Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Open to Current Permanent Full-Time Employees only of the VA Connecticut Medical Center and CBOC's, including Veterans Canteen Service employees, Hybrid Title 38, Title 38 and Title 5.

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The Supervisory MSA will act as liaison with the Medical Support Assistants, Medical staff, Nursing staff and other services offering expert advice on administrative details and procedures relative to areas and will evaluate problematic areas and present findings to their Supervisor and respective Service Line designees for corrective action.

Major Duties include but are not limited to:

Responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the work of lower medical support assistants. The employee establishes work priorities, identifies developmental training needs of employees and provides or arranges for training when required. He/she works closely with their Supervisor to identify and develop training which meets the needs of the MSA and administrative/clinical data capture requirements.

The incumbent's responsibility for training includes, but is not limited to, in-service education of on-the-job skills, classroom instruction closely associated with actual inpatient/outpatient hospital clinical practices, and attitudes and relationship of position to professional staff. Incumbent is responsible for new employee orientation and is expected to work closely with new employees for the first (90) days.

Conducts regular staff meetings with the medical support assistants to update them on policy changes and new procedures. S/he attends required Section meetings and other meetings throughout the facility as deemed appropriate. The employee may serve on workgroups and/or committees as deemed appropriate. Incumbent may be called to assist in audits or studies relating to the clinical setting. Serves as point of contact for resolving patient issues especially regarding appointment and scheduling concerns.

Incumbent researches the issue and attempts to resolve it before it escalates to the Patient Representative, Clinical Service Chief, Chief of Staff or Center Director's Office. Maintains clerical guidelines and manuals as well as preparation of material to be used in training new employees. Training materials used shall be developed by their Supervisor and conform to the most up-to-date procedures. Incumbent will also be responsible for training auxiliary personnel such as temporary, work study, and volunteers used for intermittent heavy workload areas.

• Planning, organizing and directing the work of lower graded medical support assistants.
• Established work priorities.
• Identifies developmental training needs of employees and arranges training when required.
• Conducts in-service on-the-job skills assessment and instruction.
• Assigns work based on requirements and resources available.
• Reviews work produced and analyzes weekly reports to evaluate production.
• Resolves backlogs, scheduling errors, ICB Capture, EARR review and pre-registration data.
• Conducts regular staff meeting with medical support assistants.
• Communicates and updates on policy changes and new procedures.
• Services as point of contact for resolving patient issues especially regarding appointment and scheduling concerns.
• Acts as liaison with medical support assistants, medical staff, nursing staff and other services.
• Collects, compiles and tracks data and statistical information in support of several VA, VISN and local programs

Work Schedule: 40 Hours a week, Monday-Friday- 8:00am - 4:30pm, EST
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: FS-F01629
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

NOTE:

• This position is in the Excepted Service.
• No EDRP.
• Veterans' Preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
• This position is not a Bargaining Unit.
• Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104 (1) and (3)] must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System. Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment.

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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• 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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial 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.

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

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• Experience: None.
• Education: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• Licensure/Certification/Registration. None
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.

Grade Determination:
GS-08 Supervisory Medical Support Assistant:

Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level leading or supervising MSAs or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting.

Assignment: Supervisory MSAs at this level plan and direct programs at medical centers and/or satellite outpatient clinics. They have full responsibility for supervising at least one subordinate MSA team leader, supervisor, or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: evaluating the work of subordinate staff; resolving complex problems to ensure patient services are met; evaluating new products, equipment, and systems to make recommendations for improved operations; identifying educational or training needs; making final decisions on hiring selections; evaluating performance, and taking disciplinary action when necessary. The employee has administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the subordinate lead, supervisor, and MSA's activities. Responsible for extracting and analyzing data to provide reports to senior management in support of tracking measures. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs listed below:

• Ability to provide the full range of administrative and supervisory duties [to at least one subordinate MSA supervisor or team leader in a patient support setting which includes assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards and/or advancements.
• Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with internal and external customers to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensure compliance with established policies and regulations.
• Ability to provide briefings, orientations, staff development, and training [in a patient support setting.
• Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and identify budget needs.
• Advanced knowledge of managing or leading patient support staff in a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Preferred Experience: Outpatient experience, experience with scheduling, customer service.

Physical Requirements:
The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as papers, books, manuals, record boxes and boxes of computer paper. Computers are used and therefore keyboarding is required. The work includes walking from area to area when covering other employees. Applicant may at times be exposed to stressful situations with Veterans.

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, resume, 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.