Summary This Health System Specialist (AGPM) position is located in the Business Office under the Chief of Staff at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center facility. This position reports to the Ambulatory Care Operations Director (ACOD) / Group Practice Manager (GPM). The primary purpose of the position is to provide assistance and support to the ACOD/GPM and to all ambulatory care services in the facility and related Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) as it relates to access to care as applicable. Responsibilities Major Duties: Program Responsibilities - Provides access related consultative services, working in collaboration with facility Service Lines, to review and develop guidance and policies that will facilitate standardized processes within the facility and applicable CBOCs, etc. - Review and provide input on regulations and policies for local interpretation, utilizing local group practice management and communication strategies. - Works as part of an inhouse team to ensure a wide range of local factors are considered in the application of national policies and procedures. - Reviews and evaluates assigned processes and procedures to determine areas of effectiveness, efficiency, and improvement for proposal through local GPM group and supervisor. - Promotes established system-wide training plans to optimize local use. Supports the local clinic management system based on national requirements. Veteran Experience Responsibilities - Works with Veteran Experience Officers within the local facility to evaluate patient and family concerns regarding the access to services needed. - Provides accurate data to ensure that processes and procedures developed are appropriately supported. - Assists in the evaluation of outpatient care patient feedback for access and quality measures at the facility. - Aligns local processes with planning and policies at higher levels. Identifies, defines and prioritizes customer service tools with assignments. - Implements process improvement and training opportunities that support frontline employees in providing predictable, consistent and comfortable customer service experiences for Veterans, their caregivers and beneficiaries. Project Administration - Utilizes advanced principles and strategies for access improvement to review and provide recommendations to Clinical Leads (CLs), including identifying strategies to reduce backlog. - Works with local personnel to integrate data analytics and measures with continuous process improvement utilizing LEAN, Six Sigma, and other improvement methodologies to meet and sustain ambulatory care goals and objectives. - Incorporates process improvement based upon knowledge of VHA's and local organizational philosophy, policies and management principles. - Performs data analyses of performance related to existing internal and/or external requirements. Budget Guidance - Assists clinic managers in forecasting the impact of staff changes and developing countermeasures to mitigate the effect of staff shortages on access to care. - Monitors, and makes recommendations to adjust plans to effectively and cost-efficiently accomplish the mission within budgetary constraints. - Works closely with clinic managers to formulate budget recommendations for all outpatient clinical services to allocate all available resources to achieve optimal outcomes in access to care and the Veteran Experience. Office Program Planning Work - Provides administrative program advice for ambulatory care clinical support services. - Evaluates and monitors administrative activities and make substantive recommendations for program improvements. - Provides guidance on effective use of office staff and recommends desirable changes to enhance central support services. - Implements established action plans that will enable clinical grids to accurately reflect supply. Liaison and Communications - Acts as a liaison or point person for communications with persons and/or groups internal or external to the facility, representing Group Practice Management on clinical access issues. - Promotes effective communication and optimal information flow within the clinics. -Identifies modes of communication and reporting templates. Utilizes or creates standardized templates for Access Reporting. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8:00am- 4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist (Associate Group Practice Manager)/PDS0021S 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 Subject to background/security investigation 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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/15/2026. 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 as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: comprehensive knowledge of a wide range of qualitative/quantitative as well as analytical/evaluative methods for development and management and major administrative programs; ability to improve program effectiveness; comprehensive knowledge of program improvement of complex management processes; knowledge of a wide variety of computer and data management packages and VA databases, skill in planning, and organizing; knowledge of Federal government policies, regulations, and trends in the areas of management systems; Ability to apply the above knowledge and understanding of goals and requirements for delivery of effective, high quality ambulatory care services. Preferred Experience: Data systems, VHA clinic exposure There is no educational substitution for this position at the GS-12 grade level. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Problem Solving Reasoning (Clerical/Technical) Teamwork Written Communication 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: Performance of the incumbent's duties may require extensive walking per day to meet with the facility managers and other clinic personnel. Trips to satellite outpatient clinics are sometimes necessary and will involve transportation via automotive vehicle. The work performed is of a precise nature requiring long periods of concentration that is often interrupted. Incumbent is often faced with changing priorities and with meeting deadlines. Work Environment: Work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office. The employee's work may require occasional travel. 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 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.
