Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open to current, permanent employees of VISN-9 and CTAP eligible applicants.

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Health Systems Specialist will serve as the Executive Staff Assistant to the Deputy Network Director for the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 9 within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and provides assistance in policy development and managerial decision-making.

• Independently leads VISN-wide project implementations and/or improvement initiatives.
• Collects, organizes links, analyzes trends, and interprets highly specialized data from large databases and studies using specialized software tools as well as standard database/spreadsheet programs.
• Serves as a COTR (Contracting Officer Representative)
• Manages VISN 9 Performance Plan from roll-out, including updates, aggregate analysis, presentations on the objectives, phases, status and end-of-year reporting.
• Responds to inquiries and administrative problems brought to Executive Leadership by VISN staff, subordinate VAMCs/Outpatient Clinics, officials of VA Headquarters, Congressional Offices, Veterans Service Organizations other Federal Agencies and other governmental entities. Prepares correspondence and reports on behalf of Executive Leadership to VA Headquarters, congressional staff and other Federal and external review agencies.
• Incumbent performs special studies/fact finding activities involving staffing, health systems, access, resource utilization, and outcomes, etc., for reporting purposes, and prepares administrative reports. Develops recommendations concerning these areas. Applies analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to issues and studies concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of activities, processes, and/or functions related to the DND mission. Establishes reporting requirements and assumes follow-up responsibility for special studies and projects.
• Establishes reporting requirements and assumes follow up responsibility for special studies and projects.
• Manages the VISN 9 Healthcare Operations Committee and ensures reports, executive decision memos, prestation are reviewed/vetted through appropriately prior to presentation to the Council.
• Compiles, analyzes and summarizes key network workload, performance, demographic and financial data for the purpose of preparing briefing material for use by Executive Leadership.
• Manage multiple unrelated projects and issues, many of which are of a highly sensitive nature.
• Exercises independent judgment in interpreting, adapting, and applying general and sometimes vague guidelines to fit unique situations and to resolve issues.
• Provides advice and assistance in policy development and managerial decision making.
• Takes initiative to help resolve Network challenges.
• Effectively communicate both orally and in writing with a variety of professional, technical, and administrative personnel at all levels of the organization, as well as outside of it
• Applies analytical, evaluative, developmental and advisory skills towards recommending improvements in managerial policy, procedures and structure.

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: Administrative Day tour, Monday - Friday
Compressed/Flexible: Available at supervisory discretion
Telework: Ad hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health Systems Specialist/PD10162-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• 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 identification 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 or trial 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, 07/17/2026.

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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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.

Selective Placement Factor: Data Analysis Experience
Quality Ranking Factor: Project management and project improvement experience

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
1. 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, government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement.

OR
2. Education: Undergraduate or graduate education with a major study in hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration.

Specialized Experience GS-12: In addition to the basic requirements applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level. Specialized experience is experience in 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 organization 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. Specifically:

• Advanced experience progressively responsible experience in clinical administration with a focus on Quality Improvement, Program Operations, Healthcare Reform and/or Population Health.
• COTR (Contracting Officer Representative) experience preferred.
• Serve as staff assistant to executive leadership and has experience in policy development and decision-making
• Experience knowledge of monitoring healthcare compliance in accordance with regulation.
• Experience preparing correspondence and reports on behalf of an executive officer for external review.
• Lead workgroups on new system implementation and/or process improvement initiatives.
• Collecting, organizing links, analyzing trends, and interpreting highly specialized data from large databases
• Develop presentation and reports, to include updates aggregate analysis, and end of year reporting.
• Proficiency in applications such as MS Excel, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Outlook, including database applications reporting.

Specialized Experience GS-13: In addition to the basic requirements applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level. Specialized experience is experience in 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 organization 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. Specifically:

• Advanced experience progressively responsible experience in clinical administration with a focus on Quality Improvement, Accountable Care Organizations, healthcare reform and/or Population Health.
• COTR (Contracting Officer Representative) experience preferred.
• Experience serving as staff assistant to executive leadership and provides policy development and managerial decision-making
• Expert knowledge of monitoring healthcare compliance in accordance with regulation.
• Experience preparing correspondence and reports on behalf of an executive officer for external review.
• Experience lead workgroups on new system implementation and/or process improvement initiatives.
• Collecting, organizing links, analyzing trends, and interpreting highly specialized data from large databases
• Managing a performance plan roll out, to include updates aggregate analysis, presentations, and end of year reporting.
• Proficiency in applications such as MS Excel, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Outlook, including database applications reporting.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

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

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.

Note: 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.

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.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

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.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the 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.