The VA New York Harbor Health Care System (NYHHCS) Hospital Housekeeping Officer (Chief of Environmental Management Service) is responsible for planning, organization, staffing, controlling, evaluation and directing of the environmental management functions of 3 facilities located in Manhattan, Kings, Queens, and the Community Based Outpatient Clinics.

Duties

The preponderance of responsibilities and duties in this position are managerial leadership. Technical expertise in environmental infection control is secondary. The incumbent must exercise broad managerial knowledge and technical expertise within the various disciplines of the Service. This knowledge and experience provides the basis for sound leadership and managerial practices. He/she must seek solutions to existing and possible future challenges, identifies long and short-range goals, and formulates policies independently, and/or jointly with other NYHHCS management staff. The Chief of Environmental Management Service plans and initiates improvement actions on a progressive basis. He/she serves as the advisor and consultant to NYHHCS management and is responsible for implementing and maintaining a sound environmental sanitation program, an effective infection prevention program, a cost efficient on-site laundry, linen, uniform operation, integrated pest management, and wide-ranging recycling programs; including a waste management program, consisting of solid waste, regulated medical waste, RCRA and non-RCRA waste, and medical sharps. An effective and efficient EMS program must fully coordinate activities with every organizational element in the many varied Health Care System facilities. Because of the incumbent's direct involvement in the Health Care System environment his/her judgment and point of view are solicited on a wide area of concerns regarding Health Care System issues and challenges. In this respect, he/she is able to influence decisions and actions beyond the scope of his/her normal program areas, which involve various Health Care System current and future plans and policies. In addition to supporting NYHHCS management in the broad areas of Environmental Management, he/she serves on various VISN 2, as well as National VA Environmental Programs Services (EPS) Committees. He/she formulates program policy, plans, organizes, directs, staffs, budgets, and coordinates a comprehensive Environmental Management Service (EMS) program for this tertiary care, affiliated, research, and active Health Care System. This individual has responsibility for making decisions and taking actions that have substantial impact on facility program objectives, goals, funding, scheduling, organizational structure and allocation of resources. The incumbent is responsible for the comprehensive planning, direction, and coordination of the entire EMS operation, as well as the evaluation of the Health Care System Environmental Management Service programs and functions. The scope, variety and quality of assigned functions minimally encompass all activities listed in VA Manual M-1, Part VII. Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:00pm, Monday-Friday Telework: Not eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Hospital Housekeeping Officer/PD21U17-0 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Authorized Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Required.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/20/2023. 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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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: Individual Occupational Requirements: Education: Undergraduate Education: Major study -- chemistry or biological sciences, sanitary science or administration, institutional sanitation or administration, hospital administration, hotel administration, public administration, business administration, or other fields related to the position. Graduate Education: Major study -- public health or business administration with emphasis in hospital administration. OR Specialized Experience: Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience in two or more of the following areas, or other work related to the position to be filled: Experience that demonstrated a practical working knowledge of the basic principles of chemistry, biology, and bacteriology as applied to environmental sanitation, infection control, and to the choice and use of antimicrobial agents in the disinfection, sanitization, and/or sterilization of surfaces and equipment. Experience in laundry and linen management. Experience in interior design management. Experience that demonstrated a knowledge of waste management, including the requirements relating to hazardous, toxic, and infectious wastes and provisions for their final disposition. Experience that demonstrated a knowledge of pest management, including alternative methods of control and the selection and application of chemicals. To qualify for this position, you must also meet the specialized experience as outline below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Formulates program policy, plans, organizes, directs, staffs, budgets, and coordinates a comprehensive Environmental Service; knowledge and ability to manage the cleanliness of a healthcare facility using infection control standards which reduce healthcare associated infections; development of processes overseeing collection, removal, and control of all recyclables and wastes generated in a health care facility; oversight of a healthcare laundry plant which cleans, launders, repairs and replaces hospital linens and uniforms; responsibility of an integrated pest management program which prevents or manages pest concerns; and operation of a large-scale sanitation program that provides a safe environment for patients, employees and visitors. Preferred Experience:5+ years of progressive leadership experience in hospital/healthcare environmental services. Certifications from the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA) or Indoor Environmental Healthcare and Hospitality Association (IEHA)Certification from the National Pest Management Association (NPMA)Certification from the Association for Linen Management. Certified Contracting Officer Representative (COR) with Department of Veterans Affairs Planning and Evaluating Strategic Thinking Technical Competence 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 primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Decision SupportFinancial ManagementLeadershipPlanning and EvaluatingPlanning and EvaluatingQuality ManagementTeaches OthersTechnical Competence 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. 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 VA NY Harbor Healthcare System 423 East 23rd Street New York, NY 10010 US
• Name: Sophia Flores
• Phone: 708-200-3154
• Email: [email protected]