Health System Specialist

Created at: July 11, 2025 00:13

Company: Veterans Health Administration

Location: Jamaica Plain, MA, 2130

Job Description:

The incumbent functions as a Health System Specialist for the Neurology Service providing a variety of administrative and program support duties. The incumbent is responsible for the administrative coordination of the Neurology Service in all non-clinical activities and functions. Services from these two entities encompass all three campuses of the VA Boston Healthcare Systems (Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury, and Brockton) as well as the area CBOCs.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/29/2025. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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): The 0671 series requires specific education or experience to be met in order to be appointed into a position of this series. You must meet one of the pre-determined Education or Experience Individual Occupational Requirements listed below as set by Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study of 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 Special Provision for Inservice Placement: Successful completion of an agency-sponsored on-the-job training program may be substituted 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 and 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 he or she is assigned); and Oversight by an experienced health system administrator with periodic evaluation of the individual's progress and appropriate adjustment of the training program. In addition to meeting both the IOR and Time-In-grade, you must meet the experience as described below: 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: To qualify for the GS-671-11 based on specialized experience: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-09 level or equivalent for this position. 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 the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. At the GS-11 full performance level, the incumbent demonstrates: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and practices of the health care delivery systems, including an understanding of the concepts of medical care organization, financial management, and data application. Knowledge of the mission, organizations, programs, and requirements specific to the VHA health care delivery system so as to be able to analyze and recommend solutions to the problems which arise within a complex Medical Center. Knowledge of the VHA regulations, standards, policies, and procedures in order to advise on and interface the clinical administrative functions. Knowledge of local, state, and federal laws governing the healthcare delivery system in order to insure compliance with laws and prevent medical legal complications. Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative techniques for analyzing and measuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of administrative and technical programs. Knowledge of budgeting concepts and procedures, knowledge of methodologies for determining unit costs and understanding of procedures for forecasting workload. Knowledge of the principles of Quality Assurance in healthcare in order to implement, evaluate, and coordinate Quality Assurance activities for the Mental Health Service. Ability to work well with people of varying educational and socioeconomic backgrounds in activities involving critical or sensitive issues To qualify for the GS-671-11 based on education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. To qualify for the GS-671-11 based on combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11. When crediting education that requires specific course work, prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analysis and Problem Solving Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Human Capital Management Information Management
A. Resource Management (40%): Coordinates all aspects of Neurology Service relating to personnel management based on FTEE resources including classification and position management activity to ensure that all actions are current and up to date. Develops position descriptions, performance standards and competencies for Neurology Service employees, ensuring compliance with standards and format. Ensures that summary ratings are performed when required Monitors positions for changes in duties or performance standards and makes appropriate additions/changes to position descriptions and/or performance standards. Prepares requests for Resource Management Board actions to fill vacant or newly created positions within established FTEE levels as well as Fee Basis contracts to cover specialized areas when necessary. Interviews and recommends selection of clerical support personnel Compiles and trends workload data for all clinical providers and submits to Chief of Service on a monthly basis. Data is used in decisions regarding resource allocation and for performance evaluations Maintains DSS data by reviewing reports on a biweekly basis. Provides to DSS office breakdown of workload allocation for new staff members and changes to allocations for existing staff as duties/assignments change Collaborates with Employee Relations in resolving employee disputes/grievances at the local level Maintains accurate organizational chart, tracks vacancies and recruitment efforts Prepares quarterly Neurology Service Staffing Assessments for presentation to Chief of Human Resources Service. B. Program Management (40%): Coordinates Neurology Service Quality Management Program. Compiles data and submits quarterly reports summarizing findings as well as recommendations for implementing improvements/changes. Manages Service's Fund Control Point budget Submits annual requests for funding based on knowledge of current needs and historical spending data. Ensures compliance with fiscal standards for utilizing funds. Manages outgoing inventory (CMR) of Service's equipment needs and assigned priorities. Ensures that requests for equipment are submitted in a timely, accurate manner providing adequate justification to support requests Composes Service administrative policies (e.g. Safety Plan, Education Plan, etc.). Initiates follow-up action where indicated. Informs staff of new procedures and/or changes to existing policies Oversees compliance with Medical Center Education guidelines, ensuring that all Neurology staff complete all mandatory training each fiscal year. Prepares annual education plan and submits monthly statistical reports documenting compliance levels Supervises preparation of documentation required for Professional Standards Board review including Board Actions and accompanying supporting documents Ensures that Neurology Service providers complete biannual reappointment packages by submission deadlines to avoid disruption in approval of clinical privileges Collects quality assurance data on each physician and summarizes this information for presentation to the Professional Standards Board as part of the re-credentialing process Coordinates organization of Partners and BU Neurology Resident credentialing process. Ensures that packages are distributed to incoming Residents in ample time to allow for completion and return. Monitors review of submitted data and ensures that follow-up action is taken to obtain any missing data or documents Works with Neurology Service support staff in adhering to deadline for submission of all Resident documents to ACOS/E prior to established deadlines. Late submissions can result in disruption to the Resident rotation schedule and patient care schedules C. Budgeting/Financial Management Work/Supply (20%) ?Responsible for Neurology budget formulation, justification and execution; financial management, financial reporting of educational and research programs Oversees compliance with Medical Center Education guidelines, ensuring that all Neurology staff complete all mandatory training each fiscal year. Prepares annual education plan and submits monthly statistical reports documenting compliance levels Works in collaboration with Neurology Clinic Coordinator in establishing/revising clinic profiles and schedules for Staff Physician Clinics and Resident Clinics. Initiates adjustments to profiles when need for change becomes evident Supervises preparation of documentation required for Professional Standards Board review. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist/PD005760


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