The Health System Specialist (HSS) is located in the Quality and Patient Safety Service at the Chillicothe VA Medical Center. The HSS functions as a liaison to multiple staff offices and serves as the conduit for information flow and management of assignments between such offices. Monitors and manages incoming actions and requests from initial receipt to completion and closeout.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/14/2025. 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. Grade Determination GS- 11: 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: 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, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Ph.D. OR equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M in the related field of the position to be filled. Graduate education in a major field of study hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields, such as business or public administration, with course work in health care administration. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of successfully completed graduate level (beyond a master's degree) and specialized experience as described above to meet total experience requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Customer Service Information Management Attention to Detail Analytical Thinking 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 travel is required. No other special physical demands are required of this work. 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/.
Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Analyzes the subject matter of incoming information for appropriate distribution to offices internal or external to the office. Receives and monitors completed actions or responses; analyzes responses for completeness and accuracy against known policies and procedures; and ensures action or inquiry is closed out with the inquirer or office. Participates in special information flow studies, analyses, presentations and briefings, as assigned. Uses standard reference materials to develop position papers and decision documents representing the position of the organization on a variety of complex and sensitive issues such as the quality or timeliness of veteran care issues within the system or at times, issues of Congressional or media interest that have significant national impact e.g. quality and safety concerns or involve several functional areas. Works closely with senior management and others in implementing and evaluating policies, plans, and internal operational systems such as correspondence management, information tracking among pertinent offices and stakeholders, and internal/external communication flows. Contacts and engages frequently with staff at all levels to facilitate the work of the office related to a variety of operations focused assignments and projects initiated by senior leadership or program offices, or departmental offices. Manages and coordinates of all online communication tools such as assigned intranet websites, internal SharePoint website collection, and other related informational tools in consultation with communication specialists. Completes all steps required within an event management process, including facilitating selection of the event time, developing a formal agenda, managing any required contracts and all logistical items, disseminating information to attendees, and ensuring smooth execution of the event. Supports the responsibilities of senior management by coordinating and directing a limited range of operational matters dealing with planning, congressional issues, Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), the media, as well as Veterans and their families; and overseeing and coordinating service networks initiatives with central offices. Addresses specific problem areas and applies a high degree of analytical ability and specialized healthcare knowledge to the management of healthcare delivery systems. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist/PD910670 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized