Clarification from the agency

All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

The SSC ICC Director provides leadership and management for the Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC), Surgical Service (General Surgery, Orthopedics, Podiatry, Urology, ENT), Anesthesia and Specialty Care (Optometry, Dental and Audiology), ensuring the delivery of high-quality surgical care to our Veterans. This role encompasses administrative, clinical, and educational responsibilities and requires a strong commitment to patient safety, quality improvement, and multidisciplinary collaboration.

MAJOR DUTIES INCLUDE:

• Must be credentialed and privileged in the practice of surgery in an Operating Room setting at the VA medical facility.
• Provides leadership and oversight to ensure effective management of the Facility Surgical Work Group (FSWG) activities.
• Serves as a member of relevant committees and workgroups, representing the surgical service and contributing to facility-wide initiatives.
• Oversees and responds to issues, concerns and deficiencies in clinical outcomes, surgical standards of care, and coordination of surgical care with the VA medical facility.
• Ensues dissemination of information provided by NSO or the VISN leadership to FSWG members and others as appropriate.
• Facilitates and participates in VA medical facility surgical mortality and morbidity review conferences.
• Collaborates with the facility surgical quality nurse to ensure the validity of surgical data entered into the VistA Surgery Package (or equivalent electronic health record surgery platform) for each procedure performed in an operating room.
• Coordinates ongoing functions of the facility surgical quality nurse, including timely VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) data submission and compliance with other VASQIP requirements.
• Assists in the assessment and management of all faculty, students, residents and staff in the SSC ICC.
• Provides oversight of all items relating to Employee Relations /Labor Relations, Equal Employment Opportunity, patient advocate issues, Joint Patient Safety reports, etc.
• Provides guidance and clinical supervision for the nurse practitioners, nurses, physician assistants, and health technicians assigned to Surgery and Specialty Care (SSC), and Ambulatory Care Services (ASC).
• Monitors and evaluates the performance of surgical staff, promoting professional development and ensuring compliance with VA regulations and standards.
• Assists in the development, implementation, and expansion of programs in the SSC/ASC. Oversees the SSC ICC budget.
• Participates in various facility programs designed to enhance and improve the delivery of patient care services, to include but not limited to Process Improvement Action Teams, Root Cause Analysis, and Peer Review.
• Exhibits leadership in initiating change in patient care programs based on current concepts and findings from evidence-based research and studies.
• Keeps informed of developments in the management treatment of diseases and illness through continuing medical education, both formal and informal.
• Actively participates in external review bodies: Joint Commission, Office of Inspector General, Office of Medical Investigation, Annual Workplace Evaluation and others as appropriate.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship: non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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.
• English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• 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 examination.
• 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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.

• 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.

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.

Podiatrist Basic Requirements

• Degree as a doctor of podiatric medicine, or its equivalent, from a school of podiatric medicine approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Approved schools are United States schools of podiatric medicine approved by the Council on Podiatry Education of the American Podiatry Association in the year in which the degree was granted. ~AND~
• Completed, or currently completing, residency training, or its equivalent, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. VA Podiatrists involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status. Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Council on Podiatric Medical Education, in the list published for the year the residency was completed, or (2) Other residencies and training experiences, or their equivalents, which the local Professional Standards Board determines to have provided an applicant with appropriate professional training. ~AND~
• Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice Podiatry in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia.

• A service chief or line manager podiatrist must demonstrate the following:
  • (1) Outstanding professional ability in the practice of medicine or a medical specialty; ~AND~
  • (2) Ability to guide the development and implementation of programs, within their respective domain. These programs would include, but are not limited to, medical practice, professional standards, personnel issues, and quality and performance improvement.

• Board Certified in Surgery
• Strong Leadership Skills
• Strong Communication
• Ability to Build Coalitions

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.

NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

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.