What are the responsibilities and job description for the Health System Specialist- Strategic Planner (Direct Hiring Authority) position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
This position is for a Health Systems Specialist- Strategic Planner at the Aleda E. Lutz Veteran Affairs Medical Center. The Strategic Planner provides expert advice and guidance on both operational and strategic issues involving a complex and ever-changing local - state - and national health care environment. The Strategic Planning section supports the management information needs for Medical Center executive leaders.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 06/22/2026. 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-10 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: At least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service that has equipped me with the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position - and that is typically in or related to the work of this Health System Specialist position. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as 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. At this level - applicants would have obtained this experience working within a health care setting - working directly with clinicians and other administrators to solve problems in support of the delivery of patient care; and ensuring compliance with policy and directives related to a health care credentialing and privileging program. Education: Have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR 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). The education portion must include courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Education must have been obtained in an accredited college - or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Combination: Have an equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level (beyond a master's degree) and specialized experience as described above to meet total experience requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position (i.e. - hospital administration - public health administration - or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Experience must be clearly indicated in your resume. 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/.
Duties
This position is for a Health Systems Specialist- Strategic Planner at the Aleda E. Lutz Veteran Affairs Medical Center. The Strategic Planner provides expert advice and guidance on both operational and strategic issues involving a complex and ever-changing local - state - and national health care environment. The Strategic Planning section supports the management information needs for Medical Center executive leaders.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 06/22/2026. 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-10 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: At least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service that has equipped me with the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position - and that is typically in or related to the work of this Health System Specialist position. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as 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. At this level - applicants would have obtained this experience working within a health care setting - working directly with clinicians and other administrators to solve problems in support of the delivery of patient care; and ensuring compliance with policy and directives related to a health care credentialing and privileging program. Education: Have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR 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). The education portion must include courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Education must have been obtained in an accredited college - or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Combination: Have an equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level (beyond a master's degree) and specialized experience as described above to meet total experience requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position (i.e. - hospital administration - public health administration - or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration). NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Experience must be clearly indicated in your resume. 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/.
Duties
- Duties include but are not limited to: The Strategic Planner formulates recommendations for administrative and general management decisions relating to the operation of the medical center
- Reviews and interprets directives - memoranda - and other Veteran Health Administration (VHA) documents - such as Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) workload reports - performance measures - planning models - program initiatives - clinical inventories - etc. - and translates them into sound management practice - organizational goals - and operational effectiveness of the medical center
- Based on research - the incumbent develops position papers and decision documents representing the position of the Medical Center Director on a variety of issues which may have significant Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN)-wide impact - and which may involve several functional areas
- The Strategic Planner possesses integrated and in-depth knowledge and understanding of VHA's basic policies - mission - and operating programs in order to meet the responsibilities of this position
- The duties require a high degree of administrative and managerial expertise - and the ability to work effectively with others at high levels within the organization
- The incumbent will have access to printed and electronic files containing sensitive information and will ensure their protection under the provisions of the Privacy Act of I974 and other applicable laws and regulations
- The incumbent is responsible for protecting information from unauthorized release or from loss - alteration - or unauthorized deletion
- Functions with a high degree of autonomy - independently initiating projects/studies and providing key stay support to the Associate Director (AsD) and the Medical Center Director for a broad range of complex planning and budgetary issues related to the operations of a health care system
- The prime objective of the Strategic Planner is the development and furtherance of a sound facility level strategic plan
- Service level tactical plans support the strategic plan
- Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: ad-hoc 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#: Health System Specialist- Strategic Planner (Direct Hiring Authority)/PD932550 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Salary : $74,678 - $97,087