Summary The Health Systems Specialist in the Office of the Associate Director for Patient Care reports to a senior member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), comprised of the highest-ranking senior executives within the Level-1 complexity Joint Commission accredited healthcare organization. The Health Systems Specialist utilizes specialized knowledge of the fundamentals of healthcare management and serves as a management representative of the ELT. Responsibilities Duties include, but are not limited to: Develop a thorough, administrative and strategic operational Initiatives of the organization that enables the specialist to identify problems, analyze data, and recommend resolutions based on specific knowledge of the organization's objectives and priorities, resources, and catchment area. Plans, organizes, trends and reviews requests for resources within their assigned executive's chain of command and makes recommendations, based upon the relative needs while considering their ability to utilize the resources requested. Assist in prioritizing resource allocations throughout the healthcare system in conjunction within the Director's authority. Assist the Executive Leadership Team in assessing needs in a realistic fashion, documenting them effectively, and presenting them to a diverse audience of internal and external stakeholder. Point out (and correct as appropriate) errors, incomplete or inconsistent data, and illogical arguments or conclusions. Review policies and procedures that are in conformance with the overall philosophy of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) related to all aspects of healthcare programs. Review medical center budget initiatives, subsequent justifications and defends for the clinical or administrative service/program to the Medical Center Director as needed. Reviews as assigned i.e. resources requests for FTEE, Equipment, Overtime, and Space, and keeps abreast and forecasts needs based on regional market trends. Coordinate and participates in strategic planning throughout the healthcare system, and with subordinate services and programs within their ELT members chain and scope of command, to produce decisions and actions that shape and guide the organization's purpose and activities, particularly with regard to the future - a fundamental component of organizational management and decision making. Provides guidance and advice on program specific matters such as handling legislative issues, the development and implementation of policy or program initiatives, protocol issues, and other important correspondence or VISN/VACO related matters. Review audits and evaluations which are conducted at the facility. This includes reviews by the Joint Commission, Medical Inspector, and Inspector General, and program evaluations which requires monitoring progress. Deal with problems arising from quality of care issues and consumer complaints arising from individual patients, Veterans groups, Congressional offices, and other stakeholders. Participate and lead fact-finding and administrative board of investigations for useful, effective evidence-gathering and reliable, efficient fact-finding in a wide array of circumstances, as charged by the Medical Center Director. Conducts analytical studies on particular operational processes, issue topics, or related special projects. Maintain a broad knowledge of improved healthcare operations issues, updates equipment, construction techniques, etc., that may be helpful to senior management. Leads and participates in task force or research groups to analyze problem areas and recommends adjustments to improve existing policy or procedure to achieve desired results. Perform other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 7:30am-4:00pm Monday through Friday Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist/PD071170 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized A one year supervisory probation period may be required for this position. 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 To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/23/2024. 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 GS-12 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. General Adjustment SF-50's with the effective date of within the last year do not provide the information to reflect time-in-grade requirement has been met and therefore cannot be the only SF-50. If you are currently serving in a Hybrid Title 38 position, your SF-50's must reflect you have been in the position longer than one year. Health System Administration Series, 0671, has an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): Undergraduate and Graduation Education: Major study -- hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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. 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. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: 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: 1) Builds and manages workforce based on organizational goals, budget considerations, and staffing needs. Ensures that employees are appropriately recruited, selected, appraised, and rewarded; takes action to address performance problems. Manages a multi-sector workforce and a variety of work situations. 2) Identifies issues and analyzes information to draw accurate conclusions, ensuring careful attention to detail. Dissects problems and information into their meaningful parts, and uses logic and judgment to evaluate alternatives and develop solutions. 3) Plans, distributes, and monitors work assignments; evaluates work performance and provides feedback to others on their performance. 4) Experience with the principles and practices of budget administration and analysis. 5) Works with clients and customers. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analytical Reasoning Budget Administration Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Human Capital Management Manages Human Resources 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: No special physical demands such as above average ability, dexterity, or strength are required to perform the work. Work Is sedentary, and the employee may sit comfortably. There may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light Items, driving of an automobile, etc. Fieldwork may Involve traveling to other facility sites of care, interviews, meetings, and sources of Information. 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 Receiving Service Credit or 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. 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. 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.