This is an Education Program Specialist job opportunity at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in North Charleston, SC. The incumbent is responsible for the instructional assessment, analysis, design, implementation, and program evaluation for educational technology systems used by the Medical Center employees, patients, and affiliates.

Duties

The Education Program Specialist will coordinate training and communicate effectively with various service lines throughout the Medical Center as well as surrounding Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). The incumbent must have sound knowledge of adult instructional theory and methodology as well as VHA related software programs, data bases, and procedures for both administrative and clinical services. Innovation is required and demonstrated through initiative to assume new responsibilities as situations arise. S/he will be expected to remain current on own knowledge base through reading, experience and/or additional education. S/he will design, coordinate, and instruct computer-based learning curriculums and programs, independent lessons and instructional guides that foster staff learning and independent use of VHA computer technology, software, and programs. Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Collaborating closely with Clinical Informatics, Information Technology, and Human Resources to foster employee development, identify computer-related educational needs and maintain knowledge of the latest program enhancements. Using knowledge of adult learning theories and methodologies to develop courses, modify existing curriculums, independently and in-collaboration with experts, as required. Delivering programs to meet educational learning needs, regulatory body (JC, OSHA, SOARS, etc.) requirements and local, VISN and VHA mandates and strategic plans. The lessons/courses may be standardized, interactive, learner driven or encompass a variety of different teaching styles in response to attendees and objectives. The incumbent must be a highly organized multi-tasker with the ability to manage and complete multiple projects at once, implement successful educational programs, and devote ample preparatory time, coordination, and continuous process improvement strategies to assigned work. The incumbent will astutely review learner needs, subject matter complexity, specialty needs, duration of projects, and proactively analyze and plan solutions to problems that learners may encounter during training program delivery. Assisting service line associated education administrators, instructors, employees, and supervisory staff with web-based intranet and internet applications such as the Talent Management System (TMS), Veteran Health Information Systems Technology Architecture (VISTA), Computerized Patient Record Systems (CPRS), etc. Incorporating and implementing computer training events through planned intervals such as orientations, annual reviews, and as program changes occur. Training may occur through a variety of venues and may incorporate a diverse curriculum and target audience. Training a variety of learners on simple to moderately complex programs and procedures such as basic keyboarding, Microsoft Office, development of user identification codes, program navigation, software features, enhancements, and data retrieval. Utilizing evaluation tools to continuously assess learner needs, modifying training in response to evaluations, and ensuring educational events are properly recorded through VHA approved methods. Functioning in lead role in the Medical Center's current education tracking documentation systems which includes schooling service level adjunct administrators for initial training, period updates, and routine training for those involved with recording education events. Evaluating the impact of programs, seeking to understand outcomes, recording associated workload, and contributing to program revisions based on his/her understanding of various methods of educational and training assessment methods of evaluation and data related to adult learning theories and methodologies. Monitoring and ensuring educational mandates are addressed and maintained in training episodes and through documentation requirements. Maintaining manuals, reference documents, and/or software instructional guides associated with training programs and systems used within the organization; preparing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and software instructions that are simple to understand for a diverse population of learners. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 4:30PM Telework: Eligible on Ad Hoc basis only Position Description/PD#: Education Program Specialist/PD000470 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/21/2023. 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 job announcement. For a grade GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7 grade. 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 this job announcement. In that instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates a 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 for this position based on your experience and/or education as described below: Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR): An IOR is a basic requirement that must be met in order to qualify for entry into this job series, and it is something that cannot be waived. The education must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. To qualify for the GS-1720 occupational series, applicants must meet ONE (1) of the following four (4) requirements: A. Degree: that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position to be filled, of which at least 9 semester hours must have been in education courses. (A transcript must be provided in order to receive credit). OR B. Combination of education and experience -- at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position to be filled, of which at least 9 semester hours must have been in education courses, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The experience must reflect the level and kind described in C below. OR C. Four years of experience that demonstrated a thorough understanding of the principles and practices underlying the work of this series. This experience must have been of such character and diversity to demonstrate that the applicant possesses an understanding of the field comparable to that normally acquired through successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university. OR D. At least 1 full academic year of professional teaching experience. This experience is defined as full and primary responsibility, under general supervision, for instruction of assigned students in an accredited school or institution. This includes responsibility for preparing and presenting lessons and for evaluating students' progress, including a determination of the students' success or failure according to established criteria. Serving in an assistant capacity to a professor without the authority to determine the students' success or failure to meet course requirements does not meet this criterion. In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) listed above, applicants must also meet ONE (1) of following three (3) requirements: GS-9 MINIMUM REQUIREMENT (SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE): You must have one (1) 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 would typically include, but are not limited to: Delivering training programs to meet educational learning needs, regulatory requirements and VA mandates and strategic plans. Demonstrating proficiency with adult learning theories and methodologies to develop courses, modify existing curriculums, and evaluate impact of training programs. Training others on simple to moderately complex programs such as keyboarding, Microsoft Office, development of user identification codes, training program navigation, software features and enhancements, and data retrieval. Managing and implementing multiple training programs at once. Effectively communicating and presenting to a diverse learning population at all organizational levels. OR GS-9 MINIMUM REQUIREMENT (EDUCATION): Successfully completed Master's or equivalent graduate degree, or two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. OR GS-9 MINIMUM REQUIREMENT (COMBINATION): Equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and the specialized experience as listed above. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Education and Training Teaching Others Technical Competence Communication 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. 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 work is generally sedentary with some nominal walking or standing for short periods of time or carrying of light loads of paper, books, reports, and the like which require only moderate physical ability and physical stress. 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.

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 educational accreditation at the following link: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must submit a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, please visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Ralph H Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 109 Bee Street Charleston, SC 29401 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]