Summary The incumbent serves as a Medical Administrative Specialist,- Health Administrative Specialist on Duty (HOD) in Medical Administration Services at the VA Maine Medical Center located at the Togus, Maine Campus. This Position is full-time at 40 hours per week. This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until December 31, 2024. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be June 21, 2024. Responsibilities The incumbent serves as a Medical Administrative Specialist- Health Administrative Specialist on Duty (HOD) located in the Medical Administration Service (MAS); the position has both the authority and responsibility to represent both the Medical Center Director and the Chief, HAS on all administrative matters occurring when assigned to other than a normal tour of duty. Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Delegated full authority and responsibility to exercise the Medical Center Director's prerogative in medical administrative matters and issues that may arise. Represents management in (non-policy making) administrative matters. Represents management in matters pertaining to the lawful retention of veterans in the VAMC. Maintains continuity of functions and provides full medical administrative support during other than normal tours of duty to clinical and administrative medical center staff. Responsible for achieving management objectives and supporting the decision of management in carrying out duties. Provides technical guidance necessary to meet procedural, legal, and administrative requirements relating to the care and treatment of patients to achieve optimum use of available resources. Processes administrative issues surrounding beneficiary death, seriously ill cases, elopements, suicides, assaults, deaths on arrival (DOAs), homicides, code blue, cost recovery matters, and facility or community disasters, etc. Assists in responding to emergencies, determines priorities and nature of action to be taken. Assists with computer issues during non-business hours. Maintains good public and media relations as instructed and trained by the Public Affairs Officer until the designated employee arrives. Conducts analytical studies on operational processes, issue topics, or related special projects as assigned. Reviews data and information for trends, problem areas, and makes recommendations to management to resolve issues. Performs other duties as assigned. 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: Variable Schedule Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Medical Administration Specialist/PD99385S and PD99368S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May Be Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required NOTIFICATIONS: This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position. This position is in the Competitive Service. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay. Travel and relocation expenses are not authorized. Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104 (1) and (3)] must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System. Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment. Eligible applications received after that date will be reviewed and referred every two weeks referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/31/2024. 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-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 GS-7 based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Medical Management Specialist - HOD. Qualifying specialized experience includes Basic knowledge of medical center organization, functions, specialties, and programs, i.e., Social Work Nursing, Laboratory, Radiology, etc.; experience locating and interpreting regulations from a wide range of sources; reviewing data and information for trends, problem areas, and makes recommendations to management to resolve issues; ability to cope with wide variety of problems and to resolve them quickly and decisively; and explain and organize complex issues in writing. OR, Education: One (1) full year of successfully completed graduate level education or superior academic achievement, that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): SAA at the baccalaureate level in the coursework detailed above is fully qualifying. Applicants who wish to apply under this provision must submit proof from their educational institution that they meet one of the criteria listed below. To qualify for SAA, applicants must have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled and meet one of the following: Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university or major subdivision. A grade-point average of "B" (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. A grade point average of "B+" (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. For a list of recognized honor societies please visit http://www.achsnatl.org/quick\_link.asp. For more information regarding SAA please visit http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-II/s2-e5.asp#e4f. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience at the next lower grade (GS-5) and education beyond a bachelor's degree to qualify for the GS-07 level. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. You may qualify GS-9 based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as a Medical Management Specialist - HOD. Qualifying specialized experience includes knowledge of a wide range of medical center administrative concepts, principals, and practices; provides technical guidance necessary to meet procedural, legal, and administrative requirements relating to the care and treatment of patients; reviewing data and information for trends, problem areas, and makes recommendations to management to resolve issues; interpreting rules, regulations, policies, and procedures to make sound decisions; and identify and analyze complex problems or situations with a range of variables. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have have successfully completed two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education or masters or equivalent graduate degree or LL.B. or J.D., in a related field of the position to be filled. Education at the graduate level must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience at the next lower grade (GS-7) and education beyond the first year (18 semester hours) may qualify for the GS-09 level. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Self Management Customer Service Health Informatics 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 requires much walking through the medical center with occasionally the requirement to lift objects such as suitcases, clothing, or medical charts. Work is accomplished in a busy, generally congested office area. The HOD routinely goes to most sections and buildings, including offices, clinics, wards, laboratories and the morgue. 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. 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. To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a VA job announcement includes language requiring applicants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order 14043, that requirement does not currently apply to this Job Announcement. VA may request information regarding your vaccination status, if selected, for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine. 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.