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Health System Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The primary purpose of the position is to coordinate Systems Redesign and Process that result in transformative quality, safety, effectiveness, and efficiency improvement efforts; act as the Lean healthcare subject matter expert for healthcare and operational improvement projects impacting patient care delivery systems; facilitate in the creation of standard work; provide guidance to team members and supervisors on improvement projects; and process standardization and cost savings.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
08/11/2022 to 08/31/2022
Salary
$67,226 to - $126,742 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 12
Location
Palo Alto, CA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSW-11602078-22-BNR
Control number
670761400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (COVID-19 - VA 005) in-accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3304(a)(3) and 5 CFR 337.205(b)(1)-(4).

Duties

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This is a position established to perform developmental assignments in a variety of administrative and clinical activities with responsibility that include service level improvement, productivity improvement, management controls and standardization to provide both effective and efficient delivery of healthcare to patients seen at VA Palo Alto Health Care System facilities. The incumbent may serve as a Health System Specialist (Systems Redesign Coordinator) GS-0671-09, GS-0671-11, or Target GS-0671-12. Selection at the lower grade is designed to provide the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience to perform the full range of routine and non-routine assignments with a high level of independence in support of the Office of Quality, Safety and Value at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS).

Promotion to the next higher grade is contingent upon the incumbent's demonstration of the ability to perform the duties of the next higher grade based on the supervisors recommendation and the availability of work at the next higher grade level. Incumbent must also meet minimum qualifications and time-in-grade requirements. Promotion to next higher grade is not guaranteed.

At the GS-12 level, duties for the position include but are not limited to:

  • Conducts extensive work in analyzing data and conducting background research on the issue.
  • Pulls, isolates and manipulates data to identify root causes of a performance issue.
  • Develops statistical models to measure successful of performance improvement actions.
  • Converts data into numerous formats using advanced statistical models including statistical process control charts, histograms, paretto charts, and many more.
  • Leads a team of subject matter experts, front line staff and leadership through a rigorous and defined project management process utilizing multiple tools from Lean Six Sigma, Lean VA TAMCCS and other performance improvement disciplines to further define the current state of the process.
  • Identifies various solutions approaches and when necessary further leads them through prioritizing exercises with tools like affinity diagrams, PICK Charts and multi-voting.
  • Creates designs of experiment that align to project goals and team developed solutions.
  • Conducts experiments and collects data to identify if the developed solutions are affective.
  • Provides consultation to executive, service line, and program leadership by leveraging VA data analytics resources.
  • Identifies metrics performing below benchmarked standards or falling below the upper or lower control limits of a statistically controlled models such as SAIL.
  • Collects baseline information, identifies limitations in current systems, and discovers potential improvements.
  • Aligns identified metrics to known organizational priorities, such as VA/VHA/VISN/Facility strategic or operational plan.
  • Develops local data metrics and dashboards to monitor projects in progress or performance benchmarks of a project that is awaiting a charter or formal decision from executive leadership for action.
  • Identifies projects critical to improving quality outcomes and maximize return on investment of utilized resources.
  • Develops and refines information for comprehensive reports, addressing such elements as cost analysis, work measurements, trend analysis, efficiency, effectiveness, productivity, and tangible benefits.
  • Evaluates the quality of care and the efficiency of care processes.
  • Provides instruction to others on Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Systems Redesign or other improvement methodologies principles and tools through formal classroom instruction or small group mentoring.
  • Develops written and verbal teaching materials.
  • Delivers training materials and curriculum consisting of advanced practices of project management, statistics, coaching, facilitation and leadership.
  • Responsible for leading the team through development of control strategies, to ensure project solutions are sustained after the project lifecycle.
  • Performs other related duties as assigned.


Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; Tour of duty subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description Title/PD#: Health System Specialist/ S0012-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required


Promotion Potential: This position is established to perform developmental assignments similar to duties contained in the full performance position. The position is established with known promotion potential to the targeted full performance level of GS-12. 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.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
  • Subject to a background/suitability investigation
  • Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
  • May serve a probationary period
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

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

Basic Requirements: You must possess one of the following:

  • 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: 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.

In additional to the basic requirements you may qualify at the specific grade level based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-09 grade level:
  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the federal service). Qualifying specialized experience is defined as 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: (1) Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; (2) Regulations and standards of various regulatory groups; and (3) Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement.
OR
  • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree or successfully completed two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a related field of the position to be filled (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration).
OR,
  • Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience as described above, to meet the total experience requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position (i.e. hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as course work in health care administration).
GS-11 Qualifications:
  • Specialized Experience: 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. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as 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: (1) Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; (2) Regulations and standards of various regulatory and groups; and (3) Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement. At this level, applicants would have obtained this experience working within a health care setting, working directly with clinicians and other administrators to solve problems in support of the delivery of patient care; and experience running an administrative component of a health care process improvement program.
OR,
  • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in the related field of the position to be filled (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration).
OR,
  • Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level (beyond a master's degree) and specialized experience as described above to meet total experience requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration).
GS-12 Qualifications:
  • 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. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as 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: (1) Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; (2) Regulations and standards of various regulatory groups; and (3) Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement. At this level, applicants would have obtained this experience working within a health care setting, working directly with clinicians and local leadership to solve problems in support of the delivery of patient care; applying organizational and system-wide strategies for continuous quality improvement; and experience running and supervising an administrative component of a process improvement program.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications 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.

Additional information

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.

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.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

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. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

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