Summary Coordinates operating room programs, resources, equipment, supplies, and instrumentation across clinical and administrative services. Analyzes workflow, staffing, utilization, budgets, and operational data; supports procurement and inventory control; manages projects; works with vendors and internal partners; interprets policies and accreditation requirements; and recommends improvements to enhance efficiency, readiness, and patient care. Responsibilities Maintains and improves systems of delivering health care by developing better programs and policies, improving utilization of resources, designing and overseeing needed changes, and being a catalyst for positive change and continuous improvement for operating room functions. Responsible for translating and accurately interpreting the policies, theories, and strategies into action within the complex interrelationships that exist in Surgical Service operations. Maintains relationships with peers and counterparts at other medical centers to support cooperation, resource sharing, and resolution of operational problems; develops and presents recommended solutions to management. Responsible on a day-to-day basis for coordinating and facilitating the function of all services, clinical and administrative, which interface with Operating Room functionality. Evaluates operating room issues, develops recommendations based on applicable policies and accreditation requirements, and tracks approved actions through completion. Identify and analyze problems in workflow, work distribution, staffing, performance/proficiency, and organizational structure to improve the efficiency and productivity of the Operating Room. Coordinates with Surgery, Anesthesia, Nursing, Biomedical Engineering, Prosthetics, and Sterile Processing to ensure required instrumentation and equipment are available, functional, and ready for the daily surgical schedule. Has oversight for analysis, managing, coordinating, controlling, purchasing, monitoring, and accounting for a variety of medical equipment and services to support assigned services in the operating room and associated areas including, but not limited to the pre-operative holding, outpatient surgery, and post-anesthesia unit. Coordinates the purchase and availability of equipment required for operating room procedures in accordance with applicable budgetary and procurement processes. Forecasts, budgets, manages, and controls all equipment and service transactions for assigned areas in the medical center. Serves as the main contact person for all OR equipment related issues for SPS, OR, distribution, purchasing, and warehouse personnel. Coordinates the procurement and management of operating room supplies, equipment, and instrumentation; facilitates coordination among the operating room, Sterile Processing, purchasing, vendors, and surgeons regarding equipment, supplies, and procedural requirements. Within the parameters of the approved project plan, the employee is responsible for planning and organizing all issues/projects related to the OR, estimating costs, coordinating with staff and management, and conducting all phases of any projects or assignments. Informs management of potentially controversial findings, issues, or problems with widespread impact. Serves as a liaison among physicians, nursing staff, Central Supply, purchasing personnel, vendors, logistics staff, and other support services to coordinate operating room requirements, exchange information, and resolve operational issues. Provides technical guidance to the supply tech and training on supply management duties for the OR. In conjunction with the OR supply tech, coordinates proper inventory of stock within the OR, as well as the turn-in of excess inventory and end of life equipment. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist (Operating Room)/PDHA671-00520-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Atuhorized 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 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, 08/07/2026. 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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 GS-07 level in the Federal service, that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position and that is typically in or related to the work of the position being filled. Examples of specialized experience include, but aren't limited to: coordinating the procurement, availability, inventory, and management of medical supplies, equipment, or instrumentation; identifying and analyzing operational, workflow, staffing, resource, or equipment-related problems and collaborating with clinical and administrative staff to recommend or implement solutions; gathering, analyzing, interpreting, and trending program or operational data; preparing management reports, presentations, graphs, or other data products; coordinating operating-room or comparable healthcare support activities across multiple organizational functions; forecasting, budgeting, managing, or monitoring equipment and service transactions and other program expenditures; applying medical terminology and procurement, purchasing, or contracting terminology; coordinating with vendors, sales representatives, contracting personnel, sterile processing, logistics, or clinical staff to ensure equipment and supplies are available, processed, and delivered timely; planning and evaluating projects or program activities; and interpreting policies, procedures, accreditation requirements, or regulatory standards and monitoring corrective actions through completion. -OR- Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Master's or equivalent graduate degree -or- 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree -or- LL.B. or J.D., if related. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED WITH APPLICATION). -OR- Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education as described above. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first 18 semester hours of graduate-level education earned (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED WITH APPLICATION). 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/. Physical Requirements: Light lifting, under 15 pounds Light carrying, under 15 pounds Reaching above shoulder Use of fingers Both hands required Walking, 5 hours Standing, 5 hours Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously Both eyes required Depth perception Ability to distinguish basic colors Hearing, aid may be permitted Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in 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. 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. 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/.
