Supervisory Health System Specialist (Business Manager)

Clarification from the agency

Area of consideration will be given as follows: 1) CTAP eligible applicants, 2) Current, permanent Competitive service employees of the Veterans Health Administration Central Office (VHACO), 3) Current, permanent Competitive service employees of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

This is a Temporary Promotion/Detail Not to Exceed 120 days. It may be extended for additional periods with additional approval as determined by agency policy, or may end prior to 120 days, or may be made permanent without further competition.
________________________

• Administrative Operations Management: Direct and oversee daily administrative operations, ensuring efficient program execution, regulatory compliance, and alignment with Veterans Health Administration (VHA) organizational goals and priorities.
• Strategic Planning and Program Development: Coordinate the development, implementation, and evaluation of strategic plans, operational objectives, administrative policies, and performance improvement initiatives to enhance organizational effectiveness.
• Supervisory Leadership and Performance Management: Provide technical and administrative supervision to professional staff, including assigning work, establishing performance standards, evaluating employee performance, resolving workplace issues, and promoting workforce development.
• Human Resources and Workforce Management: Oversee staffing requirements, recruitment activities, position classification, organizational structure, personnel actions, employee onboarding, and performance management processes in coordination with Human Resources.
• Budget Formulation and Financial Oversight: Manage budget development, justification, execution, and financial reporting; analyze expenditures, monitor funding allocations, and recommend financial strategies to ensure effective utilization of resources.
• Contract Administration and Oversight: Serve as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), overseeing contract development, execution, contractor performance, deliverables, and invoice certification to ensure compliance with contractual requirements.
• Policy Interpretation and Regulatory Compliance: Interpret and apply federal laws, VA/VHA directives, administrative regulations, and organizational policies while providing expert guidance and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Program Evaluation and Process Improvement: Conduct comprehensive operational assessments, analyze program performance and resource utilization, identify organizational deficiencies, and implement corrective actions to improve efficiency and productivity.
• Executive Advisory and Stakeholder Coordination: Advise senior leadership on complex administrative, personnel, financial, and operational matters while collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, interdisciplinary committees, and healthcare program officials.
• Organizational Leadership and Mission Support: Exercise independent judgment in managing competing priorities, resolving complex operational challenges, coordinating organizational resources, and supporting the SCI/D National Program Office's mission to improve healthcare services for Veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-4:30PM
Telework: This position may be authorized for ad hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Ad hoc is defined as occasional, non-recurring telework.
Virtual: This position may be authorized for Virtual Work. Virtual Work eligibility is for current VA employees that are already subject to the return to in person work mandate in their current position. Virtual Work is defined as working outside of the original hiring duty station at a VA owned or leased space.
Return to Office (RTO) Mandate: RTO mandate is in effect and selectees will be required to report to in person work unless they have an approved exception or an exemption. Any approval for an RTO exception, exemption, or extension will occur after the selectee's tentative job offer but before the final job offer.
Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Health System Specialist (Business Manager)/PD214160
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Conditions of employment

• All applicants must be U.S. Citizens to apply for this job.
• To be considered, applicants must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment which measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for all male applicants born after 12/31/1959.
• Selected applicants are subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification are 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).
• The work of this position 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.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, the selected applicant will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate the selected applicant's fitness and whether continued employment advances the public interest. In determining whether the selected applicant's continued employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
  • the selectee's performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether the selectee's continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether the selectee's continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
• Upon completion of the probationary period, the selected applicant's employment will be terminated unless they receive certification, in writing, that their continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this job announcement, 11/02/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current VHA employees and have held a GS grade position at any time in the past 52 weeks must meet Time-In-Grade requirement by the closing date of this job announcement. For a GS-14 grade position all applicants must demonstrate that they have served 52 weeks at the GS-13 grade. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service. To demonstrate Time-In-Grade, an SF-50 must be attached with the application package. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate the 52 weeks of Time-In-Grade served, and, in that instance, an additional SF-50 may need to be provided. SF-50s issued for awards do not demonstrate Time-In-Grade and should not be submitted. 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.

Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): All applicants must meet the IOR with one of the following three criteria:

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study in hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED).

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. The 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

Special Provision of In-Service placement: Successful completion of 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.

In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR), all applicants must meet the:

Specialized Experience Requirement: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-13 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of qualifying specialized experience includes, but is not limited to:

• Managing healthcare administrative operations, including developing strategic and operational plans, evaluating program effectiveness, interpreting healthcare policies and regulations, and implementing organizational improvements to support healthcare delivery systems.
• Supervising professional and administrative personnel, including assigning and evaluating work, establishing performance standards, managing competing priorities, resolving personnel issues, and implementing workforce development and performance improvement initiatives.
• Coordinating human resources and workforce management functions, including organizational planning, staffing assessments, recruitment activities, position management, personnel actions, and advising leadership on workforce requirements and federal personnel policies.
• Managing budgetary, financial, and contractual activities, including budget formulation and execution, financial analysis, resource allocation, expenditure monitoring, contract oversight, and advising senior leadership on financial and operational decisions.

Supervisory Situational Judgment Test: All applicants are required to complete a Supervisory Situational Judgment Test (SSJT) as part of the assessment process for this position. The SSJT evaluates judgment and decision-making skills that align with relevant competencies, organizational values, and best practices. Assessment results may be used as part of the evaluation, ranking and referral process. This is not a timed test, however, the assessment is expected to take approximately 45 minutes or less to complete. The assessment for this application does not include a cut score for a minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies, however, applicants must answer each item in the assessment.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website.

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.

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.

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 per week spent in each position. Overstating qualifications and/or experience in application materials or the application questionnaire may result in removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in removal from consideration.

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:

• Conflict Management
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Managing Resources
• Partnering
• Planning and Evaluating
• Administration and Management
• Financial Management
• Personnel and Human Resources
• Human Resources

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.

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.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION: To be considered for this position, all applicants must provide a complete Application Package to include:

• Resume
• SF-50 - to demonstrate Time-In-Grade and Area of Consideration eligibility

ACCEPTABLE DOCUMENTATION: The following documentation is acceptable, and may be required only if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Applicants will not be contacted for omitted documentation.

• Transcript - if using education to demonstrate IOR eligibility
• Separation Notice (RIF) - if using CTAP eligibility to apply

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action requirements:

• An SF-50 is required for all current or former Federal employees to demonstrate Time-In-Grade eligibility and area of consideration specified in this job announcement.
• If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate the Time-In-Grade served as required by the job announcement, and, in that instance, an additional SF-50 may need to be provided.
• SF-50s issued for awards do not demonstrate Time-In-Grade and will not be accepted for eligibility purposes.
• 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.

Resume Format and Length: Beginning September 27, 2025, federal agencies may only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update any resumes saved in your USAJOBS profile before applying for a job.

• Resumes must include only information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying (see this link for more information). VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. All information must be legible and grammatically correct so that it may be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.
• Resumes must not contain the applicant's photograph, birth date or Social Security Number.
• Resume files must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading the resume as a PDF to maintain the formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX) formats. We do not accept PDF portfolio files.
• We recommend using a sans-serif font such as Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans.
• We recommend making page margins 0.5 inches and using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point font size for the main text.
• The USAJOBS Resume Builder can assist applicants in creating a resume using these recommendations.
• Additional helpful hints in creating a two page resume:
  • Review the Applicant Guidance on Two Page Resume Limit document
  • Prioritize most relevant and recent experience
  • Use concise, results focused language
  • Align language from the job announcement
  • Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies
  • Remove outdated or unrelated experience
  • Use the USAJOBS Resume Builder

Veterans Preference: When applying for federal jobs, eligible Veterans may claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or 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 Veterans preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Next steps