The Hospital Housekeeping Officer (HHO) serves as Chief, Environmental Management Service for the Birmingham VA Health Care System a highly affiliated tertiary care, Level 1A complexity medical center. The HHO is responsible for planning, directing, control, coordination, operation of evaluation of all medical center EMS functions. The HHO serves as the expert with full authority to manage all matters related to, i.e. environmental sanitation, waste management, linen control, pest infestation.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/11/2025. 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 (or higher). 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 as described below: Individual Occupational Requirement (IQR): In order to meet the basic requirement of the Hospital Housekeeping Management, 0673 Occupational series, you must possess an Undergraduate education with a Major study in chemistry or biological science, sanitary science or administration, institutional sanitation or administration, hospital administration, public administration, business administration, or other fields related to the position or Graduate education with a Major study in public health or business administration with emphasis in hospital administration; OR Specialized Experience: Experience in two or more of the following areas, or work related to the position to be filled: Experience that demonstrated a practical working knowledge of the basic principles of chemistry, biology, and bacteriology as applied to environmental sanitation, infection control, and to the choice and use of antimicrobial agents in the disinfection, sanitization, and/or sterilization of surfaces and equipment. Experience in laundry and linen management. Experience in interior design management. Experience that demonstrated a knowledge of waste management, including the requirements relating to hazardous, toxic, and infectious wastes and provisions for their final disposition. Experience that demonstrated a knowledge of pest management, including alternative methods of control and the selection and application of chemicals. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE IQR, applicant must possess at least one (1) 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. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of Hospital Housekeeping Officer. Examples of specialized experience include but not limited to: planning and administrative functions; experience in the full range of hospital housekeeping methods and techniques, including basic cleaning, disinfection methods, and pest control; consultative and technical assistance to facility management regarding the Hospital Housekeeping program; knowledge of policies and regulations, and ability to interpret provisions of the program; approving/disapproving funding requests, obligations, expenditures on the basis of interpretation of regulations, policies, and status of funding; overseeing employees, recommending corrective actions, working with staff to resolve problems and achieve compliance with policies; distributing workload, reviewing work products and assures effective and timely internal and external reporting. Preferred Experience: Supervised and managed a department or service in a hospital setting. Experience in laundry and linen management. Professional experience overseeing waste management, including the requirements relating to hazardous, toxic, and infectious wastes and provisions for their final disposition. Professional experience overseeing pest management, including alternative methods of control and the selection and application of chemicals. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and Management Contracting/Procurement Quality Assurance 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, although there may be some nominal walking or standing for short periods or carrying light loads of papers, books, or reports that do not require special physical demands. 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/.
Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Serves as an integral part of the senior management team and assures the safety, sanitation, and comfort of the physical environment for Veterans, visitors, and employees of the Birmingham VA Health Care System. Plans, organizes, controls, conducts, maintains, and manages an effective hospital housekeeping program, environmental services and linen & laundry services program. Evaluates, analyzes, develops, and formulates guidelines, directives, and policies and procedures in compliance with the Joint Commission, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and other Federal, State, and local agencies. Analyzes, maintains, plans and accounts for program budgets, commitment registers, linen control, training and travel of staff, and housekeeping service contracts. Oversees department employees, distributes workloads, recommends corrective actions, working with staff to resolve problems and achieve compliance with policies and procedures, reviews and evaluates employee performance. Consults with Executive Leadership Team, prepares and submits reports of special projects, studies, and customer satisfaction surveys as required. Participates with the facility infection control team. Functions independently with minimal guidance and direction provided by the Associate Medical Center Director. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm. Work schedule may change due to Agency need. Compressed/Flexible: Not eligible Telework: Not eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Hospital Housekeeping Officer/PD091350 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized