The Program Specialist position is assigned to Ambulatory Care at the Montgomery VAMC, Montgomery, AL., and provides assistance with administrative aspects of the service line. Administrative responsibilities include data gathering, analysis, tracking, trending and reporting, assisting with budget preparation and other fiscal duties.

Duties

Duties include but is not limited to: Analyzes, evaluates, advises on, validates, or improves workload capture for Ambulatory Care. Utilizes quantitative and qualitative analysis and evaluation techniques to advise Service leadership on the effectiveness of work methods, procedures, information and documentation systems, and similar functions of management in order to ensure short-range and long-range national, VISN and facility-wide strategic initiatives, performance measures and monitors are met relating to clinic wait times, clinic flow, care coordination, provider continuity, appointment availability, consult management, electronic wait lists and all other aspect of clinic operations. Meets the needs of customers both internally and externally while supporting the VA Mission. Supervision over this position is general, consultative, and collaborative in nature. Judgment on the part of the incumbent will be used to determine the specific priorities and in determining the most appropriate methods to accomplish the objectives. Provides position management advice and recommendations to ACOS which includes distribution of workload among positions and clinics, and the processes and steps needed to complete the work. Provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures, handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately. Monitors Service Line Fund Control Point activity, reconciles accounts, reviews monthly and quarterly status of funds reports. Analyzes new or proposed regulations to determine impact on operations and management and develops new or modified administrative program policies, regulations, goals or objectives to ensure compliance with VA directives Assist with the preparation of yearly budget submissions Prepares requests for additional funds along with justification for the request whenever needed. Assists management in determining priorities related to the administrative activities, cost considerations, patient satisfaction, and quality management aspects of the Ambulatory Care Service Line. Conducts studies of organizational efficiency and productivity and recommending changes or improvements in organization, staffing, work methods and procedures in service programs and clinics. Provides data and other information to identity areas in need of change and assists in the development of training programs and strategies to produce change and ensure the quality and effectiveness of the improvement. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday thru Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/39515A 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, 08/30/2023. 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 announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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 for the GS-9 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-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Monitors Service Line data integrity and review data for accuracy and adherence to regulations. Trains staff in any elements of data collection. Reconciles accounts, prepare budget reports and data gathering. Writes and updates policy memorandums. Develops training on new and/or changes to regulations. (Such experience must be well represented within the resume). 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 (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED IF QUALIFYING BASED ON EDUCATION). 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 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., directly related to the position. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED IF QUALIFYING BASED ON EDUCATION). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administrative and Management Customer Service Organizational Stewardship Accounting 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 work is sedentary with the only physical demands being normal walking, standing, sitting, bending activities associated with a desk job. 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 your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Central Alabama VA Medical Center-Montgomery 215 Perry Hill Road Montgomery, AL 36109 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]