Summary The Health System Specialist serves as the Medical Center Planning expert on strategic initiatives, maintaining a familiarity with current and upcoming clinical and administrative programs and their relationship to one another; the existence of sharing and contractual arrangements, grants, and memorandums of understanding for implementing partnerships to provide and obtain healthcare services; and the relationship of Medical Center activities with research needs, and educational affiliations. Responsibilities Major duties include, but not limited to: Serve as the Strategic Planner responsible for the coordination, implementation, oversight and ongoing development of CTVHCS' Strategic Plan. Engages senior leadership in all aspects of planning, including the development of goals, objectives and performance measures. Assists with the Quality Safety Value Executive Board and associated councils and committees, annual management retreat as well as other ad hoc projects and planning initiatives and works in conjunction with the Facilities and Space Planner. Assigned projects/initiatives and analyzes a wide variety of Health Care System management issues and completes qualitative and quantitative studies including financial reports and cost effectiveness analysis. Will track and monitor a multitude of ongoing projects and briefs senior executives on project status. Recommends and participates in developing strategies for implementing major strategic operations for CTVHCS. Participates in the development and documentation of long range, mid-range, and short-range planning efforts. Reviews long-range, mid-range, and short-range plans; assesses resource projections, priorities, and justifications; makes recommendations on strategic planning efforts that can be implemented within existing resource levels and advises on the impact of efforts that require additional resources. Serves as an integrator of multiple VA / and VHA programs and initiatives into the operations of the Health Care System. Principally, the Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (Mission Act of 2018) which streamlines and improves community care, establishes urgent care benefits, expands caregiver's eligibility, strengthens VA's workforce and infrastructure. Performs strategic and administrative management that requires the ability to apply specialized principles and practices of health care management. Performs population-based demographic studies involving data collection and analysis, forecasting, and related methodologies and performs other studies such as utilization statistics, workflow, patient population, etc. Prepares and contributes to reports and other presentations on strategic planning and evaluation. Designs and conducts a wide variety of comprehensive qualitative and quantitative analyses of substantive administrative and managerial operations, functions, and processes related to long-range strategic planning. Responsible for leading and/or actively participating in projects requested by top management. Coordinates all aspects of each special project to ensure that objectives are achieved. Prepare written correspondence for executive leadership that is clear, concise, and complete and requires few revisions of content on issues as assigned. This may include but not be limited to Congressional office inquiries, network inquiries or reports, veteran or family customer service issues, VA Central office issues, etc. Develops, maintains, and monitors integrated reporting systems affecting various program functions and operations that are extensively interrelated. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm, occasional weekend as needed Telework: Ad-Hoc Only Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist/PD08618O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized 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 Physical Requirements: 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, 07/22/2026. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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 first must meet the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) and qualify based on your experience described below: Individual Occupational Requirement - Education: Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) OR Specialized Experience: Possess 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. AND 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-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Provides data, reports, and assistance to management in development of strategic plans for the facility as it relates to access to care; Measures and provides recommendations with an emphasis on improving clinical product line performance; Reviews and evaluates assigned processes and procedures to determine areas of effectiveness, efficiency, and improvement for proposal; Incorporates best practices to help improve patient access to care and that standards are met within assigned services; Monitors existing or emerging workflow issues; Monitors consult management issues and provide guidance when required; Collects and analyzes/reports; Makes recommendations to assist in the allocation of resources; Evaluates and monitors administrative activities and substantive recommendations for program improvements. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or, 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or, LL.M., if related. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) 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: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. 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 Important: 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/. NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. 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 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/.
