The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has adopted a Comprehensive Emergency Management Program Workforce Modernization Plan for emergency preparedness and response responsibilities for emergency management activities within VHA to all levels of Department and with other Departments and Agencies and established consistency of functions and streamlines hiring process. This position is located at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center and reports to the Chief of Public Safety Service.

Duties

The incumbent is responsible for preparing for and carrying out or coordinating emergency functions to prevent, protect from, mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters. The incumbent serves and assists the various program coordinators relating to Emergency Management (EM), Safety, Pharmacy Cache, Clinical Support, and Law Enforcement. The position of an Emergency Management Specialist (EMS) manages the health care system in sustaining national and regional support to the Comprehensive Emergency Management Program (CEMP). The EMS is a high-profile position requiring daily interaction with the highest levels of VAMC leadership, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), VHA and the VHA Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and community stakeholders. The major duties of the Emergency Management Specialist position will include: - Responsibility for coordinating the Healthcare System efforts and engaging staff, as well as the functions required to manage the Comprehensive Emergency Management Program (CEMP). - Develop, implement, sustain, and maintain policies and guidance within the VHA, local, and community. - Responsible for ensuring the emergency response results and conclusions lead to a continual improvement of the emergency management program throughout the healthcare system. - Provide leadership with direction management, professional and technical expertise regarding the development and implementation of the CEMP. - Advise Agency Executives and key stakeholders with expertise on program and policy impacting the CEMP including vulnerable Veteran populations. - Participate in the development, coordination and review of directives, white papers, Medical Center Memorandum, service support agreements, standard operation procedures, policy matters and related documents issued by the VHA and the Healthcare System. - Coordinate internal and external publicity for the CEMP in conjunction with Medical Center Office of Public Affairs. - Assist the Area Emergency Manager in maintaining and reporting daily bed inventory for NDMS and VA/DoD Contingency, as deemed appropriate. - Plan, organize, implement, oversee and provide technical assistance for projects relating to emergency management programs. - Review documents received for review, concurrence, and/or signature. - Represent the healthcare system at the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and federal, state, county and local coalition. - Function as the local program manager for First Receiver Decontamination. - Supervise the Decontamination Triage Leader, Decontamination Entry Team Leader, Decontamination Site Access Control Unit Leader and Decontamination Logistics Officer. - Activate and provide direct support to the Hospital Incident Management Team. - Prepare the Hospital Command Center (HCC) for drills, exercises and responses. - Develop and distribute an After-Action Report with Improvement Plan resulting from capability gaps. - Develop and maintain VHA emergency operations plans in support of internal and external requirements and mandates. - Review, analyze and coordinate the implementation and evaluation of exercises to test and analyze the healthcare system's comprehensive emergency management plans and associated programs. - Work with committee and community partners to perform hazard vulnerability analysis (HVA) requiring assessment of risks having potential to interrupt the continuity of critical operations. - Serve as advisor and representative on Emergency Management issues. - Provide guidance and assistance in all employee and vulnerable patient/Veteran accountability efforts before, during and after an emergency. - Ensure all data on employee and patient/Veteran accountability is reported to the healthcare system Incident Command Center and VISN in a timely manner. - Perform other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Emergency Management Specialist/PD99789S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified applicants and will be discussed in the interview Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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, 10/23/2023. 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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 as described below: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level, GS-11, that equipped them with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the Emergency Management Specialist and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization, GS-11. Specialized experience related to this position includes: knowledge of emergency management laws, regulations practice and methods; ability to plan, organize, and build relationships; and ability to communicate. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Emergency Management 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 during non-emergency situations. However, participation in field exercises and operational support missions may require strenuous physical activity to include carrying persons and equipment, walking long distance, climbing, working long hours, long periods of standing, and bending and stooping. May include various housing and living conditions to include non-climate controlled, limited privacy sleeping facilities (for example, cots, tents, "hot-bunking", gymnasiums, or similar), limited shower and laundry facilities, and limited feeding options (such as shelf-stable meals, meals-ready-to-eat (MREs) and field kitchens). Incumbent must have and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator's license. During emergency situations the incumbent may be required to remain available for 24 hours per day, seven days per week for multiple weeks. Incumbent is subject to work under emergency notification and contact procedures. Emergency Management Specialist will be provided and must carry a government provided mobile communication device. 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

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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 Battle Creek VA Medical Center 5500 Armstrong Road Battle Creek, MI 49037 US
• Name: Jamie Cole
• Phone: (269) 832-1641
• Email: [email protected]