Supervisory Health System Specialist - Executive Assistant (EA) to the Medical Center Director (MCD)

Clarification from the agency

This position is open to current, full-time employees of the Hershel "Woody Williams VA Medical Center and CTAP eligible applicants ONLY.

Responsibilities of this position require detailed coordination and integration of services, personnel, and financial resources. Independently collaborate with administrative and clinical service chiefs, lead efforts to ensure integrated goals and priorities for the organization are met; Work routinely involves complex, difficult, or controversial issues, and actions have a direct and substantial impact on the effective functioning of the Medical Center, as well as the overall quality and cost effectiveness of patient care within the facility.

Major Duties include but not limited to:

Management and Program Analysis

• Conducts and directs special studies and analyses of complex problems relating to manpower requirements, space and equipment utilization, organizational alignment, and other areas of concern to the executive leadership team
• Conducts in-depth studies to assess current needs or to project future needs. He/she makes logistical type studies which are directed at determining the most effective utilization of space, supplies, transportation, storage facilities, etc.
• Assists in the development of information submitted from this medical center to the VISN or VA Headquarters, which includes statistical and demographic information for various medical center health care programs, as well as any special reports required by the VISN Director. He/she is responsible for all reports assigned to the Planner and has overall responsibility for the Medical Center's Strategic Plan.
• Analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of existing service programs in meeting established program goals and objectives. Develops evaluation methodologies and processes to study program effectiveness, organizational productivity, operational efficiency, and resource utilization
• Employs process improvement techniques and principles to achieve high performance in access, cost efficiency, patient satisfaction, and clinical quality. Supports all internal, regional, and national programs related to quality improvement and employs system redesign management principles. Participates in and/or leads activities and programs beneficial to the Medical Center including committees, task forces, investigations, performance improvement teams, and system redesign projects
• Develops organizational change management plans by evaluating proposed program changes, resources, deadlines, operating procedures, and other administrative parameters to determine impact on current operations, identify resources, requirements, challenges, and mitigations, establish stakeholders and timelines, and write detailed instructions, guidance, outlines, and correspondence

Executive Assistance and Advising

• Facilitates resource allocation and associated decision-making, working closely with executive leadership in the formulation of the Medical Center budget, including allocation of funds and recommendations regarding staffing requirements, cost effective technological advances, equipment, space, projects, and supplies
• In collaboration with leadership, formulate policies and operating procedures, ensuring compliance with VA regulations, statutes and the standards and requirements of various internal and external bodies; assesses the impact of regional, national, and private-sector developments as they relate to local programs, making change recommendations accordingly
• Serves as the MCD representative and primary POC for Medical Center staff and provides full staff assistance on administrative matters affecting patient care, education and organizational policy; provides guidance for administrative activities of services related to budget and fiscal management, human resource management, strategic planning and program management and evaluation
• Researches and Interprets VHA and external policies, performance and survey requirements, standards, etc. and develops systems, policies, and procedures for these programs, ensuring they are aligned with VHA and other external requirements. Provides policy and program guidance and advice to top management

Supervisory Duties

• Provides first line supervision to the facility Patient Advocates and Outreach Coordinator, responsible for assigning and prioritizing subordinate workload, providing advice, counsel, or instructions to subordinates; developing and issuing performance standards; evaluating work and completing performance appraisals; identifying, communicating, and arranging for developmental and training needs of subordinates; resolving complaints, effecting minor disciplinary measures, and finding ways to improve production and increase efficiency of work through quarterly PATSR quality reviews

Work Schedule: Full-time, 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday
Telework: Ad-hoc as determine by Agency policy
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: PD201170
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, 08/03/2026.

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-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 as described below:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: 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,

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.

Preferred Experience:

• In-depth knowledge of VA, VHA, VISN 5, and Hershel Woody Williams VA Medical Center structures, functions, policies, and regulations in both clinical and administrative areas.
• Expertise in healthcare administration, management, and current patient care trends; ability to analyze, negotiate, and resolve complex organizational issues.
• Skilled in budgeting, resource allocation, and supporting a multimillion-dollar healthcare system.
• Proficient in qualitative and quantitative analysis, process improvement, and regulatory standards (e.g., Joint Commission).
• Strong interpersonal, analytical, and evaluative skills for decision-making, problem-solving, and performance improvement at organizational and system levels.

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

• Analytical Reasoning
• Analytical Thinking
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Interpersonal Skills

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.

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 (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• 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' 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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