Health System Specialist
What you'd do
Health System Specialist will serve as the Executive Staff Assistant to the Deputy Network Director for the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 9 within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and provides assistance in policy development and managerial decision-making.
Major duties
Health Systems Specialist will serve as the Executive Staff Assistant to the Deputy Network Director for the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 9 within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and provides assistance in policy development and managerial decision-making. Independently leads VISN-wide project implementations and/or improvement initiatives. Collects, organizes links, analyzes trends, and interprets highly specialized data from large databases and studies using specialized software tools as well as standard database/spreadsheet programs. Serves as a COTR (Contracting Officer Representative) Manages VISN 9 Performance Plan from roll-out, including updates, aggregate analysis, presentations on the objectives, phases, status and end-of-year reporting. Responds to inquiries and administrative problems brought to Executive Leadership by VISN staff, subordinate VAMCs/Outpatient Clinics, officials of VA Headquarters, Congressional Offices, Veterans Service Organizations other Federal Agencies and other governmental entities. Prepares correspondence and reports on behalf of Executive Leadership to VA Headquarters, congressional staff and other Federal and external review agencies. Incumbent performs special studies/fact finding activities involving staffing, health systems, access, resource utilization, and outcomes, etc., for reporting purposes, and prepares administrative reports. Develops recommendations concerning these areas. Applies analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to issues and studies concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of activities, processes, and/or functions related to the DND mission. Establishes reporting requirements and assumes follow-up responsibility for special studies and projects. Establishes reporting requirements and assumes follow up responsibility for special studies and projects. Manages the VISN 9 Healthcare Operations Committee and ensures reports, executive decision memos, prestation are reviewed/vetted through appropriately prior to presentation to the Council. Compiles, analyzes and summarizes key network workload, performance, demographic and financial data for the purpose of preparing briefing material for use by Executive Leadership. Manage multiple unrelated projects and issues, many of which are of a highly sensitive nature. Exercises independent judgment in interpreting, adapting, and applying general and sometimes vague guidelines to fit unique situations and to resolve issues. Provides advice and assistance in policy development and managerial decision making. Takes initiative to help resolve Network challenges. Effectively communicate both orally and in writing with a variety of professional, technical, and administrative personnel at all levels of the organization, as well as outside of it Applies analytical, evaluative, developmental and advisory skills towards recommending improvements in managerial policy, procedures and structure. Promotion Potential: 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. Work Schedule: Administrative Day tour, 0800-1630, Monday - Friday Compressed/Flexible: Available at supervisory discretion Telework: Ad hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist/PD079490Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized 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.
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/21/2026. 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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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. Health System Specialist Series, 0671 - Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR):Specialized Experience: Progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field at the grade of GS-12 equivalent to one year of full-time employment. 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. You may qualify based on your specialized experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-12) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Progressively responsible analytical or administrative, or clinical management or supervisory experience in the health care field at the grade of GS-12 equivalent to one year of full-time employment. 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. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork 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: No special physical exertion is required. The work is primarily performed while sitting though some work may require periods of standing. The regular and recurring work of the position involves sitting at a desk, conferences, meetings, etc., and occasional visits to activity work sites. Occasionally incumbent is required to carry light objects, such as files, mail, supplies and papers. 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/.
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