Clarification from the agency

Current, permanent employees of the Veterans Health Administration (Nationwide) and CTAP as described in eligibility section.

Duties associated with this position include, but are not limited to the following:

• Knowledge of the major issues, program goals and objectives, work processes, and administrative operations of the organization.
• Extensive administrative knowledge that has been supplemented by skill gained thorough job experience to permit independent performance of recurring assignments or by expanded professional or administrative knowledge gained through relevant graduate study or experience, and practical technical knowledge of a wide variety of operations in the work of performance improvement.
• Possess the analytical ability to independently research, assemble, and compile information and data, evaluate the results against appropriate standards and recommend corrective action where indicated.
• Possess interpersonal skills in presenting recommendations and negotiating solutions to disputed recommendations.
• Ability to integrate systems redesign principles into the design of delivery systems into day-to-day operations and the organizational culture.
• Skilled in interpreting laws, regulations, policies, precedents, and accreditation standards into practice.
• Investigates and analyzes adverse quality trends or conditions and initiates corrective action.
• Identifies the appropriate target audiences for each training opportunity and facilitates appropriate participation among staff.
• Analyzes interrelated issues of effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of substantive mission-oriented programs. Develops detailed plans, goals, and objectives for the long-range implementation and administration of the program, and/or develops criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the program.
• Guidelines consist of general administrative policies, accreditation standards and management and organizational theories which require considerable adaptation and/or interpretation for application to issues and problems studied.
• Responsible for planning and organizing the study, coordinating with staff and line management personnel, and conducting all phases of the project.

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: Monday - Friday; 8:00am to 4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible: May be authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist/PD13305A and PD13304A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/06/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement GS-11: 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.

Time-In-Grade Requirement GS-12: 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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.

INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: The Health System Specialist position requires an Individual Occupation Requirement that will need to be met. Your resume will be reviewed regarding the Individual Occupational requirement, and it will be reviewed, to ensure that the Individual Occupational Requirement is met. Please understand that the Individual Occupational Requirement is required in addition to the required Specialized Experience.

Undergraduate and Graduate Education:

Major study -- hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration.

OR,

Specialized Experience: (for positions above GS-5): 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.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: - Applicants must also have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that are typically in or related to the position to be filled.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience GS-11: 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 defined as; Having a high degree of analytical ability and specialized knowledge related to health care management. Experience analyzing, planning, and professional and public relations. Experience reviewing materials and monitoring services regarding compliance with standards of internal and external accrediting agencies. Analyzing data, identifying trends and issues of concern for executive leadership. Identifying possible discrepancies within processes and data and making recommendations for initiating process improvements or solutions to potential issues. Monitoring changes in clinical and administrative data systems and advising investigators and management staff to revise data extraction and analysis methods as needed. Developing background and management options available to deal with complex facility planning and implementation issues. Experience ensuring that proposals/initiatives submitted for approval are complete and all implementation requirements are accurately identified. Ensures integration of all planning initiatives in terms of phasing and monitoring implementation of programs. Recommending action or adjustments necessary to achieve required objectives.

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, 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR, LL.M., if related.

OR,

• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.

Specialized Experience GS-12: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically defined as; Expert level knowledge of health care service administration, continuous quality improvement; data analysis; healthcare principles, and theories and practices. Knowledge of missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems in general and in the country at large. Expert knowledge of a wide qualitative and/or quantitative methods for the assessment and improvement of program effectiveness or the improvement of program effectiveness or the improvement of complex management processes and systems. Requires comprehensive knowledge of the range of administrative laws, policies, regulations, and precedents applicable to the administration of one or more important public programs. This includes knowledge of agency program goals and objectives, the sequence and timing of key program events and milestones, and methods of evaluating the worth of program accomplishments. Work requires knowledge of relationships with other programs and key administrative support functions within the employing agency or in other agencies. Ability to analyze problems and present both written and oral recommendations taking into full consideration the wide range of factors and requirements which affect the management of health care delivery systems.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE: Candidate that possess 3 years of SQL, Pyramid Analytics, VSSC & Power BI experience or education in Data Analytics.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Administration and Management
• Analysis and Problem Solving
• Communications
• Project Management

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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 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)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

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 Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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