What are the responsibilities and job description for the Health System Specialist - Clinic Program Administrator position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
The Health System Specialist develops administrative programs and procedures for their assigned VA Clinic(s) within the Iowa City VA Health Care System. This position independently oversees the coordination of operations among the specifically assigned VA Clinic(s) and toward the goal of providing quality and timely patient care and education through the optimal utilization of available manpower - funds - space - and other resources.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/01/2026. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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 Requirement: 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 Government-wide - agency - and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget - personnel - and procurement You must 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-09) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes what is stated above as well as: interpreting laws and regulations governing healthcare industry standards; developing policies and procedures consistent with applicable guidelines; assessing existing policies and procedures for non-compliance risks; applying various techniques for collecting - analyzing - and/or interpreting data; providing guidance and recommendations to senior management - compliance committees - and/or clinical advisory boards; and utilizing various software systems to create reports - graphs - and/or presentations. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. - 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 (i.e. - hospital administration - public health administration - or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). NOTE: Education must have been obtained in an accredited college - or university. Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. 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 and education beyond a master's degree or two full years of graduate education. 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/. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. The work is sedentary. Typically - the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However - there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items - such as papers - books - or small parts; or driving an automobile. No special physical demands are required to perform the work. Work Environment: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices - meeting and training rooms - e.g. - use of safe work practices with office equipment - avoidance of trips and falls - observance of fire regulations and traffic signals. The work area is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated.
Duties
The Health System Specialist develops administrative programs and procedures for their assigned VA Clinic(s) within the Iowa City VA Health Care System. This position independently oversees the coordination of operations among the specifically assigned VA Clinic(s) and toward the goal of providing quality and timely patient care and education through the optimal utilization of available manpower - funds - space - and other resources.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/01/2026. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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 Requirement: 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 Government-wide - agency - and facility systems and requirements in various administrative areas such as budget - personnel - and procurement You must 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-09) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes what is stated above as well as: interpreting laws and regulations governing healthcare industry standards; developing policies and procedures consistent with applicable guidelines; assessing existing policies and procedures for non-compliance risks; applying various techniques for collecting - analyzing - and/or interpreting data; providing guidance and recommendations to senior management - compliance committees - and/or clinical advisory boards; and utilizing various software systems to create reports - graphs - and/or presentations. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. - 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 (i.e. - hospital administration - public health administration - or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). NOTE: Education must have been obtained in an accredited college - or university. Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. 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 and education beyond a master's degree or two full years of graduate education. 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/. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. The work is sedentary. Typically - the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However - there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items - such as papers - books - or small parts; or driving an automobile. No special physical demands are required to perform the work. Work Environment: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices - meeting and training rooms - e.g. - use of safe work practices with office equipment - avoidance of trips and falls - observance of fire regulations and traffic signals. The work area is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated.
Duties
- **Please be advised this occupation is currently undergoing a classification consistency review that may result in a change in title - series - and/or grade if determined by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
- A consistency review is required for this position as a result of an OPM appeal related to the occupation
- A \"consistency review\" is the process that involves a classification review of positions performing work that is identical - or related to an OPM appeal to ensure they are classified consistently and in accordance with OPM standards
- If a reduction in grade occurs - you could be eligible for grade and/or pay retention.** The Iowa City Veterans Affairs Health Care System (ICVAHCS) consists of a comprehensive Tertiary Care Level I VA Health Care System
- eleven VA Clinics and two Homeless Veterans Outreach Centers and has an affiliate agreement with the top ranked University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- ICVAHCS is home to the Center for Access & Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE) - one of the largest research departments in the VA
- CADRE is an energetic and upbeat organization with 18 core investigators - 29 affiliate or associate investigators - 3 Career Development Awardees - 5 VA Quality Scholars - over 50 research personnel - and over 40 funded projects
- https://www.va.gov/iowa-city-health-care/about-us/ ***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION - YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Major duties include but are not limited to: Serves as a community based outpatient clinic (CBOC) Program Administrator for Coralville clinic
- Serves as the first point of contact for leading - organizing - developing - executing - and controlling the delivery and coordination of the health care at the assigned CBOC Collaborates with others and assists the ACOS to integrate - facilitate and evaluate patient care and administrative services within the health system to achieve mutual achievement of patient centered care and organizational goals Conducts analysis of Veteran demographics to formulate short-term and long-term planning to serve as prudent information form which decisions are made that positively impact the financial and public image of the medical center Develops and administers clinic policies - resolves critical problems and issues related to policy application Analyzes and evaluates on a qualitative and/or qualitative basis - the effectiveness of programs or operations and prepare program status reports for review at all levels of the agency Evaluates strategies for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of work methods - procedures - organization - resource utilization - distribution of work - management control and budgetary - information and documentation systems Performs program evaluation - workload monitoring - trend analysis - budget and fund control point control - equipment and supply management - human resource management - space management - accreditation standards compliance - clinical and administrative investigations - and external communication Develops and administer annual budget including analyzing budget trends and identifying imbalance Supervises all Medical Support Assistants or Advanced Medical Support Assistants in their assigned VA Clinic(s) on administrative matters Manages procurement - recruitment and contracting for Primary Care Service in the assigned VA Clinic(s) Performs other duties as assigned
- Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:30am - 4:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Position Description/PD#: Health System Specialist - Clinic Program Administrator/PD50533A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers
- This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest
- As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care - you will operate 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
- This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.
Salary : $74,678 - $97,087