Health System Specialist - Systems Redesign Program Manager

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open to current permanent VISN 3 employees currently aligned under the VISN 3 Network offices. Legacy VISN 12, Legacy VISN 9, Legacy VISN 10 and Legacy VISN 23 VISN Network Offices and CTAP eligibles. This position is included in the RISE realignment. Lateral applicants will be considered before promotion-eligible candidates.

The duties of this position include, but are not limited to:

Program Management 50%

• Leads in the development, coordination, integration and execution of systems redesign processes and projects within the Network across a variety of clinical and administrative areas.
• Designs and conducts comprehensive process improvement assessments where the boundaries and scope of the assessments are extremely broad, complex and overarching for the healthcare systems at the regional, market, and local levels.
• Establishes and is responsible for methods and techniques used for program and project development and executes using a wide array of process improvement tools and skillsets.
• Builds improvement capacity and capabilities throughout the region by leading the development of system redesign and improvement expertise at all levels.
• Develops and coaches others, including oversight and mentorship for HSA and VAMC System Resign staff, as well as other improvement coaches throughout the Network areas.
• Gathers and organizes narrative and statistical information using established methods, techniques, and precedents such as questionnaires, interviews, observations, review of databases, and comparisons of past, present, and related program functions.
• Applies analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to issues or studies concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations as carried out by the multitude of VHA roles and responsibilities in both the clinical and administrative areas.
• Performs a continuing evaluation and analysis of areas targeted for systems redesign to assess program effectiveness and status, and to identify areas requiring improvement and management attention.
• Communicates with regional leaders for alignment and partnerships, and leverages skillsets and process knowledge to review, analyze, and evaluate accomplishment of overall program goals through reports, available data, audits, assessments and information provided by staff, contractors, and other agencies.
• Identifies existing or potential program deficiencies and recommends corrective action or redesign, using a variety of basic and advanced quality tools to derive recommendations.
• Participates in national and VISN conference calls to obtain useful and pertinent information to facilitate local advancement of Systems Redesign principles and strategies.
• Recommends new standards, procedures, and revisions to existing VISN policies and procedures, as necessary.

Consultation 30%

• Act as a resource and consultant to executive-level management and staff throughout the VISN, HSA, and VAMCs regional areas as needed.
• Develops an organizational culture of Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) by consulting and providing expertise to executive leaders to prioritize improvement priorities, ensure clear guidance and education on how to drive a culture of improvement through resourcing, planning for and executing process improvement initiatives.
• Consults with all levels of leaders, teams and staff for assistance in implementing projects to improve process and performance, through analysis of existing business problems and development of plans.
• Analyzes multi-level and multifunctional programs, functions, and outcomes to determine whether management systems in current use efficiently accomplish objectives and whether they provide the controls necessary to ensure sound outcomes, management and oversight.
• Provides oversight and/or directly conducts and coordinates ongoing data analysis, using knowledge of Systems Redesign principles and other improvement methodologies to determine organizational performance.

Education 20%

• Leads and is responsible for the execution, performance and accountability to ensure a robust Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) educational environment exists and is used at all levels of the Network organization.
• Identifies and sets educational priorities at the regional levels, and ensures resources are available to execute a robust CPI educational program standards.
• Manages and oversee the effectiveness of the Network CPI educational program and identifies appropriate target audiences for training
  opportunities, manages and encourages participation of designated staff.
• Develops Systems Redesign education and communication with oversight and demonstrates outcomes that align with VHA goals and improvement into VHA's daily work.
• Represents the Network at local or national meetings and conferences, sharing successful practices and lessons learned.

Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:00pm; Monday - Friday
Telework: Ad-Hoc - In accordance with agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist - Systems Redesign Program Manager/PD00019VS
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
• 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 identification 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, 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, 11/03/2026.

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-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13. 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. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

To Qualify for this position, you must possess the following:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-13). Qualifying specialized experience is defined as: 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.
• Examples of Specialized Experience include: Knowledge of the principles of Lean Thinking, Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints, Value Stream Mapping, general systems theory, queuing theory, and other systems redesign methodologies; Comprehensive knowledge of health care delivery systems, management principles, practices, methods, and techniques, and skill in integrating management services; Extensive knowledge of VA headquarters, VISN, and VHA program office and medical center organizational relationships and operations; in-depth understanding of VHA and VA policies, missions, and operating programs; Expertise in education, instruction, motivation, and communication to promote institutional change, improve processes, and lead the redesign of programs, services, and learning experiences; Skill to plan, organize, and direct team study work, and to negotiate effectively with management to accept and implement recommendations where the proposals involve substantial VA resources, require extensive changes in established procedures, or may generate conflict with the activity studied; Ability to analyze complex, multi-level and multifunctional programs and interpret findings for use by management at all levels; Skill in preparing project papers and staff reports, and in organizing and delivering briefings to encourage understanding and acceptance of findings and recommendations; Knowledge of quality improvement concepts, team facilitation skills, and statistical process tools (e.g., flow mapping, cause-and-effect diagrams, histograms, Pareto analysis).

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
• Influencing/Negotiating
• 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
• 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), 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

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 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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