Health System Specialist
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Summary
This is a Health System Specialist - Program Analyst in the Veteran Health Administration's Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP). The OSP provides strategic guidance directed toward improving the quality of mental health care for over one and a half million Veterans nation-wide and serves as the primary consultant to the Secretary and the Under Secretary for Health on issues related to preventing suicide and improving Veterans' mental health.
Learn more about this agencyOverview
- Accepting applications
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Open & closing dates
11/20/2024 to 11/27/2024
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Salary
$103,409 - $167,336 per year
Salary will be adjusted to reflect the geographic location of the selected individual.
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Pay scale & grade
GS 13
- Help
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
- Washington, DC
- Location Negotiable After Selection
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Remote job
No
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Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
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Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
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Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
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Appointment type
Permanent
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Work schedule
Full-time
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Service
Competitive
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Promotion potential
None
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Job family (Series)
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Supervisory status
No
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Security clearance
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Drug test
No
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Position sensitivity and risk
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Trust determination process
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Financial disclosure
No
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Bargaining unit status
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Announcement number
CBFF-12611055-25-LC
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Control number
819940800
This job is open to
- Internal to an agency
Current federal employees of this agency.
- Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
- Veterans
- Individuals with disabilities
- Military spouses
- Special authorities
Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
- Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
- Family of overseas employees
Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.
- Land & base management
Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
Clarification from the agency
Department of Veterans Affairs employees serving on permanent appointments including Title 38, Hybrid Title 38 & Canteen employees on Excepted appointments covered by the Interchange agreement; current permanent employees of other Federal Agencies; former competitive civil service employees eligible for Reinstatement; Veterans eligible under VEOA, Non-Competitive Appointments (30% Disabled Veterans, People with Disabilities, Military Spouses, etc.); special authorities; and CTAP/ICTAP eligibles.
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Duties
The Health System Specialist - Program Analyst will serve an integral role within the Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP). The OSP, which functions under the overarching direction of the Suicide Prevention Program (SPP), leads the implementation of the VA's public health approach to suicide prevention encompassing both community-based suicide prevention (CBSP) strategies and clinically based interventions.
The incumbent, as a member of SPP's Technical Assistance (TA) and Resource Center (TARC) for Community Based Interventions (CBI) (TARC-CBI) team, will perform duties as a program analyst and serve as the primary contact for the development, maintenance, and use of web-based systems and applied data systems for supporting the implementation of national CBSP interventions. The incumbent will provide teams with the policy, tools, methods, data, and analyses to drive process improvement, organizational effectiveness, and efficiency in moving forward suicide prevention strategic plans. This may include assessment and analysis of a variety of macro and micro systems within community coalitions, outpatient clinics, inpatient clinical services, business and administrative services, leadership and/or management services, and general program operations. Further, the incumbent will apply appropriate techniques such as web and SharePoint development, database development and maintenance, and advanced data analysis to improve and guide national program initiatives related to suicide prevention initiatives. Additional duties include, but are not limited to:
- Devising data gathering processes to suit the needs of tasks and independently coordinate elements of the process both internally and with other sites and/or agencies, when necessary.
- Providing data analyses, data reports, and data tracking for the national CBI programs in collaboration with SPP's Data and Surveillance team and other VHA Program Evaluation Center teams.
- Undertaking and participating in ongoing high priority analyses, investigations, and initiatives, which may involve producing complex analyses of program elements and written reports, initiating program reviews, and developing and fostering cross agency relationships.
- Monitoring all community prevention workload productivity nationally and developing summary data reports for development of VERA proposals for funding of CBSP efforts.
- Serving as project leader for enterprise-wide suicide prevention projects, which may involve several offices, agencies, and organizations of significant interest to the public and government.
- In collaboration with SPP's Data and Surveillance team as appropriate, identifying areas where efficiencies can be gained to achieve the goal of collecting objective and consistent program evaluation data in VA suicide prevention efforts.
- Developing and maintaining national web-based and other systems for collecting, managing, analyzing, and reporting program data, as well as developing and maintaining program websites, SharePoint, clinical decision support tools, and web-based systems for storing and distributing educational and program guidance tools.
- Responsible for SharePoint database design and creation, group account administration and oversight, documentation additions, data collection form template design and distribution, survey construction and use, document library creation, and data collection backup.
- Responsible for SPP system redesigns and upgrades, data extraction and report generation in support of tracking suicide prevention strategies in the community and in clinical settings.
- Overseeing the design, testing and deployment of user interfaces (UIs) for informatics tools such as SharePoint and Structured Query Language (SQL) server front ends, and the update of those UIs when needed in response to user feedback and following deployment of new systems.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30AM - 5:00PM
Telework: 50% telework (5 days per pay period)
Compressed/Flexible: Eligibility will be discussed during the interview process
Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist/PD31060
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure: Not Required
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- All applicants must be current U.S. Citizens.
- Selected applicants are subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants may be required to serve a probationary period.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
- Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
Qualifications
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 grade position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 grade. 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. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess one-year of Time-In-Grade, as required by this job announcement. In that instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates the one-year Time-In-Grade requirement has been met. 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.
GS-13 QUALIFICATION: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-12 that is directly related to the work of this position. 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 credentialing groups; and (3) Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement. Examples of specialized experience for this position include, but are not limited to:
- Developing and leading the implementation of database systems and web-based applications to support suicide prevention strategic plans in community and/or healthcare settings;
- Developing web-based systems for collecting, managing, analyzing, and reporting program data, as well as developing and maintaining program websites, SharePoint, clinical decision support tools, and web-based systems for storing and distributing educational and program guidance tools;
- Overseeing the design, testing and deployment of user interfaces (UIs) for informatics tools such as SharePoint and Structured Query Language (SQL) server front ends.
SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR (SPF): A Selective Placement Factory (SPF) is a prerequisite for appointment and must be met by every applicant in order to receive further consideration for this position. Evidence of the SPF must be reflected on your resume with complete information where it was obtained. The SPF for this position is as follows:
- Demonstrated skill in providing data analyses, data reports, and data tracking;
- Demonstrated skill in developing and leading the implementation of SQL database systems;
- Demonstrated skill with producing complex analyses of program elements and written reports and initiating program reviews.
COMPETENCIES: You will be rated on the following competencies for this position
- Data Management
- Database Administration
- Analytical Thinking
- Technical Competence
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The work is sedentary and does not require any special physical effort. Some work may require walking and standing in conjunction with travel and attendance at meetings and conferences away from the work site. Employee may carry light items such as papers, books, and portable computer requirement or driving a motor vehicle relative to attendance at meetings. The work often requires long hours to meet project deadlines and to devise corrective action and solutions to unexpected technical and/or management crises resulting in sometimes highly stressful work
situations.
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.
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 OPM website.
Education
There is no educational substitution at this grade level.
Additional information
- This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
- 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.
- VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. The Agency contact listed on this job announcement can provide more information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.
- Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The Agency can provide additional information regarding what information or documentation is needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the Reasonable Accommodation process.
- The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Additional information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility can be found on the OPM website at this link.
- For more information on "Who May Apply" eligibility requirements, please review this document.
- It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
- Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, VA prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. Additional information about the Act and the complaint process can be found at this link and The Fair Chance Act document.
- All applicants are encouraged to apply online. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the point of contact listed at the bottom of this job announcement.
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 MAY 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.
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.
Required Documents
The following documentation is required and must be submitted with your application:
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- DD-214/ Statement of Service
- Disability Letter (Schedule A)
- Disability Letter (VA)
- Performance Appraisal
- PCS Orders
- Proof of Marriage Status
- SF-15
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- If you are a current or former Federal employee who has held a GS-grade position within the past 52 weeks you must submit an SF-50 to demonstrate that you meet the Time-In-Grade requirement for this job announcement.
- If your most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you meet the one-year of Time-In-Grade requirement. In that instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 (such as a Within-Grade-Increase) which demonstrates that you have met one-year of the Time-In-Grade requirement.
- Individual Cash Award SF-50's do not provide sufficient information and cannot be accepted for the purpose of demonstrating Time-In-Grade. Examples of acceptable SF-50's include:
- Within Grade Increases at the highest grade held; OR
- Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; OR
- SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD-214(s) which must show the service dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award Veterans' Preference.For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and attach all appropriate documentation as specified in the Required Documents section listed above. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/27/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the application questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12611055.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS Account, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application page will display the status of your application, documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account each time you make edits or your application will be submitted as incomplete.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
Agency contact information
- Address
- Office of Suicide Prevention, Veterans Crisis Line
810 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20420
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the job announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
Fair & Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.