About this role
Job SummaryThe primary purpose of this position is to provide support to health care management officials by analyzing, evaluating, advising on and/or coordinating health care delivery systems and operations. The incumbent serves as a major advisor and Executive Assistant to the Assistant Director (AsD) at the Montana VA Health Care System.
QualificationsTo qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/14/2026. 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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 (IOR): This occupational series has a minimum qualification entry requirement. You must possess one of the following to qualify for the Health System Specialist: Education: 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, Specialist Provision for In-Service Placement: Successful completion of an agency-sponsored on-the-job training program may be substitution 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 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 or she is assigned); and Oversight by an experienced health system administrator with period evaluations of the individual's progress and appropriate adjustment of the training program. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience GS-12: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Provides consultative service to leadership through analysis of service, workload, staffing levels, cost-effectiveness; helps formulate professional and allied health policies and programs; Provides technical expertise in the field of healthcare planning and comprehensive advice and assistance to superiors regarding possible need for revision of regulations and policies governing planning activities; Maintains accurate utilization and cost information and provides an analysis of the effect of resource availability on the overall productivity of the various organizational units; Complies with all directives and special requirements in preparing annual and cyclic budget documents; Independently identifies and collects necessary data and presents results in written and oral form, which are well organized, supportable, and clearly expressed; Provides full staff assistance on administrative matters affecting patient care and organizational policy and serves as a staff member directly supporting the top management team. 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, 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 https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Major DutiesMajor duties of this position include, but are not limited to: Identifies alternative programs and plans, providing staff assistance and participating in the discussion leading the formulation of Montana VA Healthcare System plans and programs. Provides technical expertise in the field of health care planning and comprehensive advice and assistance to the superiors regarding possible need for revision of regulations and policies governing planning activities. Identify project scope, develop plans, require resources, and administer projects. Knowledge of analyzing the necessary human resources, equipment, and space to effectively support the mission of individual organizational units; support planning efforts in implementing new logistical arrangements aimed at improving service. Ability to closely review all actions and requests received from clinical and administrative services or from external entities Ability to asses priorities to best meet healthcare delivery needs; advise and assist Leadership in the planning, development and operations Consolidates submissions received from subordinate units. Compiles, coordinates and completes facility response to recurring, non-recurring and special reports requested by internal and external entities. Reviews reports involving trend analyses and ensures follow-up in these areas for Quality Assurance Program. Reviews materials with regards to compliance with the standards of external bodies and accrediting agencies Provides technical expertise in the field of healthcare planning and comprehensive advice and assistance to superiors regarding possible need for revision of regulations and policies governing planning activities. Ability to gather information, identify and analyze issues, and develop recommendation to resolve substantive problems of effectiveness and efficiency of work operations Recommends action or adjustments necessary to achieve required objectives. Maintains annual execution, and recommends adjustments or reallocation of resources.\ Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30AM - 4:00PM Telework: Yes-This position is authorized for telework - situational (ad hoc) and has NOT been authorized as remote. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist - Executive Officer to the Assistant Director/PD144280 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not requiredRequirementsYou must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.