Supervisory Health System Specialist

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current, permanent VA employees at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (to include CBOC's and VCS).

The Supervisory Health Systems Specialist for the Associate Director for Facility Support (ADFS) directly supports the ADFS in his/her duties in providing oversight to facility management and infrastructure operations, including engineering, construction, health technology management (HTM), supply chain management (SCM), nutrition and food service (NFS), environmental management service (EMS), comprehensive environment of care (CEOC), safety, prosthetic, and other assigned support services. The position will be supervised by the ADFS. The Purpose of the position is to function as the Executive Assistant to the ADFS and, as such, has full delegated authority and responsibility for executive level management support to the ADFS and top management officials responsible for organizational development, direction, and evaluation of facility, engineering, and environmental operations.

Duties Include:

• Serves as subject matter expert in healthcare facility operations as they relate to the implementation and execution of construction, engineering, HTM, SCM, NFS, EMS, CEOC, safety, prosthetics, and environment of care initiatives and programs, and projects under the ADFS.
• Plans, coordinates, and integrates all assigned activities and performs critical program review and analysis across a broad spectrum of issues such as infrastructure strategic planning, facility utilization, construction phasing, and personnel and budgetary impacts.
• Functions as a close personal assistant to the ADFS, providing technical and administrative guidance and Assistance in various functional areas and augmenting the effective utilization of the Associate Director's time and expertise in relation to the multiple facilities and engineering services that report to the office.
• Is responsible for designated official correspondence prepared for the signature of the Associate Director and, when appropriate, can represent the Associate Director and/or facility at meetings and events related to facilities, construction, and environment of care.
• As a member of the directorate management team, he incumbent has administrative decision making authority, responsibility, and accountability on issues affecting the office.
• The incumbent Collaborates with operations and program managers to ensure integrated goals and priorities for facility and infrastructure programs are met.
• The incumbent is knowledgeable of overall VHA, Veteran Integrated Service Network (VISN), Health Service Area (HAS), FHCC, and Department of War (DoW) goals, missions, and priorities to assure a positive impact on all facilities programs and resources.
• The incumbent may be designated as an Approving Official or Alternate Approving Official for fiscal related documents within the Directorate.

Work Schedule: (Monday-Friday) 7:15 am to 3:45 pm
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. (Ad-Hoc only)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Health System Specialist/PD253770
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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, 10/08/2026.

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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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 as described below:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: You must have one of the following:

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.

OR,

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.

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.

GS-13 GRADE REQUIREMENTS:

• Must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled? Specialized experience includes: Communication and interpersonal relations, including the ability to appropriately and courteously relate to internal and external customers. Maintenance of confidentiality of patient/employee information, electronic and print. The hospital performance improvement program and how to work and function in the Hospital in a safe manner, including infection control and the correct operation of equipment. Comprehensive knowledge of the range of administrative laws, policies, regulations, and precedents applicable to the administration of one or more important public programs. Knowledge of agency program goals and objectives, the sequence and timing of key program events and milestones, and methods of evaluating the worth of program accomplishments, coupled with a comprehensive understanding of management and systems to conduct analytical studies and projects related to changes in the delivery of patient care throughout the enterprise. Skills to plan, organize, and direct team study work and to negotiate effectively with management to accept and implement recommendations where the proposals involve substantial agency resources, require extensive changes in established procedures, or may conflict with the desires of the activity studied. Skill in oral and written communication to prepare and present briefings, convey recommendations to management staff, and attend meetings, conferences, and ad hoc meetings.

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

• Analytical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making
• Information Management
• Interpersonal Skills
• Oral Communication
• Problem Solving
• Project Management
• Strategic Thinking
• Technology Application

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 sedentary. It occasionally requires carrying of light objects such as files, books, and papers; some walking, standing, and bending. No special physical qualifications are 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), 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.

Next steps