Physician - Chief of Staff

Summary

Chief of Staff will report to the Medical Center Director. The COS has specific responsibility to preside over the medical staff and assure clinical excellence, uniform standards of practice, education, and research. The COS is entrusted with many of the VHA clinical and administrative directives to ensure they are appropriately translated into relevant local policies.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Authorized

Duties

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The Chief of Staff (COS) reports to the Executive Director and leads the medical staff in delivering safe, timely, high-quality Veteran care. The COS oversees clinical standards, medical staff governance, education, research, and compliance with Veterans Health Administration (VHA) policies. The role strengthens academic affiliations, recruits qualified clinicians, promotes continuous improvement and patient safety, and represents the medical center with VA, federal, community, and professional partners.

The Chief of Staff responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provides executive leadership and accountability for the quality, safety, appropriateness, and timeliness of care across assigned clinical services.
• Oversees assigned services under the approved organizational structure, subject to modification by the Executive Director.
• Serves on the Executive Leadership Team, partnering on strategic priorities, resources, performance, and operations; participates in facility, Health Service Area (HSA), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and other leadership forums as assigned.
• Leads medical staff governance, bylaws, credentialing and privileging, peer review, continuing medical education, professional competence, and compliance with VHA and accreditation requirements.
• Ensures medical staff engagement in performance improvement, risk management, patient safety, utilization management, and clinical practice evaluation.
• Improves appointment access, capacity, provider productivity, care coordination, and patient flow through measurable actions.
• Champions respectful, patient-centered care, including prevention, screening, counseling, education, and appropriate psychosocial support.
• Advances evidence-based practice, supervision, competency, development, and performance of providers, residents, trainees, and interdisciplinary staff.
• Conducts structured leader rounding with staff and Veterans across clinical services, shifts, and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), consistent with the leadership work plan.
• Maintains an active direct patient care assignment of 10%-20% of duty time per biweekly pay period (normally 8-16 hours per 80-hour period), with a minimum commitment of 10%. The specific assignment is determined in collaboration with the Executive Director based on clinical privileges, competency, specialty, and Veteran care needs.
• Sets expectations for service chiefs and direct reports; conducts performance discussions, develops leaders and succession plans, and ensures accountability for results.
• Promptly elevates significant clinical risks to the Executive Director and ensures corrective actions from reviews, inspections, and adverse events are sustained.
• Leads workforce and resource planning, aligning staffing, budgets, space, and equipment with Veteran needs, workload, priorities, and available funding; monitors variances.
• Uses clinical, operational, workforce, and financial data to identify risks, guide decisions, implement improvements, and assess outcomes.
• Translates Executive Director priorities into service plans with owners, measures, and timelines; tracks progress and removes barriers.
• Represents the medical center at Veteran engagements, town halls, community outreach, academic and professional events, and HSA/VISN forums, coordinating with Public Affairs as appropriate.
• Other duties as assigned

Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized for this position.

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Authorized for this position.

Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases

Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME)

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification)

Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided

Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting

Travel: Travels as required to support CBOC visits, Vet Centers, community engagement, network responsibilities, and organizational priorities.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Occasional evening or weekend participation may be needed to support operational priorities, Veteran engagements, or community events.

Telework: Ad hoc as determined by the agency policy.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed.
• Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are:
  
  • (1) Those approved by the accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA), in the list published for the year the residency, or fellowship if applicable, was completed; OR
  • (2) One year of post medical school training (internship, first year of residency, or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States; OR
  • (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the Physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences.
  • Exceptions:
    
    • Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs.
    • In rare and unusual circumstances, the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer, who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience, accomplishments, performance, and qualifications warrant such action.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Preferred Experience:

• We are seeking an exceptional, mission-driven leader to join our organization as a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT). This role is instrumental in advancing our commitment to delivering the highest quality care, service, and experience to our Veterans. The ideal candidate Will demonstrate authentic servant leadership, consistently placing the needs of Veterans, employees, and the organization at the center of decision-making While fostering a culture grounded in collaboration, accountability, respect, trust, and excellence.
• In this highly visible leadership role, the selected candidate will represent the organization with professionalism, integrity, humility, and sound judgment while effectively engaging with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders. As a trusted member of the ELT, you will help shape strategic direction, lead meaningful organizational initiatives, and strengthen operational and cultural performance in support of exceptional Veteran outcomes.
• We are seeking a leader who brings emotional intelligence, resilience, strong communication and interpersonal skills, and a collaborative mindset. The successful candidate Will inspire others through positive leadership, cultivate trust-based relationships, develop high-performing teams, and contribute to an environment where employees feel valued, empowered, supported, and connected to the mission.
• The ideal candidate will embrace innovation, continuous improvement, and thoughtful change management while maintaining a strong commitment to employee engagement and organizational health. We value leaders who create psychologically safe environments where employees are encouraged to collaborate openly, share ideas, solve problems proactively, and grow professionally in service to Veterans.
• This opportunity is ideal for a principled and service-oriented leader who is passionate about making a meaningful difference in the lives of Veterans and those who serve them. If you are committed to leading with integrity, fostering a people-centered culture, and delivering lasting impact through collaboration, compassion, and excellence, we encourage you to apply.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Education

Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:

1. Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted.
2. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted.
3. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year graduated.

NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or adminis