Summary

The Chief, Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) oversees inpatient, surgical, psychiatric, and rehabilitation services, along with a large outpatient program. With offices in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, the Chief manages, directs, and provides administrative supervision for all assigned PSAS staff across both locations.

Duties

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Major duties for the position include, but are not limited to:

• Accountable for full administrative and professional oversight of staff activities across the service's program areas, including procurement, PSAS clinical services, customer service and reception operations, and Prosthetic Service Agreements (PSAs). Responsibilities also include developing PSAs, managing and monitoring associated contract programs such as home oxygen and durable medical equipment, and ensuring effective coordination and compliance within all assigned program functions;
• Planning, allocating, and monitoring the department's budget to ensure efficient use of resources;
• Managing, interpreting and presenting fiscal data (i.e. fund controls, contracts and equipment expenditures), forecasting resource and equipment needs, and administering an allocated budget;
• Serving as contract officer representative (COR) for PSAS contracts and chairing facility committees and administering benefit programs;
• Developing policies and procedures, managing document control and developing performance standards, position descriptions and functional statements;
• Approving and disapproving employee leave requests, monitoring time and attendance, and ensuring that all requests for hiring, promotions and awards and disciplinary actions are justified and carried out appropriately;
• Providing assistance to the medical staff with prescription, acquisition, use, care and replacement of various types of prosthetic and orthotic appliances and sensory aids required for disabled patients;
• Educating and training Veterans, caregivers, VA clinical teams and PSAS staff;
• Authorizing the procurement of prosthetic and orthopedic appliances their repair, and authorizing appliance replacement and the issuance of spare appliances where no medical problems exist;
• Visiting Veterans who are unable to travel to facilities and counseling them and their families about prosthetic equipment and similar items, eligibility and entitlement under the laws and the use and care of prosthetic and orthopedic appliance;
• Authorizing purchase, fabrication or repair of prosthetic and/or orthotic devices;
• Assisting in the development, implementation and evaluation of operational policies and procedures related to PSAS programs to ensure compliance with laws, regulations and quality metrics;
• Identifying complex issues arising from compliance and quality assurance activities related to the responsible conduct of staff as it relates to daily purchase orders for veteran patient care;
• Assuring high customer satisfaction, while maintaining an efficient and effective prosthetic program.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am to 4:00pm (Subject to change based on Agency needs)

Telework: Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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.
• 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 dentification 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English.
• Experience and Education. Individual must meet at least one of the requirements below.

(1) Experience. One year of creditable experience that demonstrates: Knowledge of basic anatomy and medical terminology; knowledge of accounting methods; ability to research, analyze, comprehend, and apply decisions; basic knowledge of inventory management procedures; ability to use computer software packages for word processing, spreadsheet development, and database management; and ability to work independently and as a member of a team; or

(2) Education. A bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution AND at least 24 semester hours in course work related to health care, public administration, or business. The 24 semester hours could include but is not limited to any combination from the following

fields: occupational therapy, physical therapy, kinesiotherapy, social work, psychology, prosthetics, orthotics, respiratory therapy, assistive technology, business law, leadership, healthcare, public administration, or business management. This course work may have been completed within the degree or in addition to the degree; or

(3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.

Note: Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the United States must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials, and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to experience gained in conventional United States programs.

Grandfathering Provision: May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:

GS-13 Prosthetic Representative (Service Chief)

(a) Experience. At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of directives, handbooks, clinical practice guidelines, and regulations that apply to Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service to resolve complex, controversial, or precedent-setting matters.
2. Ability to manage specialty prosthetic services. This includes the ability to provide specialty services based on the unique needs of the patient.
3. Skill and ability to effectively advise senior management officials.
4. Ability to manage a health care program that provides home medical equipment, rehabilitation services, home oxygen, visual or hearing impairment devices, assistive technology, orthotics, or prosthetics.
5. Ability to supervise/manage through subordinate supervisors the activities of prosthetic representatives that have diverse functions.
6. Ability to establish and monitor productivity standards and production and performance priorities.

Preferred Experience: Highly qualified candidates will demonstrate at least three years of hands-on experience in the following:

• At least 2 years of experience working as an Assistant Chief or Manager in a VA Prosthetics Department
• Budget Management experience
• Understanding of various VA Prosthetic Benefits programs
• Experience with VA and/or Prosthetic procurements and contracts

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-13.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

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

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

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

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

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.

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Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.