Clarification from the agency

Current, permanent Veterans Health Administration employees and CTAP eligible only. First consideration will be given to current, permanent John D. Dingell VA Medical Center employees and it's associated Community Based Outpatient Clinics under station 553.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

Program Analysis and Support - 25%

• Assists the Credentialing and Privileging (C&P) Manager/Analyst in developing short- and long-term goals necessary to accomplish the mission of the C&P program
• Assists C&P Manager/Analyst in drafting local credentialing processes and Medical Staff Bylaws in compliance with all applicable regulations
• The incumbent ensures accurate provider data is entered into and maintained in the VetPro computer program.
• The incumbent holds the credit card and is responsible for maintaining records, reconciling monthly charge statements and verifying legitimacy of requests for National Practitioner Data Bank - Continuous Query (NPDB-CQ) enrollments/ renewals, licensure verification (if applicable), Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, American Medical Association, Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), National Student Clearing House, Work Number and, board certification (if applicable).

Compliance - 25%

• Manages provider applications (initial and renewals) for Licensed Independent Practitioners (LIPs) C&P within the Medical Center.
• Provides guidance and instruction to hospital staff in completing the required documentation for establishing privileges for LIPs

Quality Assurance - 25%

• Ensures that application packages and other documents meet the technical requirements specific to the provider's specialty and verifies that the application folder and database account (VetPro or other internal databases and spreadsheets) comply with these requirements.
• Communicates with LIPs to assure timely completion of applications and VetPro requirements
• Coordinates incoming data from a variety of sources; establishes protocols for incoming data; organizes computerized data sets; and retrieves computerized data
• Participates in the required annual C&P self-assessment and, if opportunities for improvement are identified, is involved in efforts to implement these improvements.

Program Advisor - 25%

• Serves as technical advisor to the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff (ECMS) and, if applicable, the Credentials Committee
• Refers to current issues, trends, problem areas, as well as recommended program revisions to Credentials and Privileging functions through the C&P Manager/Analyst.
• Prepares agendas for credential-related meetings, ensures those involved are notified of expectations, and ensures that all necessary paperwork is completed and accurately prepared for committee action
• Conducts final appointment into the VetPro database, after thoroughly researching, analyzing, and validating all data, information, documents, and signature authorities
• Develops and provides routine and special reports as requested by the C&P Manager/Analyst. Composes correspondence requiring Clinical Service Chiefs, Chief of Staff, and Medical Center Director signatures for privileging actions

NOTE: The position is under Classification Consistency Review and the grade may change once the person is hired into the role.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: This position may be authorized for as needed (Ad-Hoc) telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist - Credentialing and Privileging Specialist/PD91698VS
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, 12/12/2025.

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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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 (IOR): This occupational series has an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR). To meet the IOR/basic qualification of the 0671 Health System Administration Occupational Series, you must possess one of the following:

• Possess an undergraduate or graduate level degree 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; OR,
• Possess 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; OR,
• Completed an agency-sponsored on-the-job training program that was a formal individualized training plan within a 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. *Proof of successful completion of an agency-sponsored on-the-job training program is required.

In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR), you may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience would be experience that provided you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and which is typically related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience include, but is not limited to: knowledge and understanding of joint commission standards related to credentialing and privileging; evaluating and explaining policy and handbooks related to healthcare standards; advising providers and management on required documentation for credentialing and privileging; tracking compliance for healthcare standards; reviewing credentialing and privileging documentation for accuracy and compliance; compiling and reviewing data for discrepancies; managing special projects; analyzing reports to ensure they meet standards.
  OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a masters or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, OR, a related LL.M or J.D to the work of the position. Transcripts must be provided. 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 one (1) year of graduate education. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first year of graduate education). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. Transcripts must be provided.

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

• Compliance
• Technical Competence
• Quality Assurance
• Communications

NOTE: The position is under Classification Consistency Review and the grade may change once the person is hired into the role.

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 work is mostly sedentary. Occasionally, light physical effort may be required, such as that involved with walking, stair climbing, and carrying of light office items.

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.

You must ensure all duties are detailed in your resume and it clearly shows how you meet the requirements/qualifications of the position. We cannot make any assumption on duties performed or level of experience based on a job title. All duties must be described under each job entry with the beginning and ending dates of employment (month and year and hours worked per week). If we are unable to determine your qualifications based on the application materials submitted we are unable to refer you for consideration.

NOTE: The position is under Classification Consistency Review and the grade may change once the person is hired into the role.

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 (please note resumes are limited to two pages; refer to "How to Apply" section below for more information)
• Most recent SF-50 (Current Veterans Health Administration employees (to include John D. Dingell VA Medical Center employees) must provide an SF-50 dated 01/12/2025 or later; FWS/WG employees must provide one dated 03/10/2024 or later) to provide proof of eligibility.
  • ATTENTION: You may need to submit more than one SF-50 if we cannot verify you meet time-in-grade (TIG) by your most recent SF-50. For example, if your most recent SF-50 is a General Adjustment, we need your most recent SF-50 dated 01/12/2025 and another SF-50 to verify TIG. Examples of SF-50s for TIG verification include your last within-grade increase or promotion to highest grade held. Promotion shows when you started the grade level and a within-grade increase verifies you were at that grade level for at least one year. Failure to provide your most recent SF-50 dated 01/12/2025 or later to prove area of consideration eligibility and other SF-50s to verify you meet the TIG requirement will result in you being disqualified. We cannot verify time-in-grade based only on the grade and step you are currently on.

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
• Other (1)
• Other (2)
• Other (3)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• 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 does is not applicable to VA employees or employees of other Federal agencies.

Next steps