Health System Specialist (Technical Career Field TCF)
What you'd do
The Technical Career Field (TCF) is a national workforce development program within VHA that was designed to replenish technical staff in critically identified positions.
Major duties
The TCF career fields represent those technical fields where VA-specific knowledge and experience is desirable for success in the field. Individuals selected follow a formal training plan for two years during which they are trained, coached, and supervised by a preceptor. Preceptors are selected annually, through an extensive application process, for their technical expertise, their commitment to training and the suitability of their facility as a training location. *Selectees will be required to sign Mobility, Training, and Continued Service Agreements. This is a developmental position leading to a GS-11, performing assignments intended to broaden skills and provide practical experience leading to progressively more complex assignments performed under progressively less supervision. The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Assists in planning, developing, and implementing programs to effectively identify, plan, assess, respond, and monitor areas of high risk, and coordinates efforts to improve performance as deemed necessary; develops expertise to serve as an advisor on compliance regulations, references, and program initiation and implementation throughout the facility. Maintains access and authority to review all documents, patient records, and other information relevant to compliance activities, including, but not limited to claim submissions; financial, quality, external review and purchased care reports; communication from first and third-party payers; privacy records; reports of investigations, and arrangements with other parties; obtains access on an "as needed" basis in order to conduct specific audits or investigations. At the end of the ICO TCF Trainee's two-year program, the trainee will be capable of developing, implementing, and maintaining an effective facility Compliance Program in accordance with the Compliance Program and Industry Standards as outlined in VHA Handbook 1030.02, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and the Health and Human Services guidance for Compliance Programs; undergoes a rigorous training program provides skills to competently demonstrate the following standards: Policies and procedures Governance/Structure Training and Education OIC Auditing and monitoring standards OIC Risk management and solution Prevention/investigation response Enforcement/Discipline Organization and industry knowledge Regulatory Knowledge Revenue and Purchase care operations Work schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year). Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA. Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement). Telework: May be available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Compressed Schedule: May be available Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Position Description Title/PD#: Health System Specialist (Technical Career Field TCF)/PD99534-S
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/03/2026. 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- 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. 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. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): The 0671 series requires specific education or experience to be met in order to be appointed into a position of this series. You must meet one of the pre-determined Education or Experience Individual Occupational Requirements listed below as set by Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study of hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. OR Specialized Experience: 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 Inservice 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. In addition to meeting both the IOR and Time-In-grade, you must meet the experience as described below: To qualify for the GS-671-09 based on specialized experience: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-07 level or equivalent for this position. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. At the GS-11 full performance level, the incumbent demonstrates: Knowledge of Non-VA Purchased Care through training resources and written materials. Knowledge of Non-VA Purchased Care processes (e.g., audits, risk identification, risk assessments). Knowledge of knowledge of Veteran's Equitable Resource Allocation (VERA )model and patient classification system through training resources. Knowledge of knowledge of Veteran's Equitable Resource Allocation (VERA) Model to processes (e.g., audits, risk identification, risk assessments). Knowledge of knowledge on policies, procedures, and processes related to Healthcare program of the United States Department of Defense Military System (TRICARE), Civilian Health, and Medical Program of the Veterans Administration (CHAMPVA), Med Legal, and Office of Workers' Compensation Program (OWCP). To qualify for the GS-671-09 based on education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must Possess a master's or equivalent graduate degree or two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Graduate Education: Education at the graduate level in an accredited college or university meets the requirements for positions at GS-7 through GS-11. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. To qualify for the GS-671-09 based on combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Possess equivalent combinations of education and experience. Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements, and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. 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. (When crediting education that requires specific course work, prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used.) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Risk management Communication Compliance 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.
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