Medical Administration Specialist

Clarification from the agency

Open to Current Permanent Employees of the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System (Facility Only).

Medical Administration Specialist develops, analyzes, evaluates, advises on, or improves the effectiveness of work methods and procedures/processes, organizations, manpower utilization, distribution of work assignments, management controls, information and documentation systems, and similar functions of management for the MAS.

Additional Duties Include But Not Limited To:

• Responsible for the periodic review and preparation of position descriptions and performance standards for the MAS.
• Assists managers/supervisors in determining training needs, drafting disciplinary and adverse action documents, reviews incoming personnel management requests, recommends appropriate actions or alternatives based on knowledge of internal operations, agency personnel policies, budgetary constraints and work priorities.
• Alerts managers to problems that require human resource intervention or correction.
• Keeps managers informed of the status of on-going personnel issues, provides advice on solving complex personnel-related problems.
• Assists with the orientation of new staff to MAS programs and functions.
• Coordinates and manages for space proposals and moves, office supplies, equipment management and inventories, prepares necessary requests to add/remove equipment items.
• Responsible for developing programs for the administrative functions of the organization working in conjunction with clinical services to meet established goals.
• Maintains program requirements, validation criteria for assigned organizations.
• Prompts staff members to participate in special evaluations.
• Expected to continually and systematically evaluate assigned operations and to make necessary recommendations to ensure conformance with standard and established goals.
• Analyzes data and identifies trends and concerns of issue.
• Develops and/or maintains a system of internal reviews and a quality assurance program to ensure all programs operate at a high level of effectiveness that ensures compliance with standards at accrediting, regulatory and agency authorities.
• Prepares recurring and non-recurring statistical reports for presentation to Chief, MAS and/or medical center management.
• Conducts management studies to collect data on patient demand, workload trends, bed utilization, missed opportunities, access, etc.
• Compiles statistics for inpatient and outpatient staff.
• Estimates and computes Workload projections through established formulas and guidelines.
• Develops procedures and systems for establishing, operating, and assessing the effectiveness of administrative control systems, data validation and programs, such as Fee Basis, C&P, etc. and conducts audits, evaluations, inspections or management of internal control reviews.
• Evaluates programs on a quantitative or qualitative basis, the effectiveness of programs or operations in meeting established goals and objectives. Prepares program status reports for review at all levels.
• Performs work involving the analysis of the economic impact, feasibility, practicality, and effectiveness of existing and/or proposed standards, regulations, programs, and policies.
• Conducts special projects or studies and provides recommendations of administrative programs and issues.
• Provides staff support to ensure effective reporting, evaluation, and requirements associated with the Accreditation of the organization.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Medical Administration Specialist/PD025710
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 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 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, 07/13/2026.

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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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.

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

GS-09

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge and skill in applying analytical and evaluate methods and techniques to issues or functions related to office administration; knowledge of the major issues, program goals and objectives, work processes, and administrative operations of the organization; knowledge and skill in adapting analytical techniques and evaluation criteria to the measurement and improvement of program effectiveness and/or organizational productivity; skill in conducting detailed analyses of complex functions and work processes; and inter-personal skills in presenting staffing recommendations and negotiating solutions to disputed recommendations. Broad knowledge and experience in the field of health care administration and delivery systems, both inpatient and outpatient, and related fields of Medical Administration Service, customer service and principles of service repair and VistA applications and common Microsoft Office applications. Must be able set priorities, coordinate activities, and have sound fundamental knowledge of organizational theory and practices, have a high degree of skill in oral and written communication, have a sound grasp of analytical methods, and have the capacity to deal effectively with people at all levels of the organization.

OR,

• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-09 level. Master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B, or J.D., if related. (Transcripts Required)

OR,

• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-09 level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have 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-09. 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. 18 semester hours is considered equivalent to one year of graduate education.

Note: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Verbiage displayed on your resume or application must contain your own words. You may refer to the specialized experience located within the vacancy announcement, to assist with describing work experiences; however, resumes or applications received that copied verbatim from the announcement will be evaluated and may be reviewed as falsifying your experience or application.

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

• Administration and Management: Knowledge of planning, coordination, and execution of business functions, resource allocation, and production.
• Interpersonal Skills: Considers and responds appropriately to the needs, feelings, and capabilities of others; adjusts approaches to suit different people and situations.
• Planning and Evaluating: Determines objectives and strategies; coordinates with other parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors and evaluates the progress and outcomes of operational plans; anticipates potential threats or opportunities.
• Problem Solving: Identifies and analyzes problems; uses sound reasoning to arrive at conclusions; finds alternative solutions to complex problems; distinguishes between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical judgments.

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: Work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.

Work Environment: Work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate controlled office.

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), 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)
• 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: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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