The incumbent provides direct staff support to the Associate Chief Nurse, responsible for planning, organization, development, direction and evaluation of Operative Care Division's Nursing Services programs. Provides full staff assistance in administrative matters relating to: patient concerns, budget management, contract management and assuring legal requirements for care.

Duties

Duties includes but not limited to: Acts as a liaison or handles the communication with persons and/or groups within and outside of the division. Handles assigned controlled and congressional correspondence for the Division. Primary Liaison with the Patient Advocacy office. Researches and/or analyzes unstable or complex program issues. Plans and/or accomplishes special projects and programs. Administers programs concerning position management and human-resources utilization. Oversees related contract administration including knowledge of personnel and contracting operations such as classification, standards, and competencies. Is temporary backup to Administrative Officer for personnel and human resource items. Incumbent is authorized to be approving official for orders for supplies, services and equipment. Reviews orders to verify their need for orders for supplies, services, and equipment. Performs administrative work, which includes management of an office's schedule or day-to-day plans. Develops new plans or schedules using standard references. Identifies objectives based on understanding of program and overall priorities. Determines specific steps, input required, and/or meetings. Identifies schedule and milestones; and estimates resources required. Formulates, presents, executes, and analyzes organizational budgets. Monitors budget allocation and execution to insure that operating program objectives are met. Performs in-depth, rigorous analysis of budget requests by employing techniques such as cost-benefit analysis, program trade offs, and exploring alternative methods of funding. Monitors the use and rate of expenditure of budgeted funds in assigned areas through continuing dialogue with program officials and their staff, review of written documents, and examination of accounting records. Verifies assigned invoices for services provided to the Division section and manages assigned division level contracts: is the primary Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for Nursing Services within the Operative Care Division. Performs work related to developing and monitoring quality programs, plans, procedures, and methodologies; and/or analyzing quality initiatives and processes. Analyzes a wide range of processes with long-term goals and results. Makes use of basic and advanced quality tools to accomplish analysis. Trains and facilitates others in the use of quality tools and techniques. Provides guidance and facilitation skills to quality action teams and to managers. Guidance is designed to foster quality principles in all strata of the workforce. 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, 7:00am -3:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Administrative Specialist/PD209460 and PD209450 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 08/12/2024. 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 within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. For a GS-11 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. 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 specialized experience and/or education as described below: GS-9 Qualifications: 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. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: experience in providing staff support in the maintenance of data related to workload and budget to ensure best patient care within the context of existing constraints; knowledge of issues, agency program goals and objectives, work processes and administrative operations of the organization; and knowledge of and skill with written and oral communication sufficient to prepare and present findings and recommendations. Note: 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. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D. in a related field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Note: Transcripts required. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate level education beyond the first year or 18 semester hours to meet the total qualification requirements for the GS-9 grade level. Note: Transcripts required. GS-11 Qualifications: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade, GS-9, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: knowledge and skill in applying analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to issues or studies concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of program operations; knowledge of pertinent laws, regulations, policies and precedents which affect the use of program and related support resources in the area studied; knowledge of the major issues, program goals and objectives, work processes, and administrative operations of the organization; knowledge and skill in adapting analytical techniques and evaluation criteria to the measurement and improvement of program effectiveness and/or organizational productivity; skill in conducting detailed analyses of complex functions and work processes; and interpersonal skills in presenting staffing recommendations and negotiating solutions to disputed recommendations. Note: 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. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related, that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one (1) year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours will be considered as satisfying the one (1) year of full-time study requirement. Note: Transcripts required. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate level education beyond the first 2 years or 36 semester hours to meet the total qualification requirements for the GS-11 grade level. Note: Transcripts required. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: AccountabilityProblem SolvingProject 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 primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address VA Portland Health Care System 3710 Southwest US Veterans Hospital Road Portland, OR 97239 US
• Name: John Buan
• Phone: 503-220-8262 X59964
• Email: [email protected]