Clarification from the agency

The area of consideration is current, permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and CTAP eligible only

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Health System Specialist - Graduate Healthcare Administrative Training Program (GHATP) Trainee

The GHATP program provides an excellent opportunity to gain practical training within the nation's largest, integrated health care system. The one-year appointment allows for comprehensive rotations throughout various departments which offer valuable information and excellent opportunities for growth. The trainee is assigned an array of projects to increase their understanding of the diverse facets of healthcare operations and management. The trainee has unlimited access to executive meetings and committees and is considered part of the leadership team under direction of their preceptor, the Executive Director. The formalized program allows participation in the annual American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Congress in Chicago, IL, in addition to rotations through VA Central Office in Washington, D.C. and a variety of regional VA Healthcare facilities. The program is highly flexible, tailored to trainee interests, and requires great initiative and self-management. Upon successful completion of the national training program, you have the potential for permanent placement within the organization.

This position is a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-11. At the GS-09 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-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher-level work, and availability of funds. The position serves as a Health System Specialist (GHATP Trainee) within a one year formalized national training program (June to June). The training program is designed so the position acquires the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies necessary to assume progressively more complex responsibilities and assist the Office of the Medical Center Director in successfully meeting its mission and strategic goals. The position will develop an individual development plan (IDP) and receive recurring progress reviews by the supervisor.

Duties include but not limited to:

• Utilizes data and reporting tools to develop health-planning strategies impacting the operations of medical centers, network offices, and/or VHACO program offices.
• Analyzes data trends in budget and fiscal operations supporting the preparation and execution of budget and committee meetings.
• Researches laws, regulations, and policies related to budget and fiscal management displaying knowledge of VA health care system operations.
• Participates on project teams in lead or support roles identifying and improving operational processes impacting services of the VA health care system.
• Displays knowledge of VA priorities and mission statements to recommend improvements to policy and procedures related to budget and administrative operations.
• Observes, analyzes, and reports under professional service direction the areas of discipline, rewards and recognition, reassignment, staff adjustments and realignments, labor/management relationships, affirmative employment, and alternative dispute resolutions and grievances to understand processes for conducting projects and studies.
• Performs rotations and on-site visits to make recommendations to the issues and opportunities present at the Network and other VA/VHA facilities and program offices.
• Analyzes org charts, policies, VERA and SAIL data to represent the facility/Network, and program office priorities during resource allocation committee meetings.

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 through Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Not eligible
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist (Graduate Healthcare Administrative Training Program (GHATP) Trainee)/PD03002A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure: Not Required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• 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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period 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 probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/08/2026.

YOU MUST MEET ALL REQUIREMENTS BELOW TO BE FOUND MINIMALLY QUALIFIED:

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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07.
• For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09.

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 as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): Health System Administration Series, 0671

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: 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 ~

Special Provision for In-service Placement: Individualized training plan documentation required.

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.

Minimum Qualification Requirement: GS-09: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

• Specialized Experience: Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience showing progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field. Demonstrates knowledge of missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems. Experience in data analysis that guides decision-making. Participation in projects that have resulted in systematic change in an organization. Experience leading groups, projects, activities. Involvement in career growth opportunities. Or,
• Education Substitution: To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree; or, two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or, LL.B. or J.D. Or,
• Combination: You must have a combination of specialized experience graduate-level education beyond 18 semester hours counting towards a master's degree.

GS-11: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

• Specialized Experience: Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Gathers organizational data from reports and TRIP packs in preparation for media and community events either separately or in conjunction with the Public Affairs Office. Analyzes org charts, policies, VERA and SAIL data to represent the facility/Network, and program office priorities during resource allocation committee meetings. Attends strategic and succession planning meetings to observe techniques and methodologies in VHA personnel management. Reviews and explores VHA relationships and processes with affiliated education programs. Participates in local hospital council, veteran organization, and community organization meetings with VHA senior leader staff members. Reviews and reports on facility policies in preparation for surveys, audits, and inspections in quality assurance, compliance, and procedures governed by internal and external organizations. Or,
• Education Substitution: To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree or, three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., related to position. Or,
• Combination: You must have an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education beyond a masters degree.

Combining Education & Experience: If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement. Click here for more information.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.

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/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

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