Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

Duties include:

• Serves as a community based outpatient clinic (CBOC) Program Administrator for the Waterloo clinic.
• Serves as the first point of contact for leading, organizing, developing, executing, and controlling the delivery and coordination of the health care at the assigned CBOC
• Collaborates with others and assists the Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) to integrate, facilitate and evaluate patient care and administrative services within the health system to achieve mutual achievement of patient centered care and organizational goals
• Conducts analysis of Veteran demographics to formulate short-term and long-term planning to serve as prudent information form which decisions are made that positively impact the financial and public image of the medical center
• Exercises delegated managerial authority to direct, oversee the planning, direction, and timely execution of all programs within the clinic.
• Engages in all clinical matters and leads management discussions, decisions, and policymaking
• Develops and administers clinic policies, resolves critical problems and issues related to policy application
• Analyzes and evaluates on a qualitative and/or qualitative basis, the effectiveness of programs or operations and prepare program status reports for review at all levels of the agency
• Evaluates strategies for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of work methods, procedures, organization, resource utilization, distribution of work, management control and budgetary, information and documentation systems
• Performs program evaluation, workload monitoring, trend analysis, budget and fund control point control, equipment and supply management, human resource management, space management, accreditation standards compliance, clinical and administrative investigations, and external communication
• Develops and administer annual budget including analyzing budget trends and identifying imbalance
• Exercises complete managerial authority and responsibility by establishment of guidelines and performance expectations for staff which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system
• Supervises all Medical Support Assistants or Advanced Medical Support Assistants in their assigned VA Clinic(s) on administrative matters
• Manages procurement, recruitment and contracting for Primary Care Service in the assigned VA Clinic(s)
• Prepares procurement requests, evaluating proposals for work, acting as a Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) for procurements and/or maintaining procurement and contracting records
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8:00a.m.- 4:30p.m.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist- Clinic Program Administrator/PD50533A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
• 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)
• Valid Driver's License

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, 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, 11/12/2025.

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

• Individual Occupational Requirement: 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
  • Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement.
• Specialized Experience: Qualifying specialized experience includes what is stated above, as well as 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. Qualifying specialized experience includes: interpreting laws and regulations governing healthcare industry standards; developing policies and procedures consistent with applicable guidelines; assessing existing policies and procedures for non-compliance risks; applying various techniques for collecting, analyzing, and/or interpreting data; providing guidance and recommendations to senior management, compliance committees, and/or clinical advisory boards; and utilizing various software systems to create reports, graphs, and/or presentations. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D., equivalent doctoral degree, 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 (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). My education includes courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Education must have been obtained in an accredited college, or university. 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 graduate level education (beyond a master's degree or beyond 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education) and specialized experience as described above to meet total experience requirements. My education portion includes 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). OR,
• Special Provision for Inservice Placement: Successful completion of an agency-sponsored on-the-job training program may be substituted for qualifying experience, provided it included a formal individualized training plan. Such a training program must have been conducted in an operating health care system and included: Assignments providing a knowledge of basic health system administration philosophies, practices, and procedures, and basic government administrative policies and requirements; Practical assignments providing an opportunity to apply health system administration skills and principles (as the individual progresses, work assignments must be characteristic of the grade level to which he or she is assigned); and Oversight by an experienced health system administrator with periodic evaluation of the individual's progress and appropriate adjustment of the training program. (Documentation supporting training must be provided

Preferred Experience: 6 months experience in a VA Primary Care Community Based Outpatient Clinic.

Driver's License Requirement: Incumbent must possess a current, valid state-issued driver's license for this position. (Please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. You will be required to show your valid driver's license at the time of your interview.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position.

Physical Demands: The works is sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items, such as papers, books, or small parts; or driving an automobile. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

Work Environment: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms, e.g., use of safe work practices with office equipment, avoidance of trips and falls, observance of fire regulations and traffic signals. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

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.

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. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

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.

Documents Accepted:

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Performance Appraisal
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Documents Required:

• Resume

Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.

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.

Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

Next steps