Summary This position serves as a GHATP Trainee functioning as a Health System Specialist in the Office of the Director of the Medical Facility at VA Maine Healthcare System located in Augusta (Togus), Maine and is responsible for managing projects and assisting in the coordination of daily office activities. The incumbent is responsible for all program matters under the direction of the Medical Center Director that are delegated to them. Applicant must be willing to relocate. Responsibilities The GHATP Trainee serves as a Health System Specialist within a one year formalized national training program. The GHATP training program is designed so that the incumbent acquires the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies necessary to assume progressively more complex responsibilities and assist the Office of the Medical Center Director in successfully meeting its mission and strategic goals. The incumbent will develop an individual development plan (IDP) and receive recurring progress reviews by the supervisor. This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-11. At the GS-09 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds. Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Utilizes data and reporting tools to develop health-planning service line strategies. Analyzes data trends in budget and fiscal expenditures supporting the preparation and execution of budget and committee meetings. Gathers organizational data from reports and media request packages in preparation for media and community events either separately or in conjunction with the Public Affairs Office. Displays knowledge of Department priorities and mission statements to recommend improvements to policy and procedures related to budget and administrative processes. Analyzes organizational charts, policies, and resource data to represent the facility/Network, and program office priorities during resource allocation committee meetings. Manages, leads, and administers project plans which include meeting objectives, assigning resources, giving briefings and presentations as project representative, maintaining quality assurance processes, creating project documentation, and completing after action review reports and follow-up procedures in conduct comprehensive project management. Participates in local hospital council, veteran organization, and community organization meetings with facility and regional senior leader staff members. Reviews and reports on policies in preparation for surveys, audits, and inspections in quality assurance, compliance, and procedures governed by internal and external organizations. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level (GS 11). Work Schedule: Monday- Friday; 07:30 am- 04:00 pm Position Description Title/PD#: Health System Specialist - Graduate Healthcare Administrative Training Program (GHATP) Trainee/PDS0001A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Notifications: This position is in the Excepted Service. This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay. Current Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's. May be required to attend conference at other facilities or other VA sites on occasion. This is a temporary, not to exceed one year position which may be extended or converted to a permanent position without further competitive procedures. This position is subject to review and possible re-classification in accordance with government wide Office of Personnel Management (OPM) standards. Reviews could result in a change to lower grade. 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. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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 (IOR) for occupational series 0671: Education: Graduate Education: Applicant must have a major study in hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. (Transcripts required) 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. OR 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. In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirement the applicant must also meet the below specialized experience. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: To qualify for this position at the GS-9 level, you must meet one of the following: GS9 EXPERIENCE: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade, (GS-7) level in the Federal service that includes performing the following duties: 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: 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. OR EDUCATION: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. OR Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate-level education (beyond 18 semester hours) as described above. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Work is primarily sedentary, although slight physical effort may be required. Work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate controlled office. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application. 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. 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. Additional Information 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza program is 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. 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 will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be 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 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/. 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.