of the special program teams, Polytrauma/Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), and Amputation comply with Medical Center, VISN 19, National PM&R Program Office and VHA mission, goals, directives, practice guidelines and associated requirements.
• Selects and recommends members of professional qualifications standards boards for therapy positions to the Medical Center Director and oversees the actions of applicable boards and determines when boards are convened for action.
• Resolves individual and group employee and customer grievances and conflicts at all levels of the Service and Medical Center.

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.
• 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

*** This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2023. The initial cutoff date for referral of eligible applications will be February 16, 2023. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as needed basis until positions are filled. ***

Basic Requirements:

Citizenship

• Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

• Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.

• Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.

• Doctorate degree in physical therapy.

• Foreign Education. Graduates of foreign physical therapy programs meet the requirements if they have a full unrestricted and current license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.

• Individuals hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.

• Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs:
  • Advanced knowledge of evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in multiple professional areas.
  • Skill in managing interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution in dealing with a diverse range of employees, discipline lead(s), and administrators.
  • Ability to translate extensive rehabilitation knowledge into local policy development.
  • Ability to effectively supervise staff by providing clinical and administrative oversight. This includes ability to manage resources, evaluate employees and assign work.
  • Ability to collaborate with strategic planning committees at local, VISN or national levels for new ventures addressing patient care delivery systems, facilities management, system reorganizations, etc.

• Minimum of two (2) years of leadership experience.
• Experience working in a multi-disciplinary Physical Rehabilitation environment.
• VA or Federal experience.
• Evidence of education related to healthcare leadership/management.
• Minimum of two (2) years of professional experience working with adult population.

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 MAY 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.

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.