Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Works collaboratively with the clinical and administrative services to achieve strategic goals and initiatives.
• Responsible for coordination of daily operations for a wide range of services necessary to provide a continuum of care for Veterans. The work directly involves a wide range of responsibilities including human resources, logistics, acquisition, access, consults, encounters, fiscal matters, equipment, policies/procedures, space, etc.
• Assists in the design, implementation, modification, and maintenance of quality management and risk management programs and applies specialized knowledge of health care management to the planning, organization, and evaluation of the delivery of services.
• Responsible for tracking, monitoring, evaluating, developing, and implementing action plans to ensure achievement of VA standard for performance measure at the CBOC sites. This includes utilization and throughput monitoring, overall review of clinical/administrative reports and systems, all analytical and action plans reported to higher management, frequent briefings to the GPM and Assistant Director, responsibility for full compliance with national policies and directives regarding outpatient care procedures and business rules, and full administrative responsibility for customer service at the CBOC sites.
• Frequently meets with the clinical and administrative service leadership, advising on issues that affect the delivery of primary care, mental health, and specialty care in the CBOCs. Analyzes problems unique to the VA system with its broad program missions, complex administrative management problems, rapid fluctuation in various program priorities and requirements, and numerous conflicts between program requirements and available resources.
• Consistently reviews productivity standards for the above-mentioned clinics which will include the past, present, and future workloads. Productivity improvement analysis is a must. Mastery in ability to analyze, evaluate and execute improved access for Veterans with thorough analysis is essential.
• Provides oversight to ensure that local practices and processes within the assigned ambulatory clinics are aligned with planning and policies at the network and national access leadership levels.
• Recommends improvement strategies, policy, and process changes to the GPM and Assistant Medical Center Director to share with the executive leadership at the VAMC, VISN, and VACO levels as appropriate.
• Identifies, defines, and prioritizes customer service tools, process improvement and training opportunities that will support front line employees in providing predictable, consistent, and easy customer service experiences for Veterans, their caregivers, and survivors.
• Builds and leads local program planning and execution for VHA-approved program of clinic practice management at the assigned campus and CBOC level.
• Uses Advanced Principles and Strategies for Access Improvement to review and provide guidance to clinical leads, including reviewing and providing guidance to identify strategies to reduce backlog, oversee and monitor consult management issues and provide guidance to clinical and administrative leads when needed.
• Works with local personnel to integrate data analytics and measures with continuous process improvement utilizing LEAN, Six Sigma, and other improvement methodologies to meet and sustain ambulatory care goals and objectives.
• Works independently with the GPM, Assistant Medical Center Director, and personnel at the VAMC, CBOCs, and other facilities to implement national and VISN standards, and address administrative process/system issues and other areas of concern.
• Provides administrative management for ambulatory care clinical support services at the assigned facility and CBOCs including interpreting policies, developing and implement local policies, defining administrative requirements, and/or providing advice to executive leadership on related issues.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm
Position Description Title/PD#: Health System Specialist (Associate Group Practice Manager)/PDS0021A
Physical Requirements: Performance of the incumbent's duties may require extensive walking per day to meet with the facility managers and other clinic personnel. Trips to satellite outpatient clinics are sometimes necessary and will involve transportation via automotive vehicle. The work performed is of a precise nature requiring long periods of concentration that is often interrupted. Incumbent is often faced with changing priorities and with meeting deadlines.

Conditions of employment

• 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.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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

Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed.

Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 03/13/2026

The Occupational Series 0671 includes an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR). Candidates may not hold a position in this series without meeting one of the IOR requirements established by OPM.

• Undergraduate or graduate education in a major field of 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: 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.

OR,

• Successful completion of an agency-sponsored on-the-job training program, 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.

In addition to meeting the IOR, you may qualify based on your specialized experience as described below:

GS-12 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: assists with clinic operations management, ensuring clinics run efficiently and meet access-to-care standards. Monitors and analyzes clinic performance metrics (e.g., wait times, no-shows, scheduling accuracy). Helps implement process improvements to enhance patient flow and provider productivity. Works closely with clinical and administrative leaders to resolve operational issues and support strategic initiatives. Ensures compliance with Hospital policy, regulatory requirements, and workflow standards. Supports staffing reviews, resource planning, and coordination of services across clinics. Assists with preparing reports, tracking data, and providing recommendations to leadership.

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.

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.