Summary This position is the Administrative Officer of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center (VAMC). Martinsburg P&LMS is responsible for clinical testing, transfusion medicine, and anatomic pathology services, as well as ancillary testing sites located throughout the health care system. Responsibilities Resource Planning and Management Analysis - 25% Contributes to P&LMS annual and long-range plans by collecting, combining, and analyzing budget, expense, and resource use metrics; manpower, personnel, and position information; space and equipment needs & requirements to develop recommendations and plans that incorporate all P&LMS resource needs and meet the intent and requirements of Martinsburg, VISN 5 and VHA policies, plans, goals, and guidance. Assures implementation of goals and objectives for long-range tactical plans, including staffing, space needs, budget, and the need for contract work. Conducts special studies of problems involving manpower, equipment, space utilization, etc. Evaluates medical center, VISN, and VHA program policies, standards, guidance, and requirements to develop local procedures, processes, and best practices for tracking, managing, and reporting required by the management systems in current use. Human Resources - 30% Prepares data and business case analysis presentations as needed by executive leadership, VISN leadership and other stakeholders. Reviews the utilization of the non-technical staff assigned to P&LMS. Conducts staffing studies, recommends staffing levels, and submits requests to the Resource Management Committee. Manages non-technical positions, and appropriately requests funding for the filling of vacancies or the creation of new positions of a nontechnical nature. Identifies problem areas and provides management with solutions to correct poor work situations, and prevent potential problems, including staff shortages. Fiscal & Resource Management - 30% Develops the annual Budget Management Briefing Report, including the annual budget plan, budget worksheets, and budget forecast for the service's fund control points. Maintains close communication with the Chief of the Service and Fiscal Service to ensure sound budgetary controls and optimal utilization of funds within budgetary limitations. Recommends resource and fund allocations and adjustments. Allocates funds to the correct control points. Documents justification for expenditures and keeps records of same. Special Projects - 15% Researches legal and regulatory rulings and secures legal opinions when necessary. Interprets regulations, monitors performance measures. Performs special fact-finding investigations for reports of survey, personal claims, patient abuse and disciplinary/adverse actions. Prepares written recommendations such as issue briefs and white papers and presents findings and recommendations to P&LMS management. Recommends organizational alignment and organizes special programs and projects such as performance improvement. Assists with the coordination of Joint Commission, College of American Pathologists (CAP), American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and/or other laboratory accreditation or review programs. Initiates and approves training details and other like general functions. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Administrative Officer/PD232180 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 To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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 identification 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, 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, 06/17/2026. 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-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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Advanced knowledge of management principles, methods, systems, and techniques to assess, analyze, and advise on management issues such as communication, administrative systems and processes, and necessary operating resources. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LLB. or J.D. in a field related to this position that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with the application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Applicants may qualify with an equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate-level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is 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 A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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 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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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 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/. "Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing. As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care."
