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Program Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Tennessee Valley HCS | Surgical Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Program Specialist serves the Chief of Surgical Service and Supervisory Health System Specialist, Tennessee Valley HCS. Surgical service has a diverse and positive culture supported by a high functioning administrative staff. The admin staff provide services to all surgical providers to minimize the administrative burden and improve productivity and efficiency.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/05/2024 to 12/17/2024
Salary
$49,025 to - $77,955 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Nashville, TN
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—AD-HOC
Travel Required
Occasional travel - May be required to go all TVHS campuses and clinics
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
9
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
CBTG-12614541-25-LAP
Control number
822446800

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Duties

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The Program Specialist serves as an extension of the Service Chief and is a first-echelon point of contact to resolve all administrative issues and problems. The incumbent provides clerical and administrative support to the Service, which provides patient care, research programs and outpatient clinics; all of which require coordination and/or oversight by the Chief, Surgery Service. Responsible for coordinating administrative duties for the subsections in an effort to guarantee the primary goal of optimally delivering high quality health care to the Veterans. Expertise in broad administrative levels is required to assist in meeting the needs of the Service's long range planning. Major duties include but are not limited to:

  • Responds to patient complaints, provides customer recovery and satisfaction.
  • Receives, schedules, refers, and contacts members of the staff, agency and community as directed.
  • Supports the front desk in assisting and supporting the Service Chief.
  • May be assigned to a section of surgery and will be responsible for admin assistance to the chief of that section.
  • May be responsible for equipment ordering, inventories, and utilizing all programs to complete these tasks.
  • May serve as timekeeper.
  • Maintains files for staff, physicians, and residents.
  • Assists to ensure all staff have PIV cards and computer access.
  • Will be responsible for completing FPPE/OPPEs by established deadlines to include pulling the data for these forms.
  • Processes incoming and outgoing information for the service, including correspondence, reports, memos, templates and composes responses in a timely manner.
  • Responsible for clinic access, including clinic set-ups, labor mapping and clinic cancellations.
  • Acts as back-up in answering phones and referring stakeholders to appropriate resources.
  • Has access to Service Chief/Health System Specialist calendars to schedule meetings.
  • Collects/provides analysis for data, prepares reports, reviews contracts.
  • May serve as PIV Manager/sponsor, Record Control liaison, ADPAC, COR and TMS Administrator.
  • Prepares and tracks electronic SF-52 forms for full personnel files and position descriptions.
NOTE: This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed above represent the full performance level of GS-9. At the GS-07 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-9.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 4:30pm; tour of duty to be determined by needs of service
Telework: AD-HOC
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD085010
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI):Not Authorized
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
  • 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
  • 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

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/17/2024

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 by the closing date of this announcement.

  • For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05.
  • For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07.
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 the most recent 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 SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: 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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
  • GS7 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. The work will have been performed in a medical facility/office. Specialized experience is defined as clerical and administrative experience related to support for a professional setting or large organization and/or in a large medical center setting to top management; collaborating with the Section Chiefs, assisting in processing administrative issues; promoting and maintaining good working relationships with key individuals or groups; monitoring, maintaining, and updating data, records, or other information; demonstrated use of office automation software (word processing, spreadsheets and, databases), preparing, editing, formatting documents and, reports using proper punctuation and grammar and researching to ensure proper spelling and word usage.OR,
  • Substitution of Education for GS-7: Have successfully completed 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.. Superior Academic Achievement (SAA). SAA is based on a GPA of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0; class standing in the upper third of graduating class; or election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. OR,
  • Combination of Specialized Experience and Education for GS-7: Possess equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required.
You may qualify for the GS-9 based on your experience and/or education as described below:
  • GS-9 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. The work will have been performed in a medical facility/office. Specialized experience is defined as: clerical and administrative experience related to support for a professional setting or large organization and/or in a large medical center setting to top management; collaborating with the Section Chiefs, assisting in processing administrative issues; promoting and maintaining good working relationships with key individuals or groups; monitoring, maintaining, and updating data, records, or other information; providing administrative support services to division staff; preparing and editing complex correspondence using standardized office automation software and completing projects using automated data processing and information management programs. OR,
  • Substitution of Education for GS-9: Have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. of J.D., if related that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR,
  • Combination of Specialized Experience and Education for GS-9: Possess equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Administration and Management
  • Creative Thinking
  • Customer Service
  • Data Management
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 in a combination of sedentary and non-sedentary, with some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items, such as papers and books. Typically, the Program Specialist may sit and do the work. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

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/

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-qualifications/.

Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): Applicants may meet the qualification requirements for this position using SAA. Applicants must complete all the requirements for a bachelor's degree in a curriculum that is qualifying (i.e. hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as course work in health care administration) for the position to be filled and must meet one of the following: - Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university or major subdivision. - A grade-point average of "B" (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. - A grade point average of "B+" (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. - Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. For a list of recognized honor societies please visit http://www.achsnatl.org/quick_link.asp.

  • NOTE: Copies of transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or 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.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

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.

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.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the 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.

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