This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service. As a Prosthetic Representative (Supervisor); supervising the full range of all phases of prosthetic operations and PSAS's staff. They serve as an expert advisor administering, analyzing, evaluating, planning, developing, and work concerned with prosthetic and sensory aids services to disabled patients throughout the VHA.
Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Experience and Education. Individual must meet at least one of the requirements below. Experience. One year of creditable experience that demonstrates: Knowledge of basic anatomy and medical terminology; knowledge of accounting methods; ability to research, analyze, comprehend, and apply decisions; basic knowledge of inventory management procedures; ability to use computer software packages for word processing, spreadsheet development, and database management; and ability to work independently and as a member of a team; OR Education. A bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution AND at least 24 semester hours in course work related to health care, public administration, or business. The 24 semester hours could include but is not limited to any combination from the following fields: occupational therapy, physical therapy, kinesiotherapy, social work, psychology, prosthetics, orthotics, respiratory therapy, assistive technology, business law, leadership, healthcare, public administration, or business management. This course work may have been completed within the degree or in addition to the degree; OR Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS-12 Prosthetic Representative (Supervisor) Experience. At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Leadership and managerial skills, including skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution to deal with employees, team leaders, and managers. Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties, including responsibility for assignment of work to be performed; evaluation of performance; selection of staff; and recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions. Ability to manage a health care program that provides home medical equipment, rehabilitation services, home oxygen, visual or hearing impairment devices, assistive technology, orthotics, or prosthetics. Skill in coordinating work flow and work assignments. Ability to counsel patients and work effectively with a clinical team to resolve conflict. Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and must be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. The supervisor is responsible for the supervision, administrative management, and direction of assigned PSAS staff. The supervisor is delegated full administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the staff activities for the section or equivalent work unit. Program areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to, procurement; PSAS clinical services, customer service/reception, inventory management associated with medical, rehabilitative, and durable medical equipment devices, home durable medical equipment deliver/set-up/installation. visual or hearing devices, assistive technology, orthotics/prosthetics, PSAS contract development, management and oversight of contract programs, such as home oxygen, durable medical equipment, orthotics/prosthetics, and eyeglasses, and benefit programs, such as home and structural alterations, automobile adaptive equipment, clothing allowance. They serve as contract officer representative for PSAS contracts and chair facility committees and administer benefit programs. The Supervisor provides education and training to Veterans, caregivers, VA clinical teams and PSAS staff. The Supervisor assures compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements; establishes and monitors performance and quality metrics; reviews and modifies work processes to achieve optimal efficiency and effectiveness; ensures customer satisfaction; and takes corrective actions as needed. He/She develops policies and procedures; manages document control; develops performance standards, position descriptions and functional statements; and is responsible for professional and administrative management of an assigned area to include budget execution. Approves and disapproves employee leave requests; monitors time and attendance; and ensures that all requests for hiring, promotions, awards and disciplinary actions are justified and carried out according to appropriate VA Human Resources policies and procedures. The supervisor maintains interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals. Preferred Experience: One year of creditable purchasing experience equivalent to the GS-5/7/9/11 grade level, utilizing a government purchase card. Two years of creditable customer experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, directly related to the health care industry. Knowledge of inventory systems utilizing GIP/PIP through VISTA/APAT/Above PAR. One year of advising facility PSAS Leadership on process improvements, customer service recovery efforts, and vendor relations. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Walking (1 hour); Standing (1 hour); Kneeling (.25 hours); Repeated bending (.25 hours); Climbing, legs only (.25 hours); Climbing, use of legs and arms; Operation of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Prolonged periods of sitting (6-8 hours)
Major Duties: Completing a variety of supervisory and non-supervisory prosthetic and sensory aids assignments, projects, activities independently to meet PSASs long-and-short term program goals. Performs technical, administrative, and analytical prosthetic related assignments for the PSAS. Leads projects and project teams on activities related to prosthetic and sensory aid activities. Completes a variety of non-supervisory ad hoc projects and assignments personally as needed. Provides supervision, administrative management, and direction to assigned PSAS staff with delegated full administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the staff activities for the section or equivalent work unit. Serves as a VHA and PSAS representative on local facility committees, workgroups, and teams to address a variety of PSAS's issues, initiatives, and projects. Keeps the PSAS senior staff aware of outcomes and recommendations to enhance the program. Assures compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements; establishes and monitors performance and quality metrics; reviews and modifies work processes to achieve optimal efficiency and effectiveness; ensures customer satisfaction; and takes corrective actions as needed. Seeks best practices from other VHA facilities to enhance PSAS's prosthetic and sensory aids program to meet veterans' needs. Conducts visits to VISNs and VHA locations to collect, review, and analyze their best practice information and reports findings to the supervisor to consider. Drafts, develops, and implements new local organizational policies, directives, and procedures that are consistent with national policies, procedures, and programs. Manages document control; and provides documents to the supervisor for final approval after the incumbent submits final, review, comments, and recommendations. Maintains awareness of VA, VHA, and PSAS requirements regarding The Joint Commission standards of care implementation. Keeps abreast of current issues in the health care industry and technological advancements and provides subject-matter expertise to VHA and PSAS senior officials as needed. Completes Prosthetic Representative, technical, programmatic, and administrative duties independently. Provides training, advice, and guidance related to various PSAS's administrative functions, including statistics, data analysis, budgeting to include budget execution, contracting, procurement, human resources, logistics/space, equipment, and supplies. Supervises staff that serves as an advisor to clinicians regarding selection, prescription, and acquisition of prosthetic devices involving furnishing information on new developments in the field of prosthetics and sources of supply for such devices. Interprets prescriptions of clinicians to make certain that proper prosthetic devices are selected. Possesses program responsibility for contracting, procurement; PSAS clinical services, customer service/reception, associated with medical, rehabilitative, and durable medical equipment devices, home durable medical equipment delivery and installation. Prepares and authorizes purchase orders for a wide variety of prosthetic and orthotic devices. Keeps the supervisor well informed of procurement or contract issues as they arise for accountability purposes. Serves as a contract officer representative (COR} for PSAS contracts and chair facility committees and administer benefit programs. Monitors contracts for compliance with the statement of work; and receives, analyzes, and completes requests for prosthetic equipment and services. Oversees the operation of the Prosthetic Inventory utilized for Mailout at the NWHCC and ALM. Provides professional and administrative management of an assigned area to include budget execution. Collaborates with Supply Chain Management team to procure materials, supplies, and equipment for inventory; maintains, controls, and issues inventory; and refers veterans to proper clinical area for evaluation. Develops tools that allow monitoring of a quality assurance program. Keeps supervisor informed of procurement updates by preparing detailed status reports regularly. Ensures adherence to VA, VHA, and PSAS procurement procedures. Monitors and ensures requests for items or services are completed and received following established timeframes; and confers with contractors, vendors, and other health care workers as needed regarding procurement status and other needs and concerns. Major Duties is continued under the Education Section Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM; Must be available via government issued cellphone. Can include occasional nights or weekends. Telework: Ad-hoc, as determined by the service. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 53980-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized