Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS, and Career Transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation.

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

• A high degree of analytical ability and specialized knowledge related to the management of a Health Care Delivery System, as well as required knowledge, abilities and skills relating to analyzing, planning, and professional and public relations.
• Maintains program requirements and criteria for assigned organizations.
• Reviews reports involving trend analysis and ensures follow-up in these areas for conformity.
• Reviews materials and monitors services with regard too compliance with the standards of internal and external accrediting agencies.
• Analyzes data, identifies trends and issues of concern and alerts superior of those areas where possible discrepancies exist with recommendations for initiating intervention.
• Monitors data in order to make recommendations that address customer concerns while not compromising the quality of health care provided.
• Recommends action or adjustment necessary to achieve required objectives.
• Provides input into the design of projects, the structure of information management systems, and recommends appropriate methodologies, including applicable statistical analysis, for planned activities that will result in new or improved process solutions.
• Monitors changes in clinical and administrative data systems in VA and advise investigators and management staff to revise data extraction and analysis methods as needed.
• Develops background and management options available to deal with complex facility planning and implementation issues.
• Ensures that proposals/initiatives submitted for facility 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
• Conducts analytical studies on particular operational processes, compiles final reports, including comprehensive analyses; notes discrepancies and planned initiatives for effecting remedial actions.
• Establishes process controls to ensure recommendations and actions are completed as approved.
• Monitors action items within the organization and ensures appropriate progress to remedy problems and ensure risk management.
• Responsible for obtaining timely actions responses or decision on requests within and to the facility and ensures they are consistent with the VHA Salt Lake City Health Care System policy.
• Analyzes to ensure effective reporting and internal evaluation of programs that comprise the Network healthcare delivery system.
• Evaluates work in short and long-range planning efforts. Compiles with directives and Network policy and guidance in preparing annual and cyclic documents.
• Responsible for providing support to the VHA Salt Lake City Health Care System in planning, organizing, coordinating, implementing, directing, integrating, controlling and evaluating the healthcare delivery system.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, KLF, VA File Manager, Microsoft SQL server and statistical software (e.g., SAS, SPSS) is essential.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

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 through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework on an Ad-Hoc basis.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist/PD13305A
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
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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.
• 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 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 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, 04/30/2026.

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.

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/.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

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

• Resume

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

Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

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.

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

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

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.

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