Clarification from the agency

DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation. This JOB OPPORTUNIT ANNOUNCEMENT is open to all current permanent employees of the VHA healthcare system and CBOCS.

The Supervisory Health System Specialist serves as a subject matter expert in delivery of healthcare relating to the implementation and execution of initiatives, programs, and projects. Plans, coordinates, and integrates all assigned activities. Performs critical program review and analysis across a broad spectrum of initiatives and issues, such as healthcare delivery strategic planning, facility utilization, economic adjustments, and personnel impacts.

The incumbent is a close personal assistant to the Chief of Staff, providing technical and administrative guidance and assistance in various functional areas and augments the effective utilization of the time and expertise of the CME in relation to the constantly increasing demands for the multiple medical services that report to the office. The scope of the CME's responsibility for the clinical services extends to all areas of the population. The incumbent plays a large part of that initiative. Additionally, this individual is responsible for the designated official correspondence which s/he prepares for the Chief of Staff. Can substitute for the CME in various functions, duties as a representative in the interest of the FHCC, when appropriate. Greets visiting dignitaries during official visits to the FHCC and follows-up on identified problems.

As a part of the directorate's management team, the incumbent has administrative decision-making authority, responsibility and accountability on issues affecting the office. The incumbent collaborates with operations and program managers to ensure integrated goals and priorities for the clinical service are met. The incumbent is knowledgeable of overall VHA, VISN, BUMED and Medical Center goals, missions, and priorities to assure a positive impact on all programs and resources. Will be designated as a VATAS Approving Official or Alternate Approval Official.

With support and guidance from the CME, Deputy CME, the Assistant Chief of Staff and the Clinical Directors of the directorate, the incumbent directs administrative and clinical activities of the clinical service including budget and fiscal management, human resource management, strategic planning and program management and evaluation, assuring that the clinical and administrative functions are integrated in order to provide optimum utilization of resources. Participates in top management discussions, decisions, policymaking and provides program direction to other executives, managers and assigned personnel.

Recommends the establishment of, and prepares administrative policies, directives, and procedures for Implementation throughout the facility. Provides advice and guidance on the interpretation and application of administrative directives and Instructions. Reviews and evaluates completed staff actions (congressional, memos, reports, studies, fact sheets, information papers) for overall quality of the document, appropriate levels of coordination, consistency, logic, soundness of recommendations, and compliance with policy. Contacts the originating office to recommend changes, etc., before documents are forwarded to higher levels. Articulates the reasons for changes to senior staff in order to facilitate timely and accurate revision. Will develop and /or conduct educational in-services specific to areas of responsibility.

The incumbent attends Management Briefing meetings with the management with upper management, CME, DCME, ACME's and Business Managers who present information concerning their operations. The Health System Specialist participates fully in these discussions, raising pertinent information which may affect decisions Involving certain areas.

Provides administrative assistance toward meeting federal regulations and accreditation standards i.e., Joint Commission, CAP and SOARS. Assists with Joint Commission mandated activities, including Identifying important aspects of care, developing Indicators, establishing thresholds for evaluation, participating in the review process, evaluating, and analyzing data, identifying opportunities to Improve, and Initiating action when problem arises.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm
Position Description Title/PD#: Health System Specialist - Supervisory/PD252440
Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.

Conditions of employment

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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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.

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc. is required
• 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.

Qualifications

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

Individual Occupational Requirements

Undergraduate and Graduate Education:

Major study -- hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration.

OR

Specialized Experience:

(for positions above GS-5): Progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field. This work may have been performed in an operating health care facility or a higher organizational echelon with advisory or directional authority over such facilities. Work must have involved a close working relationship with facility managers and analysis and/or coordination of administrative, clinical, or other service activities, and provided knowledge of the following:

• Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems;
• Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups; and
• Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement.

Special Provision for Inservice Placement:

Successful completion of an agency-sponsored on-the-job training program may be substituted for qualifying experience, provided it included a formal individualized training plan. Such a training program must have been conducted in an operating health care system and included:

• Assignments providing a knowledge of basic health system administration philosophies, practices, and procedures, and basic government administrative policies and requirements;
• Practical assignments providing an opportunity to apply health system administration skills and principles (as the individual progresses, work assignments must be characteristic of the grade level to which he or she is assigned); and
• Oversight by an experienced health system administrator with periodic evaluation of the individual's progress and appropriate adjustment of the training program.

• Serve as a subject matter expert in delivery of healthcare relating to the implementation and execution of initiatives, programs, and projects. Plan, coordinate, and integrate all assigned activities. Perform critical program review and analysis across a broad spectrum of initiatives and issues, such as healthcare delivery strategic planning, facility utilization, economic adjustments, and personnel impacts.
• Formulate, articulate and clearly state the Medical Center's position on complex, interrelated, and sensitive issues to senior management within Medical Center.
• Exercise a broad range of sound management principles and judgment in the analysis of unique problems and issues pertaining to external and internal influences and changes and their impact on the delivery of health care services to eligible Veterans. Research, analyze, quantify, develop, validate, justify, and clearly articulate background data and documentation which are used to support short and long range health care issues.
• Work with senior level staff and program managers in: Medical Center, VISN, VHA, VA and other Federal agencies, or other groups, to evaluate program and project success and opportunities for improvement.
• Develop methods, criteria, and policies to be applied to program and project issues, using a high degree of initiative and resourcefulness, as well as an overall understanding of the strategic planning within the Medical Center in developing sound policy consistent with VISN and VA Central Office direction and guidance.
• Establish overall milestones, conduct meetings, and consolidate staff comments for responses to higher leadership. Utilize an expert knowledge of the healthcare operations and its management, accounting, and reporting in conjunction with a comprehensive knowledge of VHA Support Service Center (VSSC) and other data systems to support the integration of resource requirements and programming.
• Direct administrative and clinical activities of the clinical service including budget and fiscal management, human resource management, strategic planning and program management and evaluation, assuring that the clinical and administrative functions are integrated in order to provide optimum utilization of resources. Participate in top management discussions, decisions, policymaking and provides program direction to other executives, managers and assigned personnel.
• Provide administrative assistance toward meeting federal regulations and accreditation standards i.e., Joint Commission, CAP and SOARS. Assist with Joint Commission mandated activities, including Identifying important aspects of care, developing Indicators, establishing thresholds for evaluation, participating in the review process, evaluating, and analyzing data, identifying opportunities to Improve, and Initiating action when problem arises.

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. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.