Clarification from the agency

Qualified candidates will be referred in the following order: 1) Current, Permanent employees of the New Mexico VA Health Care System, 2) Current, Permanent employees of the VA Desert Pacific Health Care Network (VISN 22), 3) Other Current, Permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Assistant Medical Center Director has line authority for all administrative services and designated healthcare services in support of patient access, performance metrics, systems redesign, data analytics, and strategic facility planning. This position is expected to execute the three-to-five-year strategic plan and ten-year Capital Master Plan to improve access and quality of care. The incumbent exercises full line authority for the operation of multiple service lines including: Environmental Management, Police, CDCE, Patient Advocates, Fisher House, and Informatics. The incumbent will also be the VISN liaison for the Veteran Canteen Services, OI&T, Prosthetics and Sensory Aids. The Assistant Director may be assigned as the Chairperson of standing or Ad/Hoc Medical Center and Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 22 councils/committees and has the responsibility for recommending to the Medical Center Director and/or Network Director actions associated with those councils and committees.

In addition to the above duties and responsibilities, the incumbent will:

• collaborate in the effective planning and execution of a medical care budget of more than $256 million
• work with chiefs of assigned programs and formulate budgets for their respective services
• collaborate with financial management to gather past expenditures, suggest and modify the operation of programs and recommend program adjustments to ease budget shortages
• implement cost-conscious ideas to optimize access to quality care and increase patient satisfaction
• establish priorities for needed personnel, services, supplies and equipment and allocate funds accordingly
• accept responsibility for the performance of subordinate staff
• take personnel actions to reward, promote or recognize staff
• utilize a strong working knowledge of federal personnel management requirements to capitalize on various employee needs and contributions
• recommend or establish career development and professional enrichment programs appropriate to subordinate needs
• promote labor-management relations through regular communication with Human Resources, bargaining unit partners and service chiefs in order to meet affirmative action goals and enforce the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Plan
• advise, counsel, and instruct employees on complex administrative matters, resolve complaints, effect disciplinary actions and approve leave for assigned service chiefs
• formal public speaking engagements for community associations, other hospitals and medical societies, colleges and universities and volunteer groups
• promote and project an atmosphere of quality patient care
• meet with news media representatives regarding VA or Healthcare System activities
• communicate with congressional offices, VACO and third parties in responding to letters of inquiry or complaints
• responsible for implementing and completing internal reviews and audits
• ensure services provided by the medical center are within acceptable standards by the accrediting agencies
• collaborate with internal groups utilizing tools to initiate action to correct deficiencies and make improvements
• assume responsibility for the duties and responsibilities of the Associate Director in their absence with unrestricted authority to act.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 08:00 am - 04:30 pm
Telework: Available at management discretion.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health System Administrator (Assistant Medical Center Director)/99901-S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• 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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/03/2025.

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-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13. 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 as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-13 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 operating in a 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. Applicants must also possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities: management ability to delegate authority, evaluate and oversee people and programs, recognize and adapt to changing priorities; and knowledge of the interrelationships and interdependencies among various medical and administrative services and programs..

Preferred Experience: 1-2 years of leadership experience equivalent to a Service Chief/Department Head level or as an Executive Leadership Team member. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Administration and Management
• Financial Management
• Human Capital Management
• Organizational Performance Analysis
• Partnering

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: Work is sedentary, and the employee may sit comfortably. There may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items, driving of an automobile, etc. Fieldwork may involve traveling to interviews, meetings, and sources of information. Work is usually performed in offices, meeting rooms, schools or similar settings. The position may involve travel, including the normal everyday risks of auto, bus, rail and air transportation.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Performance Appraisal
• Resume
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing 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
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old."

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.

Next steps