Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is only open to current, permanent Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees only.

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The Health System Specialist (Planner) primary responsibility is managing the planning and development of projects within JAHVH's Capital Program. The Capital Program includes major construction projects, major leases, local leases, minor construction projects, non-recurring maintenance (NRM), and station level projects. Major duties include but are not limited to:

• Manages multiple projects concurrently and must identify all resource requirements in advance to ensure seamless construction and activation planning activities.
• Coordinates all major construction projects, major leases, local leases, minor construction projects, non-recurring maintenance (NRM), station level projects, and activation activities at the portfolio level.
• Responsible for the management of the outline and scheduling resulting in successful execution of a complex capital portfolio.
• Responsible for contracting, project management, and building activation processes with regard to planning and coordination of all capital projects.
• Develops, manages, updates and monitors project Integrated Master Plans (IMP) and Integrated Master Schedules (IMS).
• Reviews progress and productivity of the Integrated Project Teams (IPT) and contractors to monitor and verify monthly costs.
• Coordinates with VA facility project managers, IPTs, engineers, logistics, OIT, contracting officers and the respective services and section chiefs to successfully develop and manage project schedules.
• Provides critical path and float analysis, risk assessment and performance analysis.
• Monitors and tracks the inter-dependencies of all schedules, track identified events or milestones in each project, and analyze project schedules for logic defects, duration issues and non-compliance with contract requirements in writing.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday- 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Position Description/PD#: Health Systems Specialist (Program Planner and Developer)/PD05995A

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this 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
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• 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)

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/07/2025.

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-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.

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

Specialized Experience: Progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field. This work way 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 provide 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.

In addition to the individual occupational requirements (IOR), you may qualify based on your experience as described below:

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. Such a training program must have been conducted in an operating health care system and included:

• Assignments providing a knowledge of basic health system administration philosophies, practices, and procedures, and basic government administrative policies and requirements;
• Practical assignments providing an opportunity to apply health system administration skills and principles (as the individual progresses, work assignments must be characteristic of the grade level to which he or she is assigned); and
• Oversight by an experienced health system administrator with periodic evaluation of the individual's progress and appropriate adjustment of the training program.

-AND-

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:

1. Manages multiple projects concurrently and identifies all resource requirements in advance to ensure seamless construction and activation planning activities.
2. Coordinates all major construction projects, major leases, local leases, minor construction projects, non-recurring maintenance (NRM), station level projects, and activation activities at the portfolio level.
3. Responsible for the management of the outline and scheduling resulting in successful execution of a complex capital portfolio.
4. Responsible for contracting, project management, and building activation processes with regard to planning and coordination of all capital project.
5. Reviews progress and productivity of all facility IPTs and contractors.

There is no educational substitution for the GS-12 level.

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.

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

• Capital Planning and Investment Assessment
• Planning and Evaluating
• Project Management

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 incumbent will be conducting inspections and surveys of construction sites with a need for physical agility to access unfinished buildings and wear personal protective equipment (PPE). The incumbent must have the ability to work within an environment of conflicting deadlines and shifting priorities. The incumbent may be required to work evenings and weekends, as well as perform infrequent overnight travel to meetings and conferences. Work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate controlled office; however, duties may require limited travel and access to construction sites, other VA facilities, and outlying clinics.

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.