Health System Specialist
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Summary
The incumbent serves as a national subject matter expert in continuous process improvement, supports the oversight of VISN and medical facility-based improvement programs, and provides consultation to VHA program offices. This position reports directly to the Deputy Director for Systems Redesign and Improvement in the National Improvement Office.
Learn more about this agencyOverview
- Accepting applications
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Open & closing dates
12/20/2024 to 12/27/2024
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Salary
$117,962 - $153,354 per year
Pay scale based on Washington, D.C. Actual salary will be determined upon selection and location.
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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
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Bargaining unit status
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Announcement number
CBZY-12653115-25-SM
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Control number
825455400
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.
Clarification from the agency
Open to current and permanent employees with the Department of Veteran Affairs and CTAP eligibles.
Videos
Duties
This announcement will close on 12/27/2024. The first 50 applications received will receive first consideration. Applications that are submitted after the initial cut-off number has been reached will not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management.
Major duties include, but not limited to:
Systems Redesign
- Manages complex project, including systems resign/improvement education initiatives for application to VAMC-based teams and individual participants.
- Incorporates improvement methodologies to clear identify current state of key processes to which to apply interventions an assess gains, strong practices, and sustainment/spread strategies to improve Veteran outcomes.
- Measures and analyzes qualitative factors focused on quality and safety, Veteran satisfaction, and value of healthcare as relates to project managed and led.
- Develops new projects and national initiatives for improvement bases upon data analysis, recommends opportunities to program leadership, and produces implementation plans.
- Applies complex data analysis and improvement tools and techniques to assigned projects.
- Provides advanced support to VAMC and VISN teams to support broad improvement across the VHA continuum of care.
- Researching and recommending new methods to improve performance at facility, VISN, national and non-VA levels.
- Performs program management activities for the coordination and development of systems redesign techniques.
- Provides strong project management support and leadership to individual improvement initiatives sponsored by the office.
- Develops policies, procedures, and handbooks through integration of information from VA and VHA initiatives, utilizing multiple information and data from VISNs and facilities.
- Acts as a systems redesign and improvement Subject Matter Expert (SME) in development of program memorandums to support field guidance.
- Develops innovative approaches to the establishment, enhancement, modification, and/or improvement of systems redesign programs and training offerings with the goal of educating VISN and facility staff in the use of process improvement and project management tools and processes.
- Performs comprehensive reviews and analyses of information supporting quality, efficiency, effectiveness, and utilization of resources for systems redesign programs and offerings.
- Coordinates and/or leads individual and group performance improvement activities.
- Develops training materials to support the tailored training of multiple stakeholders.
- Presents briefings, exhibits, charts, reports, and other narrative and statistical material relevant to the program's objectives.
- Identifies opportunities for improvement and resolves complex issues and opportunities through the development and leveraging of personal contacts.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Telework: Available (applicant is required on site 50% of work schedule per pay period)
Virtual: The employee may work at a VA facility or other VA-leased space other than the facility that is hiring the employee) and is authorized for telework up to 50%.
Remote: This is not a remote position.
Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist/PD02771A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
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
- 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
- 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 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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:
Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR): The 0671 Occupational series has an IOR that must be met:
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,
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.
- 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.
In addition to the IOR, candidates must also meet the following specialized experience for the grade level.
GS-13 Specialized Experience: You must have one (1) 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:
- Acquires, analyzes and edits information relevant to systems redesign and performance improvement priorities at the national level and directly applicable to the VHA Field.
- Lead complex and far-reaching system improvement initiatives using systems redesign and improvement principles.
- Conduct gap analysis and provides guidance to field staff to support sustainment of the systems redesign and improvement infrastructure.
- Expert understanding of VHA organizational structure.
- Previous VISN or VHA Medical Facility improvement work experience.
- Expert knowledge of Lean and Lean Six Sigma process improvement methodologies, with focus on healthcare systems.
- Developed and implemented educational content/curricula at the VHA national/program office level for enterprise-wide distribution.
- Experience providing oversight for development of specialized content for the VHA Quality Improvement Tracking Tool, within the Salesforce cloud-based CRM platform, including regular interaction with contract developers.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
- Analysis and Problem Solving
- Communication
- Database Management Systems
- Organizational Performance Analysis
- Teaching Others
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, being performed for the most part in an office setting with occasional requirements to lift, bend, and carry books, supplies and files. The individual will be required to be seated at a computer console for extended periods of time and be able to prepare reports, manage projects, enter, and review information displayed on a standard computer monitor. The employee occasionally walks to, from other offices in the vicinity or to, and from a car or airline transportation. Travel may be required
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.
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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional information
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
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.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
- Cover Letter
- Other (1)
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):
- Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
- An SF-50 showing 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
- Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
- Examples of appropriate 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.
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
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 12/27/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12653115.
- 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, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, 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, the 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 or your application will be incomplete.
The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced 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. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
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
- VHA Central Office - Quality and Patient Safety Services
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 vacancy 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.