Clarification from the agency

Current, permanent employees of the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System ONLY.

The major duties of this position include but are not limited to the following:

• Provides full staff assistance on administrative matters for the Program Manager.
• Directs and coordinates all administrative matters relative to services under the oversight of the Program Manager.
• Represents executive team members and the facility in various committee meetings and public forums including interacting with all levels of the public, local, state, national officials and all levels of VA leadership.
• Conducts qualitative and quantitative analysis and summarizes significant results and recommendations to improve services and to promote quality care.
• Prepares correspondence to local and national inquiries by collecting and analyzing information and preparing responses for final signature.
• Advises and assists management responsible for planning, organization, development, direction and evaluation of administrative programs.
• Maintains full awareness of the objectives of the VA, VHA VISN and Facility objectives in a manner to ensure successful implementation of the goals and to keep management aware of potential problem areas before they escalate into major issues.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday | 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Telework: Ad Hoc Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist (Compliance)/PD70516A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not 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, 04/01/2026.

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-9. 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.

• Examples of appropriate SF-50s include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50s at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT:

1. 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.

OR

2. Education: Undergraduate or graduate education with a major study in hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration. (TRANSCRIPT MUST BE PROVIDED.)

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.

NOTE: CANDIDATES USING EDUCATION TO MEET THE INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT MUST SUBMIT AN UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF CONFERRED DEGREE BY THE ANNOUNCEMENT CLOSING. LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, you must meet one of the following:

• SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Health System Specialist. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as:
  • Performing data collection and information gathering to generate performance reports, tables, charts, and graphs used to develop recommendations to resolve issues/problems.
  • Providing written reports and oral presentations of data that has been collected and information that has been gathered.
  • Reviewing subject matter and providing concise analytical reports to the Integrity & Compliance Officer, other leaders, and staff at TVHS in support of the healthcare system's strategic goals.
  • Performing intakes, inquires, and fact-finding under conditions in which conflicting points of view and incomplete information are common.
  • Collaborating with TVHS Service managers and other HSSs, both long-term and short-term plans, policies, and procedures, assuring that administrative and clinical programs are integrated to provide high quality patient care with optimal resource utilization.
  • Assessing and providing keen insight into a variety of operational issues of TVHS and integrates this understanding into the development and implementation of corrective actions to help improve operations in the healthcare system, service, section, etc.

NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, GS levels (if federal positions), duties, month and year start/end dates, AND hours worked per week.

OR

• EDUCATION: Successfully completed a 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. The education portion must include courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Education must have been obtained in an accredited college, or university.

NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

OR

• COMBINATION: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first 2 years) 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.

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

• Administration and Management
• Analysis and Problem Solving
• 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 incumbent must be able to work under pressure, tight time deadlines, and rapidly changing priorities that may require the incumbent to work irregular hours. The work requires making regular walking rounds throughout TVHS sites of care.The incumbent will primarily work at the Nashville campus, but routine travel to the York campus may be required. Travel to all TVHS sites of care may occasionally be required. Travel to locations external to TVHS may occasionally may be required.

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.

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), or SF-50s (current/former Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• Other (1)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• 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 50s do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50s include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50s at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Next steps