Health System Specialist - Graduate Healthcare Administrative Program Trainee (GHAPT)

Full Job Description

The GHATP Trainee functions as a Health System Specialist in the Office of the Director of the Medical Facility and is responsible for managing projects and assisting in the coordination of daily office activities.

The GHATP program is a one year program designed so that the position acquires the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies to assume more complex responsibilities and assist the Office of the Medical Center Director in successfully meeting its mission and strategic goals.

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.

GS-9: To be eligible for this position applicants must have completed a master's degree (within the last 2 years, 6 years for preference eligible veterans) in an institution accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) in major field of study such as: hospital administration, public health administration (MHA, MHSA, MPH), or related fields such as business or public administration (MBA, MPA) with course work in health care administration by program start date, OR have 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education in an institution accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) in major field of study such as: hospital administration, public health administration (MHA, MHSA, MPH), or related fields such as business or public administration (MBA, MPA) with course work in health care administration by program start date.

GS-11: After completion of the Recent Graduate Program the selectee may be converted to a permanent career/career-conditional position up to the GS-11, contingent on successful job performance and funding availability.

Physical Requirements - The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications.

OPM Qualifications Standards for GS-671. 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.

Major Duties:

The incumbent serves as a Health System Specialist (GHATP Trainee) within a one year formalized national training program.

The GHATP training program is designed so that the incumbent acquires the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies necessary to assume progressively more complex responsibilities and assist the Office of the Medical Center Director in successfully meeting its mission and strategic goals.

The incumbent will develop an individual development plan (IDP) and receive recurring progress reviews by the supervisor.

The Graduate Healthcare Administration Training Program (GHATP) is intended to build upon and enhance basic knowledge, skills, and abilities previously obtained through higher education and experience related to the management of a VA Healthcare Delivery System.

Major duties include but are not limited to: Utilizes data and reporting tools to develop health-planning strategies impacting the operations of medical centers, network offices and/or VHACO program offices.

Analyzes data trends in budget and fiscal operations supporting the preparation and execution of budget and committee meetings.

Researches laws, regulations and policies related to budget and fiscal management displaying knowledge of VA health care system operations.

Participates on project teams in lead or support roles identifying and improving operational processes impacting services of the VA health care system.

Displays knowledge of VA priorities and mission statement to recommend improvement to policy and procedures related to budget and administrative operations.

Observes, analyzes, and reports under professional service direction the areas of discipline, rewards and recognition, reassignment, staff adjustments and realignments, labor/management relationships, affirmative employment, and alternative dispute resolutions and grievances to understand processes for conducting projects and studies.

Performs rotations and on-site visits to make recommendations to the issues and opportunities present at the Network and other VA/VHA facilities and program offices.

Analyzes org charts, policies, VERA and SAIL data to represent the service line of the facility or program office priorities during resource allocation committee meetings.

Participates in disaster preparedness and emergency management planning meetings to evaluate efficiency and effectiveness of policies and procedures at the service line level.

Attends facility/Network/ and VHACO program office strategic and succession planning meetings to observe techniques and methodologies in VHA personnel management.

Gathers organizational data from reports and TRIP packs in preparation for media and community events either separately or in conjunction with the Public Affairs Office.

Reviews and explores VHA relationships and processes with affiliated education programs.

Participates in local hospital council, veteran organization and community organization meetings with VHA senior leader staff members.

Manages, leads, and administers project plans which include meeting objectives, assigning resources, giving briefings and presentations as project representative, maintaining quality assurance processes, creating project documentation, and completing after action review reports and follow-up procedures in conduct comprehensive project management.

Reviews and reports on facility policies in preparation for surveys, audits and inspections in quality assurance, compliance and procedures governed by internal and external organizations.

Develops and presents an innovative project recommending improvements to policies, procedures, and services provided by VHA at the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: 7:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri Position Description Title/PD#: Health System Specialist - Graduate Healthcare Administrative Program Trainee (GHAPT)/PDS0001A Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.