Summary The VHA National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) is a national program office, under the direction of the Executive Director (17PS), which reports to the Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Quality and Patient Safety (17). NCPS develops, leads, and oversees activities and programs that drive the improvement of patient safety throughout the VHA. NCPS is a complex VHA national program office having direct impact at the CO, Network, facility, and frontline levels. Responsibilities This announcement will close on 12/23/2024. The first 50 applications received will receive first consideration. Applications that are submitted after the initial cut-off number has been reached will not receive consideration unless otherwise requested by management. Major duties include, but not limited to: Analyzes and evaluates, on a quantitative and qualitative basis, the effectiveness of NCPS program activities and operations in meeting established goals and objectives. Determines data needs, established data collection procedures, designs report formats, and presents findings within assigned deadlines. Conducts studies based on systems engineering principles and performance improvement methodologies such as, but not limited to, Lean and Six Sigma, and other Total Quality Management (TQM) tools. Interprets findings resulting from studies that are independently developed. Completes analyses of data and identifies programmatically significant findings and trends. Develops statistical, graphical and narrative reports and, as assigned, communicate the findings of studies to executive leadership, team chiefs, and other NCPS staff. Provides consultative support by assisting with the identification of appropriate methods, process measures and team-based approaches to improve process quality based on systems engineering methods and principles. Participates in proactive strategic planning to improve the operation of the NCPS. Reviews and interprets regulations, directives, and memoranda for currency and applicability to NCPS programmatic functions and advises leadership of potential impact. Develops and/or implements policy and procedural guidance; implements management processes, procedures, and tracking systems in support of NCPS programs and processes; analyzes and resolves problems; and implements program improvements. Performs content management of the NCPS internet and intranet websites, SharePoint sites, and social media presence. Provides direct planning for, coordination, and provision of internal audio/visual video and web-based conferencing services. 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: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Remote: This is not a remote position. Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist/PD03451A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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, 12/23/2024. 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. 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR): The 0671 Occupational series has an IOR that must be met: 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, 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. 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 the IOR, candidates must also meet the following specialized experience for the grade level. GS-11 Specialized Experience: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Develops and manages SharePoint sites and intranet web site content; analyze program performance data; identify trends and concerns to prepare status reports for review at all levels; develops and administers the NCPS records management program, overseeing the full range of records management requirements. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M. in the related field of the position to be filled. 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 graduate level education in excess of the first two graduate years or 36 semester hours. GS-12 Specialized Experience: You must have 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. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Subject Matter Expert on records management, advises Executive Leadership Team, supervisors, and staff on all aspects of records management activities; designs report formats; prepare narrative and statistical reports of the findings, and provide data supported recommendations; analyze and measure the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of major national programs; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with professional, administrative, and technical staff at all levels. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Multimedia Technologies Problem Solving Project Management Quality Management Systems Thinking 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 primarily sedentary, but occasionally involves walking, bending, lifting, packing and unpacking boxes, and climbing stairs. The work also involves coping with and balancing complex, persistent demands from a variety of internal and external sources along with changing requirements, timeframes and the necessity for re-work that can be regarded as a high-pressure work situation. 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/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.