Health System Specialist (EA ADPCS)

Full Job Description

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as the Executive Assistant to the Associate Director, Patient Care Services (ADPCS), responsible for relieving the ADPCS of the administrative and management responsibilities that can be assumed by a non registered nurse.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/20/2026.

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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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.

Individual Occupational Requirement- All applicants must meet one of the the IORs below: Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration.

OR, Specialized 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, 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.

In addition to the IOR above, you may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-11 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 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 of the organization and structure of healthcare delivery systems or managed care networks; knowledge of laws and regulations governing healthcare industry standards; skill and ability to apply analytical principles, theories, and techniques to health care management and operational system with a degree of resourcefulness and ingenuity; knowledge of VA administrative investigations policy and methods of fact finding necessary to conduct the Compliance and Business Integrity (CBI) program investigations on incidents of alleged non-compliance with VHA administrative or financial management policies; possess knowledge to assess existing policies and procedures; skill in working effectively with service chiefs developing corrective action plans to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and appropriateness of patient care; ability to develop and deploy a system of internal monitoring to identify potential organizational risks; possess strong managerial, leadership, and interpersonal skills, as well as excellent written and oral communication skills; position requires the ability to provide necessary guidance to senior management, Compliance Committee, and staff, and have the ability to effectively interpret agency and system polices and procedures to determine impact on the Health Care System programs.

OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D.

or equivalent doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, Or LL.M in the related field of the position to be filled (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration).

The education portion must include courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. 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 a master's degree to meet total experience requirements.

The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position (i.e., hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration).

NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Experience must be clearly indicated in your resume.

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. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work.

Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site.

Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

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/.

Major Duties:

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as the Executive Assistant to the Associate Director, Patient Care Services (ADPCS), responsible for relieving the ADPCS of the administrative and management responsibilities that can be assumed by a non-registered nurse.

Oversees the administrative functions of the office of the ADPCS. Reviews and coordinates requests for space, equipment, and staff that originate from clinical services.

Coordinates with Quality Management on survey matters relating to accreditation of clinical services.

Is knowledgeable of requirements for accreditation and surveys by regulatory bodies such as The Joint Commission (TJC), Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program (CHIP), and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), Long Term Care Inspectors-Ascellon Corporation.

Program Administration/Long-Range Planning Develops both long and short-range policies and plans for the Office of the ADPCS by coordinating the clinical administration needs of the organization(s).

The incumbent is responsible for the development and implementation of policies and procedures for the Office of the ADPCS.

is knowledgeable of VHA mandatory business rules for local policy development, educates service chiefs and administrative staff on same.

utilizes a broad base of knowledge to recognize need for new policies and/or standard operating procedures (SOP) as well as potential document rescissions and brings this information to the attention of the ADPCS.

responsible for distributing written policies and procedures that promote commitment to compliance.

maintains a collaborative working relationship with the Health Administration Service, Information Resource Management Service, Medical Staff, Regional Counsel, Executive Leadership, and other key stakeholders in the Health Care System.

maintains awareness of laws and regulations, keeping abreast of current changes that may impact the Health Care System through seminars, training programs, and personal contact.

reviews orders to verify their need and ensures that each section receives the appropriate share of funds available.

serves on various facility strategic planning committees and management on-site meetings.

Quality/Productivity Goal functions as a liaison, who serves as the conduit for information flow and management of assignments between multiple offices.

analyzes the subject matter of incoming information for appropriate distribution to offices internal or external to the office.

provides leadership and direction to promote the development and productivity of all employees.

monitors and assists aligned Administrative Officers and Service Chiefs in monitoring ongoing productivity..

using knowledge of clinical services, can identify complaints of a recurring nature, conduct fact finding to discover root of problem and ensure resolution to address deficiencies.

administers internal reviews, quality, productivity initiatives, and monitors performance measures of services aligned under the Office of the ADPCS.

Accreditation Program Administration fully aware of quality assurance aspects and assembles and monitors current required materials to assist the ADPCS in meeting requirements for accreditation by TJC, CARF, CHIP, Ascellon Corporation, and others.

responsible for tracking, investigating, and formulating a response to inquiries from facility, VISN, VHA, elected officials, White House Hotline, and regulatory agencies.

responsible for assisting the ADPCS in developing Executive Career Field Elements and Performance Plan Elements.

plays a central role in developing and coordination internal review systems to assure that both clinical and administrative activities are in compliance with agency and accrediting and regulatory requirements.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Ad hoc available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist (EA ADPCS)/PD006330 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized