Supervisory Health System Specialist (Whole Health Program Manager)

Summary

This position reports to the Director/Chief of Whole Health or designee. Operating in a Whole Health System of care, the position operates in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. Seeks to connect each Veteran to the Whole Health Pathway to empower self-exploration.

Duties

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Duties will include but not be limited to:

• Serves as a subject matter expert and demonstrates an ability to provide consultation to other health care practitioners and outside groups.
• Develops curriculum to promote self-care and empowerment of patients, including but not limited to, mindfulness courses, stress reduction courses, and other educational courses for self-care.
• Ensures daily Whole Health operations run smoothly, e.g. timely distribution of consults to appropriate providers and health coaches, consultations answered promptly, clinics are in full operation during regular hours, space is utilized properly, supplies are adequate and utilized fully, data in filing systems are up-to-date, policies and procedures are current.
• Ensures relief coverage, as needed, in all Whole Health System clinics in the event of shortage of staff to maintain the continuum of patient care with the least disruption as possible.
• Maintains competency to practice by attending and participating in continuing education courses annually.
• Recommends approval or disapproval of staff continuing education requests.
• Assists in the orientation of physicians, medical residents, and other allied health personnel to the (discipline) Program at this facility
• Works with Quality Management as needed to establish medical center procedures to meet accreditation standards for clinical services under the Whole Health System. These involve local, state, and national officials, community based special interest groups, community-based agencies, and health care providers and representatives of affiliated medical schools.
• Assists in establishing policy for the organization with regards to the methods, criteria, and other critical considerations associated with Accreditation.
• Participates in the preparation, manual review, Quality Management QI monitors, etc. needed to prepare for and comply with all CARF, JC and SOARS requirements to ensure successful accreditation with each body.
• Recommendations are made to changes in policy that can prevent future misunderstandings and complaints.
• Responsible for providing the influences, motivation, and persuasion that fosters the acceptance and exercise of sound management concepts, practices, and innovations.
• Ensures that treatment areas are kept clean and in order, that safety and fire regulations and procedures are followed.

Work Schedule: Monday Through Friday -08:00am - 04:30pm

Telework: 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#: Supervisory Health System Specialist (Whole Health Program Manager)/PD99869-O

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
• 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)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period 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 probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/14/2026.

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-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.

Individual Occupational Requirements

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

General Experience

(for GS-5 positions): Work that required a knowledge of the basic principles and practices related to the management of a health care delivery system. Such experience may have been gained as an administrative officer, management analyst, or administrative or clinical program manager or supervisor in a health care delivery system.

Specialized Experience

(for positions above GS-5): 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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

Specialized Experience:You must have one 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. You Must have one year of specialized experience that equipped me with particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled: Expert knowledge of healthcare delivery systems, planning, organizational change, and outcomes measurement. This includes knowledge of cutting-edge, healthcare trends and technologies, major VHA initiatives, program goals and objectives of the Whole Health transformation. Comprehensive knowledge of working in the Veterans Health Administration at the facility level and background or knowledge of in Integrative Medicine are both highly desirable. Extensive knowledge of the mission of the Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation from the traditional VA medical model to one of patient centered care. Comprehensive functional knowledge of the concepts, theories, and practices of health care management and administration to develop local facility level initiatives to promote this healthcare transformation as it rolls out across the VA.

Preferred Experience for Supervisory Health System Specialist:

• Progressively responsible analytical, administrative, or healthcare management experience, preferably in a large, complex medical or healthcare setting (like a VA Medical Center, hospital, or integrated health system).
• Experience supervising or leading teams or projects; demonstrated ability to mentor, coach, and evaluate employees.
• Comprehensive knowledge of healthcare operations and regulations, including Joint Commission standards, Medicare/Medicaid, and VA or federal healthcare policies.
• Demonstrated skill in program analysis and evaluation, data analysis, performance improvement, and process redesign.
• Experience with strategic planning, resource allocation, and budget management.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to brief leaders, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and resolve conflict.
• Experience managing or supporting initiatives in compliance, accreditation, quality assurance, or patient safety preferred.
• Proficiency in using data systems and software: Excel, PowerPoint, VA software (e.g., VistA, CPRS), and other healthcare information systems.
• Demonstrated problem-solving, critical thinking, and change management abilities.

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

• Administration and Management
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Managing Human Resources
• Project 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 nature of the work for this position is primarily sedentary and there are no unusual physical demands involved with completion of duties. Some travel is required. Work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office.

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

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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

Receiving Service Credit for 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.

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

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