Skip to main content
U.S. flag
 

Administrative Officer

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
VA St. Louis Healthcare System

Summary

The Administrative Officer position, located at John Cochran Medical Center, reports directly to the Chief of Emergency Medicine Service. This position administratively leads the Emergency Medicine Service at VA Saint Louis Health Care System and associated Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). The incumbent's roles are broad in scope and complexity and cover every aspect of the administrative functions of complex care delivery and operations.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Posted this week · Apply by 06/09/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 9, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Ad hoc as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$76,573 - $119,315 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Promotion potential
12
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
CBSS-12959468-26-LD
Control number
871228200

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

Open to CTAP-eligible applicants and current Veterans Health Administration employees. Current VA employees should submit their most recent non-award SF-50 (1-year prior to JOA close date).

Videos

Duties

Help

The Administrative Officer position, located at John Cochran Medical Center, reports directly to the Chief of Emergency Medicine Service. This position administratively leads the Emergency Medicine Service at VA Saint Louis Health Care System and associated Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). The incumbent's roles are broad in scope and complexity and cover every aspect of the administrative functions of complex care delivery and operations. Responsibilities include budget management, equipment procurements and inventory, human resources management, administrative management for policy development, report preparation and maintaining the existing quality management system using ISO 9001 standards. Incumbent serves as the Contracting Officer Representative for Emergency Department, which currently includes the VASTLHCS Emergency Department Service Line and the VISN 15 Tele-emergency care (EC) program.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

  1. Serves as operations manager for the Emergency Medicine Service. Responsible for advising, planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating administrative processes and programs such as contract management, funds management, clinic flow, clinic scheduling, staffing efficiency, labor mapping, access, and communication across the Service Line.
  2. Clinic flow processes may include managing Medical Support Assistant staffing and workload to ensure correct scheduling practices, preparation of provider scheduling matrices, optimizing clinic utilization, and advising on provider bookability processes.
  3. Performs annual review and analysis of productivity data and develops action plans that lead to improved performance and/or productivity, implementation of management controls, and short and long-range planning.
  4. Analyzes productivity to include physician productivity (RVUs, bookability), mid-level provider productivity, utilization rates, and error rates of scheduling staff. Reviews labor mapping, person class, matrix set up, and corresponding policies and standards to determine errors and gaps in the process.
  5. Advises senior management on matters impacted by programmatic/policy changes and works with subject matter experts to formulate new, or adapt existing, policies and procedures to meet Service Line goals.
  6. Makes appropriate recommendations to include ED block time, clinic matrix set up, recruitment resource allocation, equipment, policy, and contracting, to the Chief of Emergency Medicine Service and VASTLHCS Executive Leadership Team based on national, VISN, and local data analysis and findings
  7. Assists the Chief of Emergency Medicine in preparation of a variety of daily, weekly, monthly, and annual reports containing accomplishments, goals, objectives, specific trends, resource management, review against external standards, educational training, research activities, community relations, committee participation, and quality management, etc.
  8. Gathers all applicable facts and communicates effectively to management on issues and concerns within the Service to include Issue Briefs.
  9. Represents the Emergency Management Service in the Medical Center board and committee structure advocating for the Service Line and communicating the strategic planning of the Chief.
  10. Conducts data research and analysis on specific programs and incentives such as bookability, cost outliers, and contract management items to inform the Chief of Emergency Management on the current status of operations and enables the Chief to take action or communicate further on national committees within the national emergency medicine office to support the VASTLHCS and the VISN 15 emergency management workgroup, as well as other facility, VISN, and national programs.
  11. Addresses patient concerns and complaints via the Patient Advocate reporting system, Veteran Signals surveys, White House Hotline complaints and Congressional inquiries.
  12. Serves as the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for medical service contracts needed for the provision of essential patient care within the Medical Center and CBOCs.
  13. Prepares contract specifications to include complex statements of work and obtains accurate and sufficient data to support continuation or cancellation of contractual obligations through quality monitoring.
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level, GS-12, 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: Full Time, Permanent. Mon - Fri, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Schedule is subject to change based on the needs of the healthcare system.
Telework: Ad hoc.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Administrative Officer/PD104020
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

Requirements

Help

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.
  • 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
  • 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 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, 06/09/2026.

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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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 for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education for GS-11 as described below:

  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Assisting the Chief in leading the facility's improvement efforts in surgical metrics; Reviews labor mapping, person class, matrix set up, and corresponding policies and standards to determine errors and gaps in the process; and Makes appropriate recommendations to include ED block time, clinic matrix set up, recruitments, resource allocation, equipment, policy, and contracting, to the Chief of Emergency Medicine and STLVAMC Executive Leadership Team based on national, VISN, and local data analysis and findings. The nature of the work is such that the employee must continually gather, interpret, analyze, and correlate large amounts of narrative and statistical information about organizational functions, workload, and productivity. Studies involve cost analysis and cost effectiveness to determine make/buy decisions to address gaps in care. Formulates budget recommendations for outpatient clinical services and emergency room services. Experience using VA Handbooks, Directives, as well as knowledge of local and VISN policies. OR,
  • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. Education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. OR,
  • Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education, Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. Education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.
You may qualify based on your experience for GS-12 as described below. There is no education substitute at this grade level:
  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Responsible for advising, planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating administrative processes and programs such as contract management, funds management, clinic flow, clinic scheduling, staffing efficiency, labor mapping, access, and communication across the Service Line. Serves as the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for medical service contracts needed for the provision of essential patient care within the Medical Center and CBOCs. Prepares contract specifications to include complex statements of work and obtains accurate and sufficient data to support continuation or cancellation of contractual obligations through quality monitoring. Completes documents, packets, quotes, statements of work, and other required materials for the procurement of medical equipment and supplies necessary for patient care. Responsible for establishing and maintaining necessary controls to supply management with desired information for effective financial oversight. Plans and implements resource allocation decisions to include FTE ceiling, salary budget, supply budget, equipment budget, space utilization, maintenance contracts, overtime usage etc. Ensuring new or changing programs are implemented effectively and efficiently, including coordination of support with the affiliated academic institution and contracted providers. Plans new programs and program expansions to ensure space, staff, and equipment are available and adequate to meet patient care needs.
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/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at the full performance level, GS-12.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications for the GS-11 level on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

TheCareer Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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
  • Decision Making
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Teamwork


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.

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.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

The VA St Louis Health Care System is a 2 campus, full-service tertiary referral center, with 4 Community Based Outpatient Clinics, providing advanced inpatient and ambulatory care in medicine, surgery, psychiatry, neurology, and rehabilitation, as well as over 65 subspecialty areas, including the VA's busiest interventional cardiac program, interventional radiology, and radiation oncology.

The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries.
The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence ("I CARE").
As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips.

Agency contact information

Laura Devaney
Phone
314-939-8744
Email
Laura.Devaney@va.gov
Address
VA St Louis Health Care System
1 Jefferson Barracks Drive
St. Louis, MO 63125
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Veterans Health Administration, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.va.gov/jobs/

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.