The New Mexico VA Healthcare System Cooperative Studies Program (CSP), is actively recruiting for a Quality Assurance Program Manager, for the Site Monitoring, Auditing and Resource Team (SMART). Cooperative Studies Program mission is to advance the health and care of veterans and the nation through cooperative research studies that produce innovative and effective solutions to national healthcare problems.

Duties

This is a Bargaining Unit Position. Performs quality assurance check for monitoring/auditing reports, summaries, and attachments that are submitted by field monitors/auditors. Works with the Director and Chiefs of Monitoring and Auditing to develop quality assurance project/program documentation methods used to measure program efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity. Tracks site visits and report status, verifying completion of reports during the specified time frames. Updates forms, correspondence templates and requests changes to standard operating procedures (SOPs)/ approved methods and procedures (AMPs) in response to regulatory or program changes. Provides website training to internal staff and remote monitors and auditors. Functions as a key team member in the development, population of content, staff and contractor training on the SMART SharePoint site. Responsible for providing quality assurance checks to ensure compliance with all auditing/monitoring and global SOPs and AMPs. Functions as document owner and/or approver for GCP logs and tools or SOP/AMPs in the document control system. Monitors and evaluates the execution of Good Clinical Practice (GCP)/Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) department Site Monitoring Auditing and Resource Team (SMART) expenditures, ensuring funds are executed in accordance with approved operating budgets and other financial requirements. Updates and reviews multiple Quality Assurance (QA) trackers for outstanding and erroneous financial transactions. Develops a core budget program used to support monitoring and auditing MCTs and staff professional development. Manages multi-year service contracts for multi-year/multi-million dollar service contracts. 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: Monday - Friday; 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: May be available with supervisor approval Telework: Available Duty Location Status: Will work from a VA owned or leased space Position Description/PD#: Quality Assurance Specialist/PD03115A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary requiring only occasional physical activity. Extended use of a computer terminal and reading and preparing reports will occupy a significant portion of the day.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
• Selectees are subject to a background/suitability investigation.
• Selectees may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• A complete application package, i.e., Resume, Transcripts, etc., as required by job announcement.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Participation in the Seasonal Influenza Prevention Program for VHA Health Care Personnel (HCP) is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs HCP.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Pre-employment physical examination/evaluation may be required.
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/29/2024. 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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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. Provide a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" to indicate your current federal status. You must also submit additional SF-50(s) to clearly demonstrate one year time-in-grade as required in the announcement. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess one year time-in-grade. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year time-in-grade. 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. AND You may qualify based on your education/experience/combination as described below. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part your qualifications on education. Individual Occupational Requirements: Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study - quality assurance, statistics, mathematics, production management, industrial management, computer science, engineering, engineering technology, physical sciences, textiles, or other fields related to the position. or Specialized Experience: Experience that demonstrated a practical knowledge in monitoring, controlling, or maintaining the quality of products or services in quality assurance, procurement, inspection, production, or related areas. Examples include: Reviewing production activities and capabilities in light of contract quality requirements. Reviewing written quality or inspection procedures for adequacy, and evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of quality/inspection systems, including sampling plans. Analyzing quality data to detect unsatisfactory trends or weaknesses in the quality/inspection system. Verifying by test or inspection, using sampling inspection or intensive product inspection techniques, that products comply with requirements prior to acceptance. Identifying inadequacies and requesting corrective action. Computing data, summarizing results, and preparing reports or charts depicting pertinent relationships using statistical methods. Investigating customer complaints and deficiency reports, and providing identification of causes to appropriate authorities. Reading, interpreting, and applying technical data such as blueprints, engineering drawings, product specifications, or technical manuals Reviewing and evaluating supply systems operations and procedures through periodic audits and surveillance inspections. And In addition to meeting the IOR above, you must meet the 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-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as practical knowledge in established theory and principles of management methodologies related to quality control, quality assurance and quality by design, and the application of statistical techniques and quality assurance methods. Examples include: Apply basic and advanced quality assurance methods and techniques to track program goals, objectives, and action plans. Familiarity with regulations and guidelines such VA, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and International Conference Harmonization (ICH) concerning clinical trials. Planning and developing quality management systems related to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) monitoring and auditing activities. Develop and analyze facts related to Quality Assurance nonconformance and prepares reports of conclusion. Providing quality assurance checks to ensure compliance with all auditing/monitoring and global Standard Operation Methods (SOP) and Approved Methods and Procedures (AMP). OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have two (2) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree with a major study in quality assurance, statistics, mathematics, production management, industrial management, computer science, engineering, engineering technology, physical sciences, textiles, or other fields related to the 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 two (2) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree. Per Office of Personnel Management General Schedule Qualification Policies, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence (e.g., a memorandum from the manager, human resources director, or official documentation such as SF-52, SF-50 documenting an official detail/assignments, or other comparable documentation). The documentation must indicate whether the employee performed the duties full time or, if part-time, the percentage of times the employee performed the additional duties. To receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your position, you must provide official documentation of such experience as indicated above. 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 OPM's web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/alph-ndx.asp.

Education

Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have two (2) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree with a major study in quality assurance, statistics, mathematics, production management, industrial management, computer science, engineering, engineering technology, physical sciences, textiles, or other fields related to the position.

PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. 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.

Contacts

• Address Albuquerque ORD VISN 22 1501 San Pedro Drive, Southeast Albuquerque, NM 87108 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]