Duties

Administrative Functions 50%
Analyze and evaluate the needs of the PM&RS. Devises specific solutions to meet the needs of the service by monitoring incoming consultation by the type of services requested to analyze for trends and propose needed adjustments to available appointments and provider workload, clinic grid changes to improve access, and assist in monitoring pyramid analytics data for trends related to appointment wait times, times to complete consults, days pending for scheduling, RVU sums for provider and clinic utilization. Reviews data and performs studies, summarizes information, identifies trends and proposes and implements solutions.

Acts as a patient advocate resolves problems, expedite services, or implement necessary corrective measures within established facility policies; assists individuals in preparing required documents, or in resolving errors, delays or other problems in obtaining benefits or fulfilling obligations; initiates and administers a training program to educate all community care stakeholders in effective communications and interactions with patients and their families in order to minimize patient dissatisfaction, preserve good rapport, and enhance the overall public image of the medical center; communicates with the patient and his/her family and with clinical and administrative staff, Veteran's Affairs (VA), and private sector, to enhance responsiveness in meeting the health care needs of Veterans.

Consult Tracking 25%
Works closely with Clinical Service Chiefs, Medical Center clinic support staff, OI&T staff, Health Administration Service (HAS) and Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 6 hospital clinic support staff in facilitating and maintaining the Inter-facility consults process for PM&RS. Collects, compiles, analyzes and presents data to the Chief, PM&RS and the Administrative Officer of the PM&RS regarding the consult-tracking package.

Develops, establishes, and reevaluates PM&RS provider clinic schedules and profiles. Maintains consult tracking data via the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) consult tracking package and makes recommendations to the PM&RS Administrative Officer and Chief for addressing consult backlogs and wait times.

Clinic Profile Management 15%
Assists the Administrative Officer of the PM&RS in establishing and managing clinic profiles for the PM&RS Clinics. This position works with Decision Support System (DDS) staff and with clinical services to ensure that the clinic stop code information corresponds with the DSS stop code identifiers on clinic profiles.

Proper configuration of clinic profiles in the Medical Center computer system has direct effect on scheduling, patient flow and processes within individual clinics, on how workload is captured.

Contract Coordination & EIL Coordination 10%
Assists, with direction from the PM&RS Administrative Officer, the processes involved in the coordination of all staffing contracts within the department. Included in this is creation and maintenance of short-term and long-term contracts. The creation of such contracts will consist of preparing the documentation required for contract consideration and approval, consulting with Contracting Staff to complete these processes and the required maintenance of these agreements throughout the life of the contract.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. 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#: Program Specialist/PD02861A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/02/2023.

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

Specialized Experience for GS-07: 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: provide administrative support functions such as supply, clerical duties, customer service, and personnel activities within an organization; maintaining and monitoring data; maintaining computerized databases or information tracking systems; and using computer systems or applications to access, create, edit, or retrieve data. OR,

• Education: Possess1 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 an combination of specialized experience and education beyond one (1) full year of graduate level education.

Specialized Experience for GS-09: 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: skill in applying analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to issues or studies of the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations; provide administrative support functions such as supply, budget, procurement, clerical duties, customer service, and personnel activities within an organization; maintaining and monitoring data and making recommendations based on analysis of data; maintaining computerized databases or information tracking systems; and using computer systems or applications to access, create, edit, or retrieve data. 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 an combination of specialized experience and education beyond one (1) full year of graduate level education.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Analytical Reasoning
• Capacity Management
• Clerical
• Customer Service
• Database Administration
• Self Management

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 principally sedentary; however, walking, bending, standing and lifting are customary physical demands of the position. The work may at times become highly stressful due to sensitivity of matters, complexity of tasks assigned, the number of staff within the PM&RS requiring assistance and the volume of activities.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

Additional information

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified : applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ .

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .