Program Specialist

Summary

The primary purpose of the Program Specialist is to implement technical administrative policies, practices and procedures, work in collaboration with all administrative and clinical staff in Primary Care, Mental Health, Specialty Services, and core administrative services (e.g., HR, Fiscal, HAS) needed by the CBOC within the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System (VASLCHCS).

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Duties

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Duties:

• The Program Specialist ensures that the outcomes, guidelines, resources, accountability, and consequences are aligned with the administrative support of the care team's clinical, research and educational mission.
• Independently develops and implements reports intended to analyze and improve delivery of care, efficiency of administration, and reduction of cost.
• Establishes processes in coordination with the Health System Specialist to train and validate complete medical record documentation, and ensure encounter form completion, as well as accurate encounter coding through accountability, education, and communication.
• Complete workload reporting results in optimal medical center reimbursement, medical cost containment, and recovery.
• Develop and sustain the training program that maintains provider accountability and complete workload reporting which encompasses the core values, mission, performance measures and directives.
• Work with the Health System Specialist to analyze data, test theories, implement change and redesign clinical grids. Measures results, evaluates effectiveness, and standardizes improvements.
• Evaluate and improve processes and services in achieving desirable outcomes and utilizes collected data to improve Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) quality and throughput.
• Utilize forward thinking to recommend changes to the CBOC Leadership team, which includes the Chief Medical Officer, Business Manager, Nurse Manager, Assistant Nurse Manager and the Medical Support Assistant Supervisor.
• Process a high level of interpersonal and communication skills allowing them to work independently when necessary and jointly with high level leadership to support multiple CBOCs simultaneously.
• The incumbent's official duty location is the Idaho Falls Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), with responsibilities that may encompass support for one or multiple CBOCs, all of which are geographically separate from the main facility. These locations present unique operational and logistical challenges. The Program Specialist adeptly anticipates, identifies, and resolves these challenges independently and with minimal direction, ensuring that there are no delays or interruptions in timely and effective Veteran care.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm

Telework: Ad-hoc - Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD148040, PD148050, and PD148060

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• 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)

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, 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, 05/22/2026.

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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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.

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

GS-7:

• Specialized Experience GS-07: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience include, knowledge and skill in operating computers, application software such as word processing. graphics, spreadsheets, electronic mail, and various office equipment. Knowledge of travel requirements and documents, travel policies, processes, and procedures sufficient to create, review, edit, process, and trouble-shoot travel authorizations and vouchers. Knowledge of grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation to prepare material in required formats. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have One (1) full year of successfully completed graduate level education or superior academic achievement. if related that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): SAA at the baccalaureate level in the coursework detailed above is fully qualifying. 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 bachelor's degree may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-07 level.

GS-9:

• Specialized Experience GS-09: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience include, knowledge of principles of management and organization, including administrative practices and procedures of organizations, such as those pertaining to areas of responsibility, changes of communication, delegations of authority, routing of correspondence. Knowledge of and skill in applying analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to analyze and assess programs and projects. Knowledge and skill in operating computers, application software such as word processing. graphics, spreadsheets, electronic mail, and various office equipment. Skilled typist. Knowledge of travel requirements and documents, including a thorough knowledge of travel policies, processes, and procedures sufficient to create, review, edit, process, and trouble-shoot travel authorizations and vouchers. Knowledge of grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation to prepare material in required formats. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing; ability to train and instruct staff in administrative procedures; ability to plan and organize work; ability to interpret and apply rules and regulations.
  
  . OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. 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 in excess of the first year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-09 level.

GS-11:

• Specialized Experience GS-11: 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. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, knowledge of principles of management and organization, including administrative practices and procedures of organizations, such as those pertaining to areas of responsibility, changes of communication, delegations of authority, routing of correspondence. Knowledge of and skill in applying analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to analyze and assess programs and projects. Knowledge of the duties, priorities, responsibilities, commitments, Policies and goals of the HRO and DHRO). Thorough foundation of administrative concepts and practices sufficient to enable the incumbent to recommend changes in administrative policies, devise and install procedures and office practices, and foresee and respond to administrative problems and requirements. Knowledge of Senior Leadership's views sufficient to enable the incumbent to perform duties such as prioritizing calendar appointments and development of material, for Senior Leadership's use. Respond to inquiries concerning the VISN, program policies and interest in actions. Knowledge of the substantive programs as they relate to administrative functions. Knowledge of the organizational structure of the VISN HR SSU, to facilitate administrative review and routing of correspondence. Knowledge and skill in operating personal computers, application software such as word processing. graphics, spreadsheets, electronic mail, and various office equipment. Skilled typist. Knowledge of travel requirements and documents, including a thorough knowledge of travel policies, processes, and procedures sufficient to create, review, edit, process, and trouble-shoot travel authorizations and vouchers. Knowledge of grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation to prepare material in required formats. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing; ability to train and instruct staff in administrative procedures; ability to plan and organize work; ability to interpret and apply rules and regulations.
  
  OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M. if related that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. 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 of a master's or equivalent graduate education may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-11 level.

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

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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 you...