Summary The Health System Specialist provides support to the Chief of Staff and clinical services management officials/service chiefs by analyzing, evaluating, advising on and/or coordinating health care delivery systems and operations. The position renders advice on operational policies and assures these policies are coordinated with, and in support of, facility operations. This position is located at the Northport, NY VAMC. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: Administration/Operations/Planning (20%) The incumbent is the primary administrative assistant to the Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff is responsible to the Medical Center Director for the development, organization, implementation and support of patient care, education, and research activities of the clinical services. As such, the Chief of Staff is the ranking medical official and is responsible for the quality of care and utilization of health care resources. Contacts and engages frequently with staff at all levels to facilitate the work of the Chief of Staff office related to a variety of operations-focused assignments and projects initiated by senior leadership, VISN, program or departmental offices. This interaction is essential in order to identify substantive issues, establish relative priorities, and determine those issues requiring tracking. Incumbent provides expertise, counsel and coordination of policies, programs and operations for the clinical areas reporting to the Chief of Staff. Performs independent duties directed toward the goal of providing quality patient care, education, and research activities through optimal utiliization of available manpower, funds, space, and other resources. Liaison/Communications (20%) The incumbent serves as the primary liaison between the Chief of Staff and other members of the organizational elements of the VA, both within and outside of the Medical Center. The Health System Specialist is the primary liaison on behalf of the Chief of Staff to multiple clinical services/Service Chiefs and serves as the conduit for information flow and management of assignments between them. Communicates with responsible staff agency members to ensure completion of all requested actions and appropriately closes out all requests. Analysis/Monitor/Development: (20%) Analyzes the subject matter of incoming information for appropriate distribution to services internal or external to the office of the Chief of Staff. The work involves investigating and analyzing a wide variety of problems and recommending appropriate solutions, including originating new and improved applications. Analyzes reports and interprets clinical data from local, VISN and Headquarters reports and communicates findings to management and service chiefs as well as internal and external stakeholder groups. Analyze to ensure effective reporting and internal evaluation of programs that comprise the Network healthcare delivery system. Conducts analytical studies on particular operational processes, compiles final reports, including comprehensive analyses; notes discrepancies and planned initiatives for effecting remedial actions. The incumbent monitors and manages incoming actions and requests from initial receipt to completion and closeout. Compliance (10%) Is responsible for creating, monitoring, and updating TJC compliance with medical staff standards and provides guidance and education to the clinical leaders on same. These duties include writing, reviewing, and updating policies and insuring compliance for medical contracts; fee basis; fee for service agreements, etc. Assures compliance with all applicable policies, and development and maintenance of internal management processes related to these online tools and provides ongoing training and tracking for the clinical services. Ensures that multiple facets of complex clinical programs meet compliance standards, including VA regulations, The Joint Commission (TJC) requirements and others. Coordination: (10%) The incumbent supports the responsibilities of senior management by coordinating and directing a range of operational matters dealing with planning, congressional issues, Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), the media, as well as Veterans and their families. Manages and coordinates virtual/ online communication tools such as assigned intranet websites, internal SharePoint website collection, and other related informational tools. Supervision (25%) The incumbent serves as the direct supervisor of six (6) GS-12 Health System Specialists, (1) GS 11 Transition Patient Advocate, as well as other staff as assigned and outlined on the Chief of Staff Organizational Chart. Provides specialized staff support in the monitoring and analysis of changes in mission, goals, new legislation, and technological advances to assess the impact of these changes on work methods/procedures and to develop new systems which address these changes. Perform other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: M - F, 8 am - 4:30 pm. Position Description Title/PD#: Supervisory Health System Specialist/PD21I08O Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job Subject to a background/suitability investigation Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc. is required 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, series and grades for all federal positions held, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week. (Failure to provide an SF-50 that demonstrates one-year time-in-grade will result in disqualification from being considered) You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted. 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. You may qualify based on your experience described below: 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. Specialized Experience GS-12: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes but is not limited to: Supervisory experience; Set priorities, assign work, assist and problem-solving; Develops competencies and performance standards and provides mid-year reviews and performance ratings; Hears and resolves complaints/ referring group grievances; Applying complex fact finding, analytical and problem solving methods and techniques; and Effective communication and writing skills. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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. 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. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, series and grades for all federal positions held, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week. (Failure to provide an SF-50 that demonstrates one-year time-in-grade will result in disqualification from being considered) You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
