Health Systems Administrator - Associate Director

Full Job Description

As a Health Systems Administrator, you will serve as the Associate Director for the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks, Fayetteville, AR, having responsibility for the direction and coordination of all administrative activities within the Medical Center.

You will have direct responsibility for various assigned services, as well as program planning and management and supervision of daily operations through subordinate Service Chiefs.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/06/2026.

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-15 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-14. 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 level (GS-14) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Health System Administrator-Associate Director.

Qualifying specialized experience is defined as 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: (1) Missions, organizations, programs, and requirements of health care delivery systems; (2) Regulations and standards of various regulatory and credentialing groups; and (3) Government-wide, agency, and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget, personnel, and procurement.

Applicants must also possess: (1) Management ability to delegate authority, evaluate and oversee people and programs, recognize, and adapt to changing priorities; and (2) Knowledge of the interrelationships and interdependencies among various medical and administrative services and programs.

At this level, applicants would identify and resolve problems which may inhibit accomplishing patient care mission and public policy objectives; exercise fiscal management responsibility by assisting in the preparation of the overall facility budget, in monitoring expenditures, and in recommending reallocation of funds based on shifting program needs; establish and maintain public relations with a variety of institutions and groups; apply performance standards to measure program performance and health care activities are meeting established goals and objectives; and develop, evaluate, and adjust organizational structures and management systems for the administrative and allied health services managed.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Organizational Awareness Financial Management Administration and Management Decision Making Human Capital Management Preferred experience: Healthcare Administration Experience: Extensive experience in healthcare administration, including roles that involve planning, directing, and coordinating medical and health services in hospitals or healthcare facilities.

Leadership and Management Skills: Proven track record of leadership and management in healthcare settings, including experience in strategic planning, organizational development, performance management, and team building.

Financial Acumen: Strong understanding of healthcare financing, budgeting, and financial management, including experience in managing large budgets and resources effectively.

Regulatory Knowledge: Familiarity with healthcare laws, regulations, and compliance requirements specific to the VA and other federal healthcare systems.

Program Development and Implementation: Experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating healthcare programs and services to improve patient care, enhance operational efficiency, and achieve organizational goals.

Quality Improvement: Background in quality improvement initiatives, patient safety, and accreditation processes within healthcare organizations.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Ability to work effectively with clinical and non-clinical staff across various departments to ensure cohesive and integrated healthcare delivery.

Communication Skills: Strong communication and interpersonal skills to interact effectively with staff, patients, stakeholders, and other healthcare professionals.

Preferred candidates may also hold advanced degrees (e.g., Master's in Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Business Administration, or related fields) and possess relevant certifications (e.g., Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Certified Healthcare Executive).

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: Work is sedentary. There are no special physical demands.

The work environment includes everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of offices and meeting and training rooms.

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 Associate Director serves as a part of the executive management team including the Medical Center Director, Chief of Staff, Assistant Director and the Associate Director of Patient Care Services; and leads fully in both long and short-range policy and planning, promoting healthcare system programs with outside groups, and integrating administrative programs and operations with the needs and priorities of the clinical services for the health care system.

The Associate Director also participates as a member of the VISN management team and a member of various task forces.

Area highlights include but are not limited to: Sharing with the Executive Leadership Team a level of responsibility for the direction and management of the Medical Center and is directly responsible for all facilities operations.

A direct line authority and leadership responsibility for all administrative operation support services. May serve as the Acting Medical Center Director in the absence of the Director.

Taking an active leadership role in coordinating and developing customer and stakeholder support and resourcing to meet Medical Center objectives.

Determining operational services and programs goals and objectives, develop short-and long-range plans for achieving them in conjunction with the overall plans of the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) and consistent with the strategic planning process.

Directing a comprehensive evaluation of operational services goals and objectives and makes necessary adjustments to improve delivery of patient care services.

Establishing local policy in such areas impacting facility operations as program emphasis and operating guidelines.

Administering and ensuring compliance with a system designed for the development and communication of program policies and procedures in accordance with new or existing rules and regulations.

Administering a management reporting system which provides appropriate data for decision making for facility operations, impacting organizational improvements.

Performs other related duties as assigned. Traveling to Community Based Outpatient Clinics and VISN Face to Face meetings.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm, subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Telework: This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework.

Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Health Systems Administrator - Associate Director/PD99902S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Authorized.