Clarification from the agency

Open to Current, Permanent, Department of Veteran Affair (VA) Wide, including Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Wide and San Diego VA Employees ONLY. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does apply to this position.

Videos

VA San Diego Healthcare System is a Level 1a medical facility, which is constantly evolving within a highly challenging and competitive geographic area, that provides the full spectrum of healthcare. The Assistant Medical Center Director has line authority for all administrative services and designated healthcare services in support of patient access, performance metrics, systems redesign, data analytics, and strategic facility planning. This position is expected to execute the three-to-five-year strategic plan and ten-year Capital Master Plan to improve access and quality of care. The incumbent exercises full line authority for the operation of multiple service lines including: Police and Security Service, Environmental Management Service, Patient Advocates Program, Patient Centered Care, in addition to serving in a liaison capacity for the CBOCs, Veterans Canteen Service, and Prosthetics. The Assistant Director may be assigned as a member and chair of several medical center committees.

In addition to the above duties and responsibilities, the incumbent will:

• Collaborate in the effective planning and execution of a medical care budget.
• Work with chiefs of assigned programs and formulate budgets for their respective services.
• Collaborate with financial management to gather past expenditures, suggest and modify the operation of programs and recommend program adjustments to ease budget shortages.
• Implement cost-conscious ideas to optimize access to quality care and increase patient satisfaction.
• Establish priorities for needed personnel, services, supplies and equipment and allocate funds accordingly.
• Accept responsibility for the performance of subordinate staff.
• Take personnel actions to reward, promote or recognize staff.
• Utilize a strong working knowledge of federal personnel management requirements to capitalize on various employee needs and contributions.
• Recommend or establish career development and professional enrichment programs appropriate to subordinate needs.
• Promote labor-management relations through regular communication with Human Resources, bargaining unit partners and service chiefs in order to meet affirmative action goals and enforce the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Plan.
• Advise, counsel, and instruct employees on complex administrative matters, resolve complaints, effect disciplinary actions and approve leave for assigned service chiefs.
• Formal public speaking engagements for community associations, other hospitals and medical societies, colleges and universities and volunteer groups.
• Promote and project an atmosphere of quality patient care.
• Meet with news media representatives regarding VA or Healthcare System activities.
• Communicate with congressional offices, VACO and third parties in responding to letters of inquiry or complaints.
• Responsible for implementing and completing internal reviews and audits.
• Ensure services provided by the medical center are within acceptable standards by the accrediting agencies.
• Collaborate with internal groups utilizing tools to initiate action to correct deficiencies and make improvements.
• Assume responsibility for the duties and responsibilities of the Associate Director in their absence with unrestricted authority to act.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST)
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health Systems Administrator (Assistant Director)/PD09714O
Relocation Incentive: May Be Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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, 10/09/2026.

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-14 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13. 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 as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-13 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field. This work may have been performed operating in a 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. Applicants must also possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities: management ability to delegate authority, evaluate and oversee people and programs, recognize and adapt to changing priorities; and knowledge of the interrelationships and interdependencies among various medical and administrative services and programs.

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

• Administration and Management
• Financial Management
• Human Capital Management
• Organizational Performance Analysis
• Partnering

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.

Physical Requirements: No special physical demands such as above average ability, dexterity, or strength are required to perform the work. Work is sedentary and the employee may sit comfortably. There may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items, driving of an automobile, etc. Fieldwork may involve traveling to interviews, meetings, and sources of information. Work is usually performed in offices, meeting rooms, schools or similar settings. The position may involve travel, including the normal everyday risks and discomforts of auto, bus, rail, and air transportation.

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.