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Health System Specialist

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

Summary

This position is located in the Associate Director Patient Care Services Department, VA Central Western Mass Leeds MA. The primary purpose of this position is to provide support to health care management officials by analyzing, evaluating, advising on and/or coordinating health care delivery systems and operations. The position renders advice on operational policies and assures these policies are coordinated with, and in support of, field operations.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
11/28/2022 to 12/19/2022
Salary
$105,743 to - $137,464 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
Leeds, MA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBTD-11744264-23-EF
Control number
691295600

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 (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

Duties

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GS-13: Duty responsibilities Includes but or not limited to:

  • Functioning as the primary liaison to multiple staff offices and serves as the conduit for information flow and management of assignments between such offices. Monitors and manages incoming actions and requests from initial receipt to completion and closeout.
  • Analyzes the subject matter of incoming information for appropriate distribution to offices internal or external to the office.
  • Receives and monitors completed actions or responses; analyzes responses for completeness and accuracy against known policies and procedures; and ensures action or inquiry is closed out with the inquirer or office.
  • Conducts or participates in special information flow studies, analyses, presentations and briefings, as assigned.
  • Conducts analytical studies on particular operational processes, issue topics, or related special projects.
  • Studies and projects addressed are commonly so diverse and intense that they often require input and assistance from departmental or program offices. These studies require study planning, statistical measurement, data analysis, and report preparation and development.
  • Develops position papers and decision documents representing the position of the organization on a variety of complex and sensitive issues such as the quality or timeliness of veteran care issues within the system or at times, issues of Congressional or media interest that have significant national impact e.g. quality and safety concerns or involve several functional areas. An expert level knowledge of health system services is required for the breadth and depth of studies encountered.
  • Works in coordination with other internal reviewing services regarding complex audits and internal/external reviews of a national concern; i. e, fiscal efficiencies and organizational structure that are reviewed by prominent parties such as the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) or the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
  • Tracks both routine and uncommon deadlines initiated by OIG/GAO and internal reviewing officials to ensure timely submission of responses and actions.
  • Communicates with responsible staff agency members to ensure completion of all requested actions and appropriately closes out all requests.
  • Works closely with senior management and others in implementing and evaluating policies, plans, and internal operational systems such as correspondence management, information tracking among pertinent offices and stakeholders, and internal/external communication flows.
  • Contacts and engages frequently with staff at all levels to facilitate the work of the office related to a variety of operations-focused assignments and projects initiated by senior leadership or program offices, or departmental offices. This interaction is essential in order to identify substantive issues, establish relative priorities, and determine those issues requiring tracking.
  • Functions in myriad roles by contacting and engaging with various administrative program officials within Headquarters and in the field to manage, coordinate, and complete various assignments or projects that involve or are initiated by these officials.
  • Manages and coordinates of all online communication tools such as assigned intranet websites, internal SharePoint website collection, and other related informational tools in consultation with communication specialists.
  • Assures compliance with all applicable policies, and development and maintenance of internal management processes related to these online tools.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8am - 4:30pm
Position Description Title/PD#: Health System Specialist
Compressed/Flexible:
Not Available
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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, 12/19/2022.

Individual Occupational Requirements: 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

(For positions above GS-5): 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.
Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: Functioning as the primary liaison to multiple staff offices and serves as the conduit for information flow and management of assignments between such offices. Monitoring and managing incoming actions and requests from initial receipt to completion and closeout. Analyzing the subject matter of incoming information for appropriate distribution to offices internal or external to the office. Receiving and monitoring completed actions or responses; analyzes responses for completeness and accuracy against known policies and procedures; and ensures action or inquiry is closed out with the inquirer or office. Conducting or participates in special information flow studies, analyses, presentations and briefings, as assigned. Conducting analytical studies on particular operational processes, issue topics, or related special projects. Studies and projects addressed are commonly so diverse and intense that they often require input and assistance from departmental or program offices.

Preferred Experience:
1. Healthcare Administration Experience
2. Experience in Researching, reviewing and Drafting Correspondence
3. Experience in data management/performance monitoring
4. Experience in writing and managing SOPS and Policies

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  1. Administration and Management: Knowledge of planning, coordination, and execution of business functions, resource allocation, and production.
  2. Communications: Effectively expresses information to multiple audiences through clear dissemination of information and ideas; actively
    listens to others and demonstrates understanding of their comments and/or questions.
  3. Analysis & Problem Solving: Applies the process of discovery that involves the diagnosis of a problem or issue, identification and gathering of relevant information, formulation and evaluation of alternative solutions or courses of action, and selection or
    recommendation of the preferred solution or course of action
  4. Project Management: Applies principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, monitoring, evaluating, and managing projects and resources, including technical performance.
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: The work is sedentary. Some travel is required. No other special physical demands are required of this work.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 this grade level.

Additional information

COVID-19 Pandemic Expanded Telework Program - Due to COVID-19, VA is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement. Management officials will provide information about returning to the official, pre-pandemic worksite, when applicable. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to telework depending upon the terms of your organization's telework policy and the duties of the position.

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

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.

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.

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