Health System Specialist - Facility Systems Redesign Specialist

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. The first 50 applicants will be considered.

Duties to include but not limited to the following:

Analytics and Project Management Duties:

• Organizes, directs, controls and coordinates group activities in a timely and effective manner.
• Conducts extensive work in analyzing data and conducting background research on the issue.
• Pulls, isolates and manipulates data to identify root causes of a performance issue.
• Develops statistical models to measure successful performance improvement actions.
• Converts data into numerous formats using advanced statistical models including statistical process control charts, histograms, paretto charts, and many more.
• Defines a project scope and goals through a collaborative process with subject matter experts and leadership at the facility, service line or program, or unit level.
• Leads a team of subject matter experts, front line staff and leadership through a rigorous and defined project management process utilizing multiple tools from Lean Six Sigma, Lean VA-TAMCCS and other performance improvement disciplines to further define the current state of the process.

Internal Consultation for System Engineering Duties:

• Provides consultation to executive, service line, and program leadership by leveraging VA data analytics resources.
• Identifies metrics performing below benchmarked standards or falling below the upper or lower control limits of a statistically controlled models such as SAIL. Plans and conducts studies directed at reducing errors due to cognitive overloading and human-computer interaction failure.
• Identifies systems designs problems that contribute to human errors.
• Identifies alternative systems and processes based on Lean/Systems Redesign/Systems Engineering principles to mitigate these types of errors. Collects baseline information, identifies limitations in current systems, and discovers potential improvements.
• Develops statistical, graphical, and narrative reports, and communicates these studies to medical center executive leadership, service chiefs, supervisors and other staff.

Educator Duties:

• Educator Duties 20 Percent Provides instruction to others on Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Systems Redesign or other improvement methodologies principles and tools through formal classroom instruction or small group mentoring.
• Develops written and verbal teaching materials.
• Delivers classroom instruction about Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Systems Redesign or other improvement methodologies tools and techniques to all levels of the organization.
• Delivers training materials and curriculum consisting of advanced practices of project management, statistics, coaching, facilitation and leadership.

Ensure Sustainability:

• Ensures sustainability and spread of efforts directed at improving quality, safety, effectiveness, and efficiency using management engineering.
• Responsible for leading the team through development of control strategies, to ensure project solutions are sustained after the project lifecycle.

Performs other related duties as assigned and as needed by the Service.

Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Position Description Title/PD#: Health System Specialist - Facility Systems Redesign Specialist/PD03427O and PD03428O
Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distractive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long period of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable or working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on Veterans' needs.

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.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc. is required
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

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

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period (OR INSERT "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

Qualifications

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

Individual Occupational Requirements:

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. (Copy of Transcript required)

OR

Specialized Experience

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.

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.

GRADE DETERMINATION

GS-11 Grade Determination

Experience: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: Defines a project scope and goals through a collaborative process with subject matter experts
and leadership at the facility, Creates designs of experiment that align to project goals and team developed solutions. , Identifies metrics performing below benchmarked standards or falling below the upper or
lower control limits of a statistically controlled models,. Conducts extensive work in analyzing data and conducting background research on the issue.

OR

Education: Successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR 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). 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

Education and Experience : Equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level (beyond a master's degree) 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 (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Experience must be clearly indicated in your resume.
To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-11. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

GS 12 Grade Determination:

Experience: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service that has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this Health System Specialist position. Qualifying specialized experience to include but not limited to the following: Acts as the project lead for healthcare and operational improvement projects impacting patient care delivery systems and functions throughout the medical center., Creates designs of experiment that align to project goals and team developed solutions., Incorporates recommendations for the resolution of problems identified in studies such as eliminating, adding, changing, or rearranging specific procedures, products or services.

There is no educational substitution for the GS-12 level.

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.

Preferred Experience:

• Graduate degree health related or business field.
• Green Belt Six sigma required, Black Belt Lean Six sigma preferred.
• 3 + years of experience in leading performance improvement/system redesign methodology and tools, e.g. LEAN, Six Sigma, 5S, PDCA, RPIW) in an acute hospital setting to improve workflow, quality and productivity, MUST have proven track record in process improvement.
• Comprehensive knowledge of healthcare Lean/Systems Redesign utilizing standardized tools, methods, and principles such as Lean and Six Sigma to identify systems design problems, define a project scope and goals through a collaborative process, and prepare studies for facility leadership.
• Knowledge of hospital operations, policies and procedures as well as VA regulations, policies, and program guidelines to identify projects the improving quality outcomes.
• Knowledge of clinical practice guidelines and guidelines designed by healthcare improvement organization to collect, analyze, and present data for performance improvement.
• Skill as an excellent communicator which includes the ability to listen well, write with clarity, and speak effectively to small and large groups. Ability to build and prepare presentations at all levels of the organization.

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.

Documents Accepted:

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Other (1)
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• 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