Program Applications Specialist

Full Job Description

This position serves as a Program Application Specialist within the Health Administration Service at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System and is responsible for ensuring appropriate business processes are in place to support the implementation of new and updated performance measures, data collection and workload management systems.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/17/2026.

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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05.

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 and/or education for the GS-07 as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 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 basic principles, practices, concepts, and methods used in Health Administration Service (HAS) management, Ability to perform highly structured, entry-level work designed to develop broader and more in-depth knowledge and skill to perform higher-level assignments, Knowledge of the mission, vision, and goals of HAS and its function within the medical center including knowledge of VA policies and procedures of all areas in the business office and other administrative functions, Ability to communicate factual and procedural information clearly, orally and in writing, Ability to independently plan and carry out assignments in conformance with accepted policies and practice, and adheres to instructions, policies, and guidelines in exercising judgment to resolve commonly encountered work problems and deviations.

OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement; OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have a combination of specialized experience and education to meet total experience requirements.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education for the GS-09 as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 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 performance management/measurement methods and tools to provide statistical reports for the operating systems within the VA Salt Lake City Medical Center, Knowledge of information security principles and methods, Knowledge to provide advice, guidance, and recommendations to management and other technical specialists on integration issues, Ability to communicate a clear, logical and concise explanation of information, both orally and in written format, Knowledge of the VA Salt Lake City Medical Center software is required in training employees, identifying inconsistencies, discussions with management of capabilities of computer software feasibly toward meeting their objectives, validating new programs and options, recommending changes in existing programs and modifying current programs to meet future needs, Knowledge and ability to manage assigned projects, Knowledge to provide advice, guidance, and recommendations to management and other technical specialists on integration issues, Knowledge to integrate new and emerging information technology within the business.

OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B.

or J.D., if related; OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have a combination of specialized experience and education to meet total experience requirements. 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 primarily sedentary, with exposure to walking to outlying areas.

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:

Major Duties include, but are not limited to: Creates training programs for the facility to ensure staff are properly educated and accountable for clinical profiles, scheduling and data management.

Ensures correct clinic profile mapping, scheduling procedures for all scheduling applications, overbooking, cancellations etc., are in compliance with national directives and other facility policies.

Provides oversight of all clinic set up options, clinic profiles and outputs.

Provides technical advice to clinic personnel primarily at the clinic director and Patient Service Line (PSL) management level regarding scheduling, clinic profiles and workload.

Ensures appointment reminder systems are set up accurately for all outpatient clinic locations.

Establishes and edits clinic changes, notifications, for new and established clinics and inactivating clinics in the system.

Interprets national policies and procedures, develops and implements local standards, defines requirements and provides advice to top management on related issues pertaining to clinic/provider profile management.

Ensures that completed profiles reflect national, network and local goals, directives and policies.

Integrates Advanced Clinic Access (ACA) principles and initiatives, outpatient scheduling directive mandates, ambulatory data capture and workload rules and regulations, coding and billing criteria, MCA requirements into clinic structures.

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.

Position Description/PD#: Program Applications Specialist/PD14468A